Forking decay ugh

Mostly just a rant as I already know the answer, there is none till total tear down, again.

Trixie broke a reused rod bolt so set up 3 yr in shed till recently. After '05 deer strike bent the stanchions I'd renewed Roadholders back to normal Norton base line. Fine for normal sane use and then some but annoying rough on THE Gravel and clank clunks of course as Norton normal on curbs and last brake release of fun stops in shed.

Anywho I replaced fluid couple days ago and lowered to test and find forks stiff as can be and still able to compress em some, ugh. Only thing I can think I'll find is rusted steel bottom bushes d/t condensation collecting. A pisser that just sitting up w/o constant use and maintance requires such time consumming recovery, ugh. Fluid drained out as if carbon blackened engine oil - no water seen in bowl. Stem is still free as can be.

Curious to know if anyone else had a sheltered fork set go to pot like this.

Too much new fork juice added?

If you have a black oxide it's Al2O3 coming from the sliders rather than from the steel bushes. That's not good. If that's the case you might need new sliders. Alternative is bore/hone them and put in oversized bushes top and bottom. Maybe time to switch to Ohlins

Ugh, hope sliders can be recovered easy as no desire to push a standard Cdo much.
Trixie did not have many miles on her since first fork recovery, maybe 1000 mile and only 300 after 1st prior engine come apart d/t slotted oil piston on Al gasket rubbing. In case anyone ever wonders if ya should tear down a new acquision, Trixie is an example, but ran like smooth top till didn't just cruising at 50.

I've a couple hours before appointments, its warm out so better tear her open as ain't going nowhere fast on this recovery. I know how to get perfect forks to me, but its not really Norton so I don't want to change anything I don't have too on Trixie Combat. I want a true baseline to compare Ms Peel too.

I knew working on a Commando would spoil my mood in such a fine day.
With good thoughts I bounced forks down a good 3" hoping against hope on a warm day they bounce back but not w/o helping them back ugh.
Only fell off one broken dog leash and I only got stuck on the dab burn seal rings.
I know I'm making progressive but sure looks like I've made it worse but know that won't happen til I get serious on the seal ring with heat and bars and industrial size grips. ugh. May just clear on the thorny vines to relief tonight.

I had a similar issue on my 70. An old timer triumph mechanic at my local shop drained off the fluid and then put about twice the normal amount (of recommended fluid amount) of kerosene in and let it sit overnight. The next morning he bounced it a few times and then drained the kerosene off. It was black as could be. He then put in twice the amount of fluid again and drained it back off (to flush it) and then filled it with the recommended amount. Movement was restored to normal. He said that they still should be torn down and rebuilt, but it was fine until I rebuilt them a year later.

Ugg, MoreorLess, I thought that flushing might work on Trixie but nope, stayed stuck down after a few days of power steering fluid in there and bounced and tugged back up a few times. Too much effort as forks so stiff. i called Wes as day is nice and he'd rather ride his '71 and play at my place than cut more fire wood.

Plan A, yokes/stanchions still on stem as labor saver, heat snot out of the oil seal retainer let is soak into slider with Kroil oil or may candle wax then one of us holds slider with rod thru axle hole and the other 18" channel locks, give'r the twist she needs. At least its a non issue if seal ring scared up as dust shield covers them and then the gaiters over that. Will try some Hylomar on seal with light oil on stanchions to see if better weepage sealing down the road. If not oil well, I'm in good company of other Roadholder weepers.

I'm sorely tempted to do Peels fork mods but then I'll lose the pure factory baseline I want in Trixie Combat, plus ease to order everything out the good book. I know better than run plain Cdo like a modern sports bike or dirt bike but close enough to avoid another arrest/jail while still getting torquy smooth joy rides. Should be hearing Wes Commando thumping along anytime now. chow.

Wes snuck up on Bergaman scooter while I was leaf blowing nest clear. Picture a house plumber and a crock with a crow bar as work crew on fine B.I. forks.
Put heat on DS slider a few minutes then with 18" pipe wrench and 16" bar in axle hole and a grunt or two came loose to hand screw out. Much much easier with 4 hands 2 bodies with bike swinging from rafters. W/o Wes I'd had to lower to stand on slider bar while working wrench with hands and using legs to keep bike still. Tried the other side w/o heat for a few GRUNTS then put torch and hot gun on it a few minutes and it released with just normal grunts to hand screw off immediately. Apparently the anti-seize had turned to wax like instead of grease like when cold and just needed softening. Saved my knocking stanchions out and threads all fine too. Forgot to drain the 2nd leg until lifted to inspect.

