I am trying to take apart a pair of traditional 34mm Yamaha forks (not upside down). I'm having problems getting the bolt at the bottom of the slider loose, the one that connects to the damping rod. I've done as I've always done and left the spring and top cap in place as this normally locks the damping rod in place but it appears that the rod is turning inside the slider with the bolt. Any suggestions as to how I can lock the damping rod so I can undo the bolt?
What I’ve done, is pop the cap, spring, spacers, etc. Dumped the oil. Collapsed the inner tube. Drove wooden carpentry shims down between the cartridge and tube, wedging the cartridge in place. Then, I impacted the bolt out. Both my VFR’s bolts were locktighted in place and a royal PITA to get them out.
Yes, I thought of that but I don't think it will do any good as the damping rod appears to be turning quite freely with the bolt in the slider. The wooden shims seem to be a good idea.
There is tool to hold damper rod but you can make your own. Just take square tube or flat bar and grind end of it (pyramid), need to be bigger than hole in damper rod. Push it in to damper rod and use impact for bolt.
The top of the damper rod in my FJ1100 forks has a "female" hex shape. I made a tool out of all thread with a nut welded on it and a tee handle at the top...about 18 inches long in total. Place the tool into the top of the damper rod to hold it from rotating and spin the bolt out from the bottom. I misplaced the "tool" twice and had to remake it each time....I now have three of these...
I got the forks apart using a flat bar ground into a point as suggested by TWF2. Thanks to all for any advice given.
When I got the damping rods out I noticed there were two flats on each which would have allowed a star head socket to fit over them to hold them in place. You couldn't see the flats with the rod on the stanchion. Probably would have only taken five weeks if I'd known that.
