Ding Ding Ding! We have a winner! Jim you called it right on. I went out to my garage this morning determined to figure this out. I took my one good leg back apart and started swapping parts back and forth and it quickly became apparent that my fork tube is just fine.
Phew!
Then I started really looking at the lower leg that doesn’t work. That’s when I saw it. Matching bite marks on both sides of the leg, where some yahoo clamped it in a vise and ovaled the leg.
You can even see , in the right light, how it looks kinda flattened . That’s right where the tube is binding. Someone definately had these forks apart , that explains some of the missing parts and assembly issues.
So now I know the only problem is that lower leg. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. Duh!
When I needed a replacement right side leg, I bought a complete set of forks so started rummaging around and found it. I tried sliding the tube in and it fits and works perfectly!
It’s rough and pitted and is missing a stud, but the eBay wrecker I bought the forks from included one with the sale.
It needs a good polishing but hey, that’s right up my alley! I’ll probably have to buy new seals, I doubt I can remove it from my bent leg without destroying it, but hey, seals are cheap!
Phew!
Then I started really looking at the lower leg that doesn’t work. That’s when I saw it. Matching bite marks on both sides of the leg, where some yahoo clamped it in a vise and ovaled the leg.
You can even see , in the right light, how it looks kinda flattened . That’s right where the tube is binding. Someone definately had these forks apart , that explains some of the missing parts and assembly issues.
So now I know the only problem is that lower leg. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. Duh!
When I needed a replacement right side leg, I bought a complete set of forks so started rummaging around and found it. I tried sliding the tube in and it fits and works perfectly!
It’s rough and pitted and is missing a stud, but the eBay wrecker I bought the forks from included one with the sale.
It needs a good polishing but hey, that’s right up my alley! I’ll probably have to buy new seals, I doubt I can remove it from my bent leg without destroying it, but hey, seals are cheap!