Found black sediments in the sump area all below the works and slider and bush all slide fine even with side loading. No scoring wear marks in slider or bushes. Stumped I tested damper valve slide as springs/damper rod/tube still assembled.
First one I grabbed damper tube to shove down on, worked fine, the other I grabbed the spring with damper tube end on carpet and it felt fine too. Stumped I let spring slide in fingers a bit to feel it snag the skin and hang up, hm. sure enough both springs had unseen dark rust crust, one more than the other and inside steel stanchions rust crust seen. Put spring assembly back in stanchion with some side bind and it wanted to hang up. So hope striction was just rusty springs compressed they bowed and twisted to bind a few coils tight in stanchion ID.

Now to figure out way to clean up stanchion ID as can just wire brush the springs.
Don't think the pickle solution would help as the rubbing would just remove where it mattered. Wes got reviewed on features of Greg Fauth's kit he's on hand now so I think I can talk him into putting the second spindle collar on too.

Only need headlight lens ring to complete front as those went to fix Wes '71 I took out on THE Gravel unseen on pavement. Wes's drive way is worse rock head and ruts and steep than my spring branch I hop in for some thrills till shut off. No wonder his advise was just run it and change fluid, he'd a been right on.
But I'd likely of crashed in drive way till they did freed up.

Steve, you can re-new Trixie with my kit. The new AMCO 15 bushings would do her a world of good. If you like new rods stock lengh I can modifiy a set for you and send them on. Greg

Wow for some reason your post flashed back the big Nordic and mirrored Commando. Peel is the one that I'm interested to spiff up tight bushings and bore.
I'm a bit confused on what you have produced for that. Her fork ends can almost disappear in fro/aft vibration, but only at rates my SV nor other Commando can't endure. No issue I can detect so far, just annoyance to watch and wonder.

Trixie just needs springs and stanchions cleaned up, rest still stick from deer strike rebuild. Trixie stays factory as I can get away with. I didn't mind her folks too much with power steering fluid. I was quite surprised they had such bind sitting up last 2 yrs. First year I'd bounced on em for normal motion rebound. I need her as reality check baseline and really such a fine easy operator I could end up with her last. Peel will take special attention and expensive parts to maintain in long term. I absolutely know limits of regular factory Commando and don't go there no more thank you, that's what non existent Peel is for.

You could just re-new the fit between the rod and the top bushing (dampener cap) that will help the rebound.
If your rods are worn down in the bushing travel area you could also replace them with new rods to further tighten the fit.
You could also move the bottom hole up off the taper just on to the straight section for just a little improvement on bottom outs.
All this could be done without changing the stock travel or looks of the bike. It will not work as good as a full kit but it will be better than it was.

Thanks for the review Greg. I don't rod/cap hole much worn in factory Trixie just the rust binding in spring channel but not the bushes, whew. I did the mod for bottom hydraulic stops on Trixie so that works.

But on Peel I do think the bottom and top bushes are too slack.
I'll ping ya to get your bottom set and any suggestions for top as the old top bushes fit better than two new sets, ugh. I can rock the bushes on the stanchions. ugh.
Peels forks are in my living room loosely assembled. I'm eye balling the rebound cartridge drop in on hand but looks like may need to trim down damper tube and extend rod more to keep the 6" travel I like to use in Peel. Not sure Peel can use any more of any thing fork wise, but who knows till I try it.

Wes came over to help put forks back together. Only delay was I'd booggered the top threads of a damper rod so wasted time trying to redo threads instead of just gripping damper tube and forcing my will on Trixie's fork caps. Fluid fill went a lot faster w/o the rust on springs inside stanchions, a breeze and no burp backs. Interesting as may be a way to monitor the accumulations in future. All else assembled like manual said it should.

Sanded off major brake rotor rust and got wheel on and tested forks for normal expected action with a clink on top outs. One of the factory warts I told Wes
Greg's kit will eliminate. Now just make up total new head light assembly and put engine cylinders on and all accessories, seal in bag in garage and hope its good to go in spring. Rusted spokes/rim and tear in seat attended too soon.