I would keep an eye on eBay, something cheap may pop up. And don't limit your search to just '72. Many sellers don't know what they have and list stuff incorrectly. Many sellers probably don't even know the '72 fork lowers are so unique.

Now you guys tell me! Wish I knew who I sold the ones off that bike in the picture over to the left. I'd be asking for some more money! If you are out there I'm looking for you! Just kidding Jesse!

Mailman, show some one the picture below and tell them that is what you started with:
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That's what the 1972 I was given looked like when I got it. That's what parking a bike in a leaky shed for around 30 will do to a bike! Most of the good parts have found new homes.
 
Now you guys tell me! Wish I knew who I sold the ones off that bike in the picture over to the left. I'd be asking for some more money! If you are out there I'm looking for you! Just kidding Jesse!

Mailman, show some one the picture below and tell them that is what you started with:
View attachment 117916

That's what the 1972 I was given looked like when I got it. That's what parking a bike in a leaky shed for around 30 will do to a bike! Most of the good parts have found new homes.

Ooof! That bike looks like it was pulled up from the bottom of a lake!
 
MORE FOOLING AROUND WITH FORKS

Today I broke down my other fork, that one looks much better. Then I tackled removing the old fork seals from both lower legs. I think credit goes to Gary for this method of removing fork seals, correct me if I’m wrong. But you clamp a tire iron in a vice and then use it to pry out your old seals. Works like a charm and leaves no marks on your fork legs.
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Then I drug out my greasy old triple tree and pulled it apart and cleaned it and removed the bearing race from the bottom. Degreased the whole thing and started getting it ready to paint. I’ve got painted parts hanging from the ceiling all over inside my garage!
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You know what I hate? Those ultra fine, razor thin threads on the fork caps and inside the top of the fork tubes. They always get messed up, they are just too delicate! You know what else I hate? Wiping oil out of the top of the fork tube with a paper towel and driving one of those razor thin threads deep into my index finger and having it break off there! That had me doing the oochie oochie dance out in the garage today.

I called a local welder today and asked about welding up my broken fender mount hole on my fork leg, he said he could do it, but pretty expensive. Then I would still have to shape it, drill and tap it.
I’m trying to contact an eBay seller right now about a set of beat up forks. Haven’t heard back yet.

You know another thing I don’t understand on this bike, it only had 5,000 miles on it. How much working on this bike could the original owner have done? And yet there have been several things I have taken apart that seems to be missing parts or assembled wrong. For instance on these forks, there is a thing that looks like a flat washer with a little collar on it that fits on top of the spring #19, my right fork didn’t have one and consequently the spring had pushed up inside the spacer tube above it.
Also on the left fork leg, the Allen head bolt at the bottom of the fork leg that has to be removed to disassemble the fork, is supposed to have this fiber sealing washer on it, but it was missing. In several places on this bike there were missing or mismatched or non factory bolts , washers and locknuts. Could that be the way it came from the factory.
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One last thing today, while I had the fork internals out, I took the opportunity to make a internal damper holding tool from a 12mm socket.
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That’ll make it easier to reassemble when I get around to it!
So that’s it for today. It’ll be 107 degrees here tomorrow with a heat advisory in effect.
Later, Bob
 
Do you need that #19 part? I might have one as when I sold the legs I'm pretty sure they were just the casting, no internal parts. If you need on let me know.
 
Do you need that #19 part? I might have one as when I sold the legs I'm pretty sure they were just the casting, no internal parts. If you need on let me know.

Thanks Ken,
Let me see what happens with this eBay set of forks. If I wind up not getting them then I’d definitely be interested.
 
Wow, great work Bob and some really clever, innovative ideas! Once again, nicely presented, great pics and notes.

I’ve got painted parts hanging from the ceiling all over inside my garage!

I remember saying this in your 60th birthday present thread.
Garage? Man, looks like an art gallery to me.

You know another thing I don’t understand on this bike, it only had 5,000 miles on it. How much working on this bike could the original owner have done? And yet there have been several things I have taken apart that seems to be missing parts or assembled wrong.

I wonder if it might be possible that it's not the original speedo and there's really more miles on it? :shrug:

Keep up the great work buddy and stay cool. Today was the first day I was close to breaking a sweat in the shop......not complaining.
 
Wow, great work Bob and some really clever, innovative ideas! Once again, nicely presented, great pics and notes.



I remember saying this in your 60th birthday present thread.




I wonder if it might be possible that it's not the original speedo and there's really more miles on it? :shrug:

Keep up the great work buddy and stay cool. Today was the first day I was close to breaking a sweat in the shop......not complaining.

Hey Thanks Robin!
You know I really do think it’s the original mileage. For one thing the tires looked to be original to the bike. The date stamp on them pre dated the bikes construction and there was virtually no wear on them. Other things like brake linings and front disc, show almost no wear. It’s just funny, I wonder if there was very loose quality control on the old assembly line.
 
Well, that old gal is nearly 50 years old - maybe somewhere along the way, there was an owner who had three things:
  • A mommy or gramma who bought him a cheap set of tools;
  • An insane desire to take things apart - without a shop manual;
  • A below average level of mechanical skill or intelligence - or both.
My old auto shop teacher used to say that “there are tool-equipped boneheads everywhere” ....and Bob, you may have found a nice old bike that has been owned by one!

Thank goodness you’ve rescued her before some other nitwit got to her.

I have found similar stuff on my beloved Lucille - inexplicably stripped fasteners, the seal pocket of one fork leg with a serious gouge in it....yuk!
 
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Nitwits indeed, lol. Unfortunately, nitwits with wrenches in their hands, lol. But it very well could have been factory mis-steps. Hey, I don't think these bikes were ever better cared for or "set right" until now, until they fell into some of our hands. I think some of us know these bikes better than even the factory did. We know what to fix, what to improve, what to leave alone. Stock is always very nice, but not always best.
 
DO OVER DAY

My replacement wheel bearings arrived yesterday, so today I went out into my garage and replaced my new wheel bearings with MORE new wheel bearings. This time remembering to install all of the proper spacers and collars that go inside the hub. Yup it’s in there!
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I’m glad I was VERY careful when I removed my old dust cover seals. So many parts on this bike are one off and replacement parts too often try to fit too many model years. Here is the dust seal that I saved on the left versus the one that came with my new bearings on the right. There is a very small space for that seal to fit into and no way the new one would’ve worked.
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As it is, even that skinny one sticks up a little, but I test fitted my brake backing plate on here and there is no interference.

Then I put both wheels up on my Rube Goldberg wheel balancing stand to start truing the wheels. This was just put together from stuff I bought on eBay. It doesn’t have to be expensive to work well. The wheels weren’t out by much and it didn’t take much to correct them.
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This little video just shows it in operation, before truing my wheel.

So the wheel bearings were an expensive lesson.
But I have learned from my mistakes
And I have no doubt that I could repeat them perfectly.
Until next time, Bob
 
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