Fork piston question

[spresser]

Hi all. Fantastic forum you have here. Have been lurking a while whilst working on my 75 and all of the great info here has helped me heaps, thankyou for that.

Anyway whilst pulling my forks apart I've realised that this basket case of mine has clearly had many hands on it already, with some of the bits put together incorrectly. Including these pieces.
The circled spring retainer came out in several pieces. My question is, clearly the availability of these is going to slim to none. Are they needed?
What exactly does that spring and retainers do?

Many thanks in advance!

 

[gggGary]

 

[spresser]

That was also my reaction when the pieces all fell to the floor

 

[gggGary]

I'm thinking that doesn't normally come out of there. I'll take a look, I gotta go look in the SOIR for a couple parts anyways.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I’d say that may be a goner as the parts list doesn’t show that as separate pieces.

 

[gggGary]

What I expect too see?

Honestly don't recall having ever removed the snap ring.
see db's excellent answer!

 

[DogBunny]

Yes, it comes apart, no, you can't buy it individually, it is part of the damper rod assembly (not the tube assembly), but I'll sell you mine.
I'll send you a PM.

 

[Its been a long time]

Hi all. Fantastic forum you have here. Have been lurking a while whilst working on my 75 and all of the great info here has helped me heaps, thankyou for that.

Anyway whilst pulling my forks apart I've realised that this basket case of mine has clearly had many hands on it already, with some of the bits put together incorrectly. Including these pieces.
The circled spring retainer came out in several pieces. My question is, clearly the availability of these is going to slim to none. Are they needed?
What exactly does that spring and retainers do?

Many thanks in advance!


View attachment 260637

Any half decent machine shop will be able to make a new one if that's all that's required.

 

[DogBunny]

BTW, not sure, but I think that damper rod in my pic is from a 1976, and is a one-year-only damper rod.

 

[spresser]

Thanks for the replies and the posted images, I honestly cannot imagine that it does a lot except for keeping tension on the damper rod from bottoming out like a rebound spring.
Any thoughts on me just replacing these with springs and carefully considered sized washers or similar either side of the spring?