four hundred four forks

The new forks are as lovely inside as they outside.
I dismantled the old ones today (with the aid of a broom handle at one
point) and discovered a possible explanation for the strange weaviness.
The leaky fork had nice new fork oil (understandably I guess), while
the other soundly sealed fork had some coal in it.
Anyway the new forks(well one, still got to dismantle the other) were
absolutely identical; even the holes in the damping rods were the same.
Not sure about the springs themselves but they certainly felt similar
while pumping the old oil out.
Is there anything arcane about damping bits that I should look for?
I'm awaiting some proper Honda 10w oil and it can all go back together


P.S. Any tips on removing fork seals that have had 30 years of settling
in? I'm scared of using the blow torch on the other new forks well.

 

Wrap rags round the leg, where the seals sit, and pour boiling water on
the rags to heat up the leg and seals.

That makes removal (and installation) easier.

 

Finished them today and just tried 'em out
After careful study the only part that is listed as different is the
'comp (ression?).tube'
So I swapped these items from the old forks and it all seems to be fine.
Fitted dust seals instead of gaiters also.
I had some fun with the brake caliper, had to take the pads out and
clean the gap between the floating pad and the caliper.
I think the caliper would benfti form a genral overhaul methinks.
Much better but the strange weave remains
Swing arm bushes?

 

Hm. Generally, they don't weave. It could be tyres - like a lot of old
Honda fours, they benefit from a ribbed front tyre.

Could be s/a bushes, head races, tyres, or a combination of each and
every.

 

Begins to count washers.......................

 

Straight out after breakfast for a spot of road testing
How much fun?!
Anyway its running metzelers me22 which are definitely not ribbed on the
front.
The swing arm bushes seem OK to feel.
But the forks are not in line. Sighting from the side you can see that
they don't line up. Had a go at slackening everything off and lining
them up but I suspect the bottom yoke is bent
The clamps on the top yoke are a tiny bit twisted also.
So it goes on.....

But how much fun to ride.....

 

Wonder if it's had a mild front-end shunt? Were the old forks straight?

 

Yup. There are a few scratches which might indicate a tumble on the
clocks and front guard too. Bars are straight. I guess I better check
the frame now.
I had assumed that a frame bending do would destroy the front wheel and
mud guard.

 

might just be the yokes, if yer lucky. If the forks aren't aligned with
eachother, it's likely to be yokes, in fact. If they're not aligned with
the frame, it could be the frame.

I'm assuming that you're tightening everything in the right order, to get
the forks aligned

Another possibility is that it was shunted, forks were a bit bent and were
swapped for a S/H pair.

 

<coughs> Make sure you've cleared any powder coating residue from
inside the headstock before you try to put the shells in.

 

And use paraffin for this task?

 

And a blow torch. Burning the powder out should work nicely.

 

Bearing-scraper.

 

Thank you all

/feels spoilt...

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, M J Carley

You sod! You denied that when it was touted as a possibility.

--
Wicked Uncle Nigel - "He's hopeless, but he's honest"

I have already made the greatest contribution to the fight against climate
change that I can make: I have decided not to breed. Now quit bugging me and
go and talk to the Catholics.

 

You'll believe a man can lie...

 

In fairness, at the time, I had no way of checking. I can only assume
that was the reason, or the shell being a very tight fit. In the end,
the new one went in okay with the aid of a freezer and hot rags.