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 2006 Tech Contest Winner
FORK REBUILDING FOR DUMMIES!!!
I just changed my seals and rebuilt my forks on the 15th of April 2006. I had had an individual back over my bike in 2004 and the local dealer did insurance repairs that kept me from riding the rest of that season. After I got the bike back I was constantly having suspension problems and passed on several long rides in 2005. The one I did go on was terrible as I fought the suspension the whole ride. I decided to rebuild my forks when one of the seals blew following that whole 400 mile long ride. It's a good thing I did. Several of the inner parts where incorrectly installed or left out
completely. The dealer made it right with me by getting me replacement parts at cost.
Now then you can do the job in one day if you don't have too many interruptions. I kept getting paged out for grass fires! It helps if you have all the parts and a few special tools on hand before starting. The XVZ13DS/DSC service manual (P/N LIT-11616-04-96) also helps but isn't really needed. If you have it, pages 6-32 to 6-41 cover the procedure.
The following 83 - 93 Yamaha Venture / Royale Fork Rebuild Kit (OEM Yamaha
Parts) is available from:
Rick Haferkamp at www.buckeyeperformance.com
Buckeye Performance
7578 Christine Ave.
Cincinnati, Ohio 45241
513-779-2447 fax 513-779-2615
Required OEM Part Numbers
- 2 YA26H-23144-00-00 SEAL DUST
- 2 YA1NL-23145-00-00 OIL SEAL FORK
- 2 YA26H-2319L-00-00 WASHER FORK 1 EACH SIDE
- 4 YA26H-2319M-00-00 SPRING WASHER AKA WAVE WASHER
- 2 YA3JJ-23125-00-00 METAL SLIDE FORK BUSHING
- 2 YA3JJ-23171-00-00 PISTON, BUSHING
Contact Rick via his web page to get a quote and your Venture Member
discount.
You will need to have the following tools:
- Wrenches 10mm, 11mm, 12 mm and 19mm wrenches
- Sockets 6 point 10mm, 11mm, 12 mm (I use a 3/8" SAE drive)
- Socket 12 point 11/8" ½' drive
- Socket Hex 5mm, 10mm and 17mm (½" drive)
- ½" drive extension 8" in length
- ½" drive t-handle
- Dead blow hammer (preferable rubber faced)
- #2 Phillips screwdriver
- Gasket pick
- Curved jaw vise grip pliers
- Small brass drift pin
- Small tack hammer (preferably with a square shaped head)
- Hand impact driver with Phillips bit
- Small hand sledge (or a heavy framing hammer)
- Sharp point punch
- Air compressor and air wrench come in handy
- I recommend you have on hand some blue Permatex thread locker and a tube of Race Tech's Ultra Slick Seal grease.
- Shop rags or other absorbent materials.
- Pinch bar
- Extendible magnetic head pick up tool
- Electrical tape
- White grease or Petroleum Jelly
- New fork oil.
Start by putting the bike on the center stand and then cribbing/bracing the frame so the bike won't fall over on its side. Ensure you raise the front tire at least 2" off the ground. Put the key in the accessory position and reduce the air pressure to the front forks to 0 psi. If you forget this step, I guarantee you will be wearing fork oil [just guess how we found that out (ruined my buddy's tee shirt)]. Remove the key from the ignition and put it in a safe place.
If you feel comfortable that you can get to the top of the fork tubes without removing the handlebars, so be it, however; I prefer to remove mine.
Read all the following steps then start the work.
- Remove the plastic hoods from the left and right fairings. The Hazard
flasher is found on the right hood. Tuck it into the coolant overflow
compartment to hold it out of the way.
- Remove the Handlebar/Ignition switch cover.
- Remove the cover bracket (11/8" socket) and loosen the handlebars. Don't
move them yet, use the Hand Sledge and the sharp point punch to mark where
the slit sits on each so you put them back where you found them.
- Remove the rubber fork caps (if you still have them)
- Turn the wheel to one side. The manual suggests loosening the fork tube
pinch bolts, DON'T. Using the 17mm hex socket loosen the fork cap bolt. The
cap bolt may need to be persuaded with the dead blow hammer but it will
loosen. Keep downward pressure as this keeps the spring compressed and stops parts from flying loose. Loosen it completely to remove residue air pressure from that fork tube and then tighten it back in place.
- Repeat the last step on the other tube.
- Remove fork brace, front fender and any fender accessories. Label any
wiring as you disconnect it, believe me it'll save time later.
- Remove the brake calipers (and any chrome covers). I zip-tied them to the
frame to hold them out of the way.
- Using the curved jaw vise grips remove the speedometer cable from the
lower left side. Be careful the inner cable may slide loose. If so a piece
of electrical tape will hold it in place. Put it up by the left caliper.
- Loosen and remove the pinch bolt on the lower right fork. Loosen and
remove the axle and remove the front wheel.
- Use the hand impact to loosen the drain screws (one fork at a time).
Remove the screw and drain the fork oil, I used an old coffee can as a drain
container for this step.. At this time use a 5mm hex socket to remove the
EAND unit on the fork. Careful as oil may spray out if you didn't follow
step 5. Tie the EAND up to frame next to the caliper for that side. Be
careful to not lose the two rubber washers. Repeat for the other fork.
- Using the air wrench with a 10mm hex socket through the bottom of the
fork hold the fork tightly and loosen/remove the Allen head bolt. Repeat for
other side. Inspect the brass washers, if worn replace them. Momma Yamma
recommends that anyway but they can and have been reused. I replaced mine.
