xs1 front end

wrenchjohns

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in this restore,seems every step of the way i'm running into small roadblocks. i first thought the stem bearings bad, taking apart and find what appears to be looseness between slider and tube. are there bushings available anywhere?
 
"no oil in the legs, could this be causing looseness?

I doubt it. I'll wiggle test a couple of XS1's and report back.
Is the chrome worn away on the tube at the seal?

The bushing rocking can't be good.....
 
A little bit of wobble/sloppy is normal, especially when fully extended, when the distance between the upper bush (#8) and lower fork end-bush is short. Easily noticed if you lock-up the front brake and push-pull the unladen bike fore/aft.

I've often thought about plating and/or machining closer fitting bushings to tighten mine up, but they work fine for me and my sedate riding style. Of course, you don't want them to be so sloppy as to allow the fork seals to leak, or so tight as to promote stiction and binding...
 

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So it looks like #8 metal slide is the bushing. None of the very used untouched by me" 70's I messed with showed noticeable slop using the brake while rocking the bike but this was a very imprecise test, bikes are in the "shed collection"the gators cover the joint.
 
You could clean and examine the inner bore of that #8 bushing, measuring like you would do an engine cylinder. Look for the sliding wear marks. You might be able to install them with the worn surfaces to the side, fresh surface to the fore/aft direction, to reduce perceptable slop...
 
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