fork slider retaining bolt turning loose, oil spilling

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Orsonoce

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Nov 12, 2010
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hi there,

I've moved to lansdowne forks and am 100% happy with the choice. issue I have is the following:
the fork slider retainih bolt (bottom of the slider) is turning loose: does not losen, does not tighten... oil spills on the tire. not great.

john (from lansdowne engineering) has already suggested to use a windy wrench, but no luck with that.

hints?
 
Hi, are you speaking of the bolt under the slider that retains the damper tube ?? if so , may be the washer (s) is not there or too thin ( a fiber one inside , and a thick steel one outside) thus the grip lenght is not up to the task ..........my two cents!
 
hi folks,
did not make myself clear. the problem I have is that i cannot take it off or tighten it!
it's on but not tighten enough and oil spills, I cannot take it off as the damper tube turns together with the bolt.
 
Does Norton list a special tool to reach/hold the damper tube ?
I can recall giving someone a lift to the local BM shop, to use their long-reach tool to do something to some Yamaha forks, same problem....
 
It may or may not help but remove the top nut at the triple tree and pull up on the assemble to perhaps offer some resistance. It may require a helper. Also, a 3/8 paddle air wrench may assist to the persuasions.
 
Orsonoce said:
hi folks,
did not make myself clear. the problem I have is that i cannot take it off or tighten it!
it's on but not tighten enough and oil spills, I cannot take it off as the damper tube turns together with the bolt.
Click to expand...

Have you tried compressing the fork leg as much as possible with the spring fitted while you try to loosen the bolt with the air tool, as the spring preload against the damper will help to prevent the assembly from turning with the bolt.

Rohan said:
Does Norton list a special tool to reach/hold the damper tube ?
Click to expand...

There's no Norton factory tool available for that purpose that I'm aware of. In any case it's a Lansdowne damper kit which doesn't have the two flats on the damper tube cap as the original has-so there's nothing for a tool to hold.
 
On that note, with the fork top bolt removed, does the spring turn when you try to remove that bottom bolt. Gripping the spring may allow it to be removed ?

Maybe the spring isn't firmly bolted to the damper setup ?? (not knowing how covenant work this).
 
here is a pic where you see the last attempts...
fork slider retaining bolt turning loose, oil spilling


Rohan said:
On that note, with the fork top bolt removed, does the spring turn when you try to remove that bottom bolt. Gripping the spring may allow it to be removed ?

Maybe the spring isn't firmly bolted to the damper setup ?? (not knowing how covenant work this).
Click to expand...
the spring turns, but gripping it does not solve as the damper start turning...
L.A.B. said:
Have you tried compressing the fork leg as much as possible with the spring fitted while you try to loosen the bolt with the air tool, as the spring preload against the damper will help to prevent the assembly from turning with the bolt.
Click to expand...

tried compressing / extending. everything.

will try again with air tool, now with the slider off should be easier.
 
As you have the fork apart, I was going to say insert some wooden wedges between the damper and slider....then I noticed you had, so I can only suggest you wedge the damper as tight as possible and then try again with the air tool?
 
I can't help thinking that the fiber washer may be missing. They can and will hide in the bottom of the slide, off to the side sometimes. Get some fresh ones for the rebuild.

A last resort would be to drill off the top of the bolt. Center punch it as center as possible and start with a small drill, say 1/8" and proceed with a 3/8". Only go as deep as needed.
 
thanks folks - I will succeed, eventually.

L.A.B. said:
As you have the fork apart, I was going to say insert some wooden wedges between the damper and slider....then I noticed you had, so I can only suggest you wedge the damper as tight as possible and then try again with the air tool?
Click to expand...

a bit nervous to push to strongly between the damper and the slider, do not want to end up breaking the damper.

pvisseriii said:
They can and will hide in the bottom of the slide,
Click to expand...
that is indeed possible...
 
Orsonoce said:
a bit nervous to push to strongly between the damper and the slider, do not want to end up breaking the damper.
Click to expand...

I think I would be more worried about cracking the slider. :)
 
I am sure if you take the spring off, ie load the spring enough to get a set of vice grips on the rod, unscrew the nuts, remove the spring, and i am sure you can reach down and hold the top of the damper body with long nose vice grips to support while you remove the bottom bolt.
Have to agree sounds like you may not have the inside fibre washer and too thinner washer on the outside so the retaining bolt bottoms out before tightening on the slider.
Good luck regards Mike
 
Take out the drain plug and use a thin screw driver [into the hole] to wedge the damper base, Be carefull not to damage the threads in the alloy..use your windy wrench to jar the screw loose.. last ditch is to drill a dimple into the damper base [through the drain hole] as screw in a longer pin to lock the damper.
did you use any retainer on the threads?

Check the fibre washer is in place
 
thanks John,
next attempt will be on the next week end (do not live near the bike). do not remember if I used a retainer (think I did as I'm putting that everywhere now).


john robert bould said:
use a thin screw driver [into the hole] to wedge the damper base
Click to expand...
I did that for a bit - then I had the impression I could damage the damper so I stopped, will try again.

Fibre washer is it ok to use the stock ones? (do not remember if you provided fibre washers too with the kit).
 
You will have to heat the piss out of the bottom bolt then also to break the bond. Clean up any remains afterwards and don't use anything on it except oil.

When I did the Lansdowne kit I ended up taking the sliders off completely because I couldn't tell with a flashlight if the fiber washers were down there at the bottom or not. (They were there but now I know for sure.)

Russ
 
Sounds like the washer is missing and the pin is glued in....loctite ,theads .....HEAT! is the only way....BUT remember the damper base is loctited on and could come off if to much heat is used.

Orsonoce said:
thanks John,
next attempt will be on the next week end (do not live near the bike). do not remember if I used a retainer (think I did as I'm putting that everywhere now).


john robert bould said:
use a thin screw driver [into the hole] to wedge the damper base
Click to expand...
I did that for a bit - then I had the impression I could damage the damper so I stopped, will try again.

Fibre washer is it ok to use the stock ones? (do not remember if you provided fibre washers too with the kit).
Click to expand...
 
quick update: all sorted!
thanks for the help - i finally made it
and yes, washer not in position. it was in there but not where it should have been. no loctite though.

re-assembling (and ideally riding - weather permitting) tomorrow...
 
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