Frozen hex screw on front fork

[Mike E]

In process of replacing left side fork seal on my '00 RT. Doesn't seem like too big of a deal, but I cannot loosen the hex screw holding the brake line pipe bracket on the left slider.

 

Any advice on the best way to extract it? I'll need to pick up an ez-out or something, as well as a replacement bolt. But if anyone has any words of wisdom I would appreciate it before I rip into it.

 

I'm afraid the fastener head is just going to shear off. It takes a 3mm hex key. I don't look forward to trying to drill that out.

With my luck I'll drill right through the slider, and strike oil!

[GrumpyOldMan]

Hello Mike,

I recently experienced the same issue (replaced both L&R seals). Both of those screws were really tight and seem to have been installed with high strength thread locker when originally installed.

First I liberally applied some penetrating oil to the screws (don't know if that helped at all). I then heat soaked the attaching structure with a heat gun as much as I dared (until the paint started to stink). I used a small piece of sheet metal to deflect the heat away from the rubber/wiring as best as I could. Even then, it took quite a bit of torque to finally release the screws, but they did release.

Be sure to use a good (snug) fitting 3MM hex driver.

Good luck!

[Steve W.]

You can do the seals by just removing the top nut on the tube and rotating the forks. Then just pull the tube out of the slider and leave all the brakes and wheel in place. Replace the seal and re-install the tube.

Cheers

Steve

[Danny caddyshack Noonan]

For a screw, heat the whole area and then let it soak out briefly. Then, hit the offending screw with brakleen (but ventilate with a fan) to chill the screw. Then crank on it.

Brakleen has been known to mess people up when heated.

 

For a nut, use a small butane torch (creme brulee or, crack pipe torch) on the nut and quickly try to remove. British car experience.

[Jim Moore]

I can't picture exactly what you're talkling about, but can you simply grind the head off, then replace it with a zip tie when you put it backl together?

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

You can do the seals by just removing the top nut on the tube and rotating the forks. Then just pull the tube out of the slider and leave all the brakes and wheel in place. Replace the seal and re-install the tube.

Cheers

Steve

 

+1. No need to do anything at all with the brake lines; leave them alone.

 

Remove handlebar from triple-tree to expose nut/stud at top of stanchion tube;

 

Remove nut, disengage stanchion tube from triple-tree;

 

Turn handlebars so that stanchion tube can clear triple-tree and be pulled straight out of slider.

 

All of this works because the stanchion tube is connected to the triple-tree via a rubber mount and can pivot freely.

 

You will of course need to pull Tupperware to do this. Can't remember, but you may also find it easier if you remove the tank and glovebox.

[Selden]

I have done this without pulling the tupperware; just protect it from dripping oil as you pull the fork tubes.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I have done this without pulling the tupperware; just protect it from dripping oil as you pull the fork tubes.

 

How did you pry out the old seal with the t-ware in the way?

[Selden]

I didn't; I just cleaned the seal, and replaced the fork oil with a 25/75 mix of ATF seal conditioner and 10 wt fork oil. That was 20,000 miles ago -- still no leak. Pulling the seals would be a lot easier with the bodywork out of the way.

[jshdc]

I just replaced my seals on my '02 1150RT. Took about 1/2 hour for each seal with minimal disassembly of the bike. Here's a how-to guide:

 

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97873

 

[Aluminum_Butt]

I just replaced my seals on my '02 1150RT. Took about 1/2 hour for each seal with minimal disassembly of the bike. Here's a how-to guide:

 

http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=97873

 

That is an excellent how-to article. Can I assume it will work on my first gen GT, too?

[Kinsman]

I did the fork seals on my 1100 recently. I came up from the bottom, so I had the same screw to deal with....and I stripped the thing out: my wrench is bigger than my brain.

 

I ended up cutting a slot in it with a Dremel and then using heat and oil, somehow it came out, but that thing was fixed in there pretty damn tight.

 

Use some heat, and have your helper tap on the wrench as you're turning. Heat and vibration will do it, I bet. Don't forget to cuss, I think that helps too.

[Mike E]

I left the brake lines and the offending screw alone and went in from the top. Got the fork seal changed no problem, but left the old oil in there. I'll attack the screw if the oil seal goes again. Does anyone know what kind of screw that is? Aluminum button hex M5 x ?

[AndyS]

..... but I cannot loosen the hex screw holding the brake line pipe bracket on the left slider......

 

I guess you are talking of item 15 (the M5 x 10 fillister bolt).

 

Like others suggest, I removed the tupperware, dropped the fork out of the top triple clamp, rotated the complete forks and slid the stanchion up and out. Then I pulled the seal out of the top of the lower slider.

While I was at it, I had the front wheel out. I drained the oil out of the leg (by means of the little drain screw in the bottom of the leg (in the recess where the axle goes). Then I put nice new fluid in.

Removing the lower part of the fork is not really the best way to do it because you really out to re set the for width spacing (although many folk don't bother).

 

Andy

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

I left the brake lines and the offending screw alone and went in from the top. Got the fork seal changed no problem, but left the old oil in there.

 

Don't mess with that screw. You can drain the old oil by removing the front wheel and axle. At the bottom of each fork leg, in the cylindrical area that clamps onto the axle, there is a drain hole sealed by a plug. Remove the plug, drain the old oil. You will of course need to pull the stanchion from top again to add fresh oil (but now you know that's not too difficult).

[Selden]

Definitely do not leave the old oil in place. It's probably filled with all sorts of nasty crap. Change the oil in both legs, even if only one is leaking.

[Kinsman]

Definitely do not leave the old oil in place. It's probably filled with all sorts of nasty crap. Change the oil in both legs, even if only one is leaking.

This is why I went ahead and took off the wheel (and the damned filister screw); I wanted to get the entire fork assemblies off and have a look in there. Sure enough, there was a bunch of crud in there....where it came from, I have no idea. But I was able to clean both forks, add new oil and seals. It was really no big deal; plus, I gained a bit of experience, confidence, and knowledge of my bike.