short version: need tips on removing the tube and damper rod from a right side up set of forks.

long version: i'm working on a 99 R6 at the moment and having a bitch of a time removing the inner tube from the lower leg. any tips on breaking the rusted oil seal? i'm currently letting it soak a bit with WD40. yes i've already removed the dust seal and clip. i've tried slide-hammering for a good 5-10min and it won't budge.

i don't believe the oil has ever been changed so i'm sure that's 99% of the problems i'm having taking it apart.

also having trouble removing the damper rod. i tried gunning the bolt out but it just spins. any way to juryrig a holder? it's the box-shaped rod, not crown/castle shaped rode holder that i would need to use. i believe my only other option than buying the rod holder is to clean up the spring and parts, reassemble, and max out the preload to have enough tension to hold the rod and remove the bolt.

The fork won't come apart until you get the bolt off the damper rod. When I've had trouble like that I find this method works. Put the lower fork in a vise (use a rag to protect the fork from getting scratched by the vise. Pull on the upper tube HARD at the same time you are hitting the bottom bolt with an impact gun. The tension you are putting on the damper rod with the upper fork tube will help keep it from spinning.

Hope that helps.

hm, i'll try that, thanks

what a PITA

you should have loosened the damper rod bolt while the fork was still assembled because then the spring holds the tension on it making it MUCH easier. Forks(and pretty much everything I guess) are all about doing things in the right order and they come apart and go back together with much less trouble

yes i did that, it loosened only enough to free spin :(

you should have loosened the damper rod bolt while the fork was still assembled because then the spring holds the tension on it making it MUCH easier. Forks(and pretty much everything I guess) are all about doing things in the right order and they come apart and go back together with much less trouble

Ya know. I've never done it using this method, and I've serviced dozens of forks. Mainly cuz I always drain the forks from the fork cap and it is not as messy as opening the damper bolt hole at the bottom. But, also, you can put more tension on the damper rod by extending the fork tube than the spring puts on it (and you can control the amount as well). Plus the bottom of the fork tube has more surface area in contact with the damper rod flange that the spring in the spring seat so there is more friction. But I guess it'd work either way.

finally got em off.

future reference, don't use an portable/battery impact gun, even if it's a snap-on. use a proper air gun if you're going to attempt to remove the bolt w/o the cartridge holder.