'73 850 Commando - Upper yoke removal

millerandy

millerandy

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Oct 9, 2011
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Hello all,

I'm tryng to install stock headlight ears on an 850 Commando that had a replica production racer fairing and headlight fitted. Is it necessary to remove the forks and bottom yoke to remove the upper yoke and stem to allow for the new ear install?

Andy
 
millerandy said:
Is it necessary to remove the forks and bottom yoke to remove the upper yoke and stem to allow for the new ear install?
Click to expand...

No, just release the upper yoke. You will have to break the tapered fit between the stanchions and upper yoke.
Don't forget the 6 'O'-rings, two below and one above each ear.
 
To break that possibly tight fit of the top yoke to stanchion : Loosen up the lower yoke pinch bolts , spray a penetrant to the top and lower .
Then I use an older cosmetically damaged fork top nut , screw it in home into the tubes , wood on the top and hit it with a small sledge .
Front end should be up in the air , bike supported well . Enjoy .
 
Andy,
If you don’t have a spare top fork nut you can just loosen yours up about 1/4” and cover it with a rag and like Torontonian says,use a small block of wood and give it a smack. I have done mine this way with no damage to the nut.
Mike
 
Even better, use a piece of scrap aluminum between the nut and the head of the hammer. It will transfer the blow much better than a piece of wood.
 
When you fit the new ears be sure they are the correct way up and not upside down on the wrong side as sometimes seen.
One on the left is correct (with the headlamp slot horizontal for the left side). The one on the right is the right hand ear upside down.
'73 850 Commando - Upper yoke removal
 
Also, install the headlight shell before tightening the triple trees - once everything is in place, the fork ears won't move, or if they do it's because the o-rings were damaged by force moving them.
 
I'm missing something - the big chrome fork nuts are threaded onto the damper tube. If I whack the top nut, the damper spring takes all the force. Do I have to remove the damper tube?
 
You will of course have to detach the top nuts from the damper rods to remove the upper yoke.
 
In order to replace the hex nuts back into the fork tube, the large hex nuts must first be threaded onto the damper tube rod, then down into the stanchion. So do I install it back that way and then hammer?


 
The top nuts don't have to be threaded back onto the damper rods but you might find it easier but whichever way you do it the nuts must be screwed into the stanchions by several turns to avoid damaging the threads when you begin hitting the top nuts.
 
Extended forks and dampers are out of the way, but the fork tubes won't give a bit. Nervous about bashing too hard on the nuts. Tried to bash from the bottom end of the yoke tube too but it won't budge.
 
L.A.B. said:
That's how you do it.



No, I wouldn't really expect it to.
Click to expand...
Remove the fuel tank . To protect it . Protect the instruments or remove them and set up on a shelf with the fuel tank . To protect them .
The front wheel has been removed . Soak the upper and lower stanchion to yoke contact areas in penetrant . The lower yoke Hex bolts have been loosened or removed . Thread the big top nuts back in to the tubes deep but leaving a gap as you will be striking them hard and the big nuts need a bit of space for any down and eventually out movement .
 
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