Fork lower ALLEN BOLT STUCK

Aucbar

Aucbar

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Hey Everybody,

This is my first post so I will just jump right in. I rebuilt a 1977 xs650D and I am just about done. I still have a handful of things to do but I am currently stuck.

I am trying to replace my fork seals but cannot get the bottom allen bolt out. I have drained it and have it down to parts but for the life of me this thing will not turn. i have tried PB blaster and hammering it. I have done some upside down cans of air duster for the freezing effect. Also, the butane torch to heat it up and even used my electric impact driver. I cannot even get the thing to budge and am coming closer to rounding it off.

My next attempt will be CRC Freeze-Off with another cycle of Butane Torch heat and if that fails I might end up going to a left handed drill bit and taking it out all together. :banghead:

so that is where I am at...

...is there another bold that I am missing?
...is there another method i should try?
...how long am I to heat it or freeze it?

Ive been reading about different opinons and ideas on here but nothing seems to work. For my next freeze thaw cycle I am trying to go for glowing red and freezing it completely to really get a shock in the system.

Thanks for the help guys, I might end up taking a trip to AZ and getting some good riding in since I have missed so much of the season. Thanks!
 
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You are using the 17mm socket on the inside to hold the damper rod while you are trying to remove the bottom allen bolt, right?
 
You may end up drilling the head off and having to submerge the damper rod with the remaining chunk in boiling oil to get it out. I have drilled a few of them, but usually because someone rounded them out with an SAE driver, instead of getting the correct metric size. Hope you get it.
 
I think I would get a hand impact wrench on the allen socket and put the fork leg on a solid surface give it a few smacks, and this is important alternate between tighten loosen. Since you have been on it for a while already start with tighten for a whack or two then reverse and try loosen, repeat.
 
since it's a big deal to not lose here I would consider welding a 17mm flat to flat nut inside a piece of pipe or any HEAVY bar of steel. so you have the ultimate solid support to the floor. Use a LARGE hammer or maul on the hand impact wrench A controlled blow with a large hammer is more effective than a fast whack with a lighter hammer.
 
When I did my fork seals I had an issue with one of those bolts. One came off no problem with the impact drill, but the other did not.

What worked for me was I clamped the lower in a vice by the brake tabs, and use a long 8mm "T" handle allen wrench. With that I was able to get the leverage to break the bolt loose. I was surprised that the impact didn't work, but the "T" handle popped it right out.

Good luck.

Posted via Mobile
 
FrkyMnky said:
You are using the 17mm socket on the inside to hold the damper rod while you are trying to remove the bottom allen bolt, right?
Click to expand...

I am still yet to get past the top all the bolts are just nasty and rusted. I will get some pictures on today i hope
 
jd750ace said:
You may end up drilling the head off and having to submerge the damper rod with the remaining chunk in boiling oil to get it out. I have drilled a few of them, but usually because someone rounded them out with an SAE driver, instead of getting the correct metric size. Hope you get it.
Click to expand...

thats where i might end up but im hoping not too. i never thought of boiling oil. thanks
 
thanks for all the help guys. I will get to it today and get some pics up and let you know about the progress!!!
 
If I understand correctly the forks are still on the bike? get the tube off and on the floor. Hint; before trying to unscrew the fork caps loosen the top triple clamp bolts. This is critical.
 
The bolt is not very tight but it needs to be shocked loose then spun fast, the damper rod's intertia will keep it from spinning. An air impact is the tool for this job, electric impacts won't do it unfortunately. Be sure you use the correct size Allen wrench! Since the Allen bolt is deep in the fork, you need a long one; I used a 8mm Allen wrench which I cut off with a whizz wheel, stuck it in the bolt head, then used a good quality 5/16" 3/8 drive 6 point socket on that with an adapter to make it fit my 1/2" MATCO impact.

Installation is easy, just set the impact to its lowest setting. You need to be sure the bolt, the fork leg and the copper washer are spotless and use a small amount of oil on the copper washer. That will keep it from burring as the bolt is tightened and burrs will make it leak!
 
Aucbar said:
I am still yet to get past the top all the bolts are just nasty and rusted. I will get some pictures on today i hope
Click to expand...

Your never going to be able to remove that bolt from the lower if you do not get access to the fork inners so you can hold the damper rod from rotating inside the tube.
 
Gentlemen, heads up. The man has a D-model. This was the first year of the 35 mm. fork, and it did not use a damper rod with a 17 mm. 12-point head as 78-83 forks did. It used a damper rod with a 2-flat head. Aucbar, forget the noise about using a 17 mm. allen driver. If you're going that route, your best bet is to flatten a chunk of galvanized pipe to grip the flats, hold the pipe in the vise, and secure the slider as best you can. You'll need to go that route on assembly anyway.

Re. removal: +1 on the pneumatic buzz gun. Leave the spring in the tube, set the fork cap on the floor, have a helper hold the slider, shove down on the tool as hard as you can to compress the fork spring, and pull the trigger.

When you put things back together, note that early Yam service literature had an error which was copied in the aftermarket manuals. Due to conversion Metric-English conversion error, they specified 42.5 footpounds for that 8 mm. damper rod bolt! 14 footpounds will do ya. Clean threads with acetone and use blue Loctite.
 
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KhbOQl.jpg
 
Oops! I wrote something that made no sense; should have written "flatten a chunk of galvanized pipe to grip the flats." It's fixed now.
 
thanks for the heads up. just took off the top. about to cut a socket and dive in.
 
thanks for the helps guys. RealGone. that thread helped a lot. sorry about not putting pics up. been really busy helping my buddy build a cl360 cafe. i got some pics and ill throw them on soon. now off to get this done!
 
OK here is where I am currently. I have the forks off the bike. Took the 17mm allen and went through the top and got the spacer and spring out, etc. I made the tool by cutting down one of my dads old sockets and stuck in on an extension and lowered her on in. With a 8mm allen on the outside i am running the "cut socket" down the lower...

With no success. I cannot get it to even loosen. Having the fork in standing position I am running the ratchet counter clockwise, since I am loosening it. Is it threaded the other direction? Have I been turning it the wrong way? I have an an compressor and a 350 foot lbs pneumatic ratchet. It is that?

I filled it full of PB blaster and tapped it a little last night and will get to it in a few hours.
So that is where I am.. I am running out of ideas and patience.

Thanks for the help and patience while I try to figure this out.
 

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