Fork Seal change woes.

[671M900]

AAAAAAHHHHH!

pulling my hair out, so I come to the DMF for help, as always.

changed the fork seals on the m900 with adjustable showas. Got as far as pressing the seal in with a seal driver. Tried to reassemble the damper rod bolt and no go. I got the idea to disassemble the damper rod  itself so I could drop the damper rod straight through the spring without compressing it, seemed better that pressing hard and reaching for the end with an allen wrench.

Pull it out and SOMEHOW, the sleeve is stuck in the fork lower. with a little persuasion and pumping of the fork leg, it pops out... without the spacer. Seems like the damn spacer has wedged itself in the fork lower. Anyway to get it out? It's in there tight. If I have to torch the bottom to loosen the loctite, I'll do it, or chip away lightly at the spacer till it breaks, and replace with a similar size pcv pipe, right? Or is there a plastic piece down there in the bottom and I've lost the spacer somewhere, I looked everywhere, and no spacer in sight?

What is the procedure to reassemble the damper rod bolt? I have a haynes, but it's a bit unclear in this matter. I assume I have to disassemble the damper rod assembly so it'll reach all the way down and catch the threads?

Thanks guys!

[EEL]

Its probably me but I'm trying so hard to understand what you're saying. I've read it three times and I cant wrap my head around it an get a visual. Can you post some pics or something?

[Ddan]

Its probably me but I'm trying so hard to understand what you're saying. I've read it three times and I cant wrap my head around it an get a visual. Can you post some pics or something?

It's not just you   

[671M900]

Yeah, it's difficult to describe this type of work, but let me try to condense it.

I'm having trouble reassembling the damper rod bolt to the lower forks. At first I tried to compress the top of the fork and trying to catch the threads. I think it would be easier to disassemble the damper rod so it drops right through the spring?

Also, the plastic spacer on the bottom of the spring sleeve is gone. After attempting to compress and install the damper rod bolt, I pulled out the damper rod, the spring, but the sleeve was somehow stuck at the bottom. There is no plastic piece in the fork lowers, right?

[Ddan]

Does this help?

[671M900]

That's a fair bit clearer than the one I have. Looks like I fit the plate on the bottom of the spring upside down. I dont think I dropped the spacer anywhere, the one for the spring sleeve. Inside the lower fork leg is nothing, right? There's a plastic piece in there, but it's wedged in there really good, so it may or may not be the sleeve spacer.

[Ddan]

I added the parts list so we know what parts your describing

[671M900]

Haynes manual and the factory sevice manual has different names.

Spring sleeve is "flexible collar" aka #26, and has a spacer on the bottom of it.  When I disassembled the fork after being unable to install the damper rod bolt Aka adjusting screw part #16, the spring came out, but #26 was wedged on the inside of the fork lowers/sliders. I got the collar out, but I believe the spacer is stuck to the bottom.

The diagram shows no plastic budging or space on the bottom fork/slider, but it doesn't show things like the set screw for the chrome sliders.

[Ddan]

I haven't been inside my fork in a while, but it sounds like you got the order wrong when you reassembled.  Your gonna have to hook out that piece somehow.  If you do wind up taking off the fork bottom it has the set screw and red locktite so you'll need some heat.

[671M900]

I haven't been inside my fork in a while, but it sounds like you got the order wrong when you reassembled.  Your gonna have to hook out that piece somehow.  If you do wind up taking off the fork bottom it has the set screw and red locktite so you'll need some heat.

That's what I think happened. I got it out with an extendable angle pick (one of those tools you never use, but glad you have it when you need it!)

Finally got it back together, had to disassemble the top of the damper to get it in. awesome!

Now, to properly fill the fork oil, is it necessary to pump the damper rod the whole way? I pumped it a few times halfway, and oil started coming out the top, so I thought it was full. Haven't gone for a ride yet.

[Ddan]

Yes, you should go through the full stroke of the damper until all the air is out, and yes it can be pretty messy