- Use the gasket pick or a small blade straight screwdriver to genteelly
raise the rubber dust cover. Then remove the retaining clip and put
somewhere you won't misplace it. Try really, really, hard not to scratch the
fork tube while doing this step.
- Go back to the top of the forks and remove the fork cap bolt and remove
the inner parts. Remember they are still under pressure. Make note of which
part goes where in case you don't have a manual to show their respective
places. If you have Progressive Springs like mine remove the preload spacer
and then the spring. Most of the oil should have drained but Shop Rags help
catch any residual fluids. Place the spring somewhere they won't roll around
and get dirty. Repeat for the other fork.
- Put the pinch bar through the axle hole in the bottom of the fork and
using the dead blow hammer, pull down on the bar while striking it with the
hammer. The lower fork tube should separate after a few blows. Repeat for
the other side.
- You will see the inner fork damper rod (complete cylinder) hanging out
of the bottom of the top tube. If the oil lock piece and three special
washers are still on it, consider yourself good. Otherwise use the magnetic
pickup tool to remove them from the lower tube. Be sure you have all four
pieces. Check the oil lock piece for wear, if its worn, replace it (OEM
price $46 US each). This piece must work or your EAND air suspension won't!!
- Important Fork Seal Replacement for Dummies tip!! Do only one side at a
time. It may take a few minutes longer but you'll have a sample of how it
should look for reassembly purposes.
- Use the gasket pick to gently spread open the guide bushing and remove
it. Catch the seal spacer as it drops off. Remove the slide bushing in the
same manner as the guide bushing, catching the top seal spacer. Remove the
dust cover.
- You can skip this step if you wish but it will help prolong the life of
the seals and make installation easier. Pack the space in the bottom of the
rubber seals and the dust caps with the Race Tech Ultra Slick Seal grease.
- Put the replacement parts on this side reusing the seal spacers as you
do so. Put on the dust cover, top seal spacer, oil seal, lower seal spacer.
Slide these pieces most of the way up the tube and then use a piece of
electrical tap wrapped around the tube to hold them in place. Now slide on
the slide bushing (the smaller one) and then the guide bushing (the larger
one) that should snap into the milled groove at the bottom of the tube.
Repeat for the other fork.
- Put the fork spring and associated inner parts back into the forks and
tighten the fork caps enough to hold everything securely.
- Use a glob of white grease or petroleum jelly and smear it around the
damper rod (complete cylinder) where the smaller section is. Put one new
wave washer, a flat washer, and a second wave washer on to this part. Next
slide the oil lock piece onto the complete cylinder. IMPORTANT!!! The wider
end goes down! If this is reversed you will lock the damper rod in the lower
position, cancel out your air suspension, blow a new seal, have a rough
riding bike and possibly wreck your ride.
- Place the outer fork tube over the inner tube, careful not to dislodge
the washers and oil lock piece. Hold the outer tube securely and using the
air wrench and 10mm hex drive socket, tighten the Allen head bolts.
- Now the hardest part of the whole procedure. Use some of the Race Tech
Ultra Slick Seal grease around the space between the top of the outer tube
and the inner tube where the seal bushing will go. Then with the small brass
drift pin and small hammer, tap the seal into place. Be careful to NOT
scratch the inner fork tube during this step. I used the side of the hammer
head to strike the drift pin which I move alternately around the tube. When
the seal is flush with the top of the outer fork tube, you are good to go.
- Remove the electrical tape from the inner tube and slide the lower seal
spacer and oil spacer down enough to replace the tape to hold the upper seal
spacer out of the way.
- Use more Race Tech Ultra Slick Seal grease and fill the space above the
lower seal spacer where the oil seal will fit. Slide the oil seal down and
gently tap the seal into place.
- Remove the electrical tape letting the upper seal spacer slide down into
place. Replace the retaining clip. Fill the space around the clip with Race
Tech Ultra Slick Seal grease and then slide the dust cover down and tap it
into place to seal the outer tube.
- Repeat for the other fork tube.
- Replace the oil drain screw and use the hand impact to tighten the drain
screws (one fork at a time).
- Use a 5mm hex socket to replace the EAND units on the forks. Torque
these bolts to 5 ft-lbs or your wrist clicks. You don't want to over tighten
these bolts.
- Replace the fork brace, front fender and any fender accessories.
Reconnect your wiring.
- Reinstall wheel and axle. Replace and tighten axle pinch bolt.
- Replace speedometer cable. Now is a good time to clean and re-grease
this cable.
- Replace brake calipers and any covers.
- Take off the fork cap bolts carefully the parts are under pressure.
Remove whatever parts are needed to add the recommended amount of NEW fork oil. Replace parts.
- Replace the cap bolts and tighten. Replace the rubber cap covers.
- Replace the Handlebars and tighten their pinch bolts. Now is a good time
to adjust them if they needed any to fit you instead of the previous owner.
- Replace the cover bracket and tighten the 11/8" nuts.
- Replace the Handlebar/Ignition switch cover. Tighten the two screws.
- Take the bike off the cribbing, clean up your work area and tools and
wipe the grin off your face as you go for a test ride.
Respectfully,
Vincent Tracey
Venturer # 777
Blue Knights KS Chapter VII
"Ride with Pride"
Last update: 08:48 PM Thursday, November 16, 2006
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