Hi,

I've not done much for 8 months or so, because the last time i was out the forks started leaking and needed some work.

Having taken them apart, the advice was to replace the stanchion bushes as they are well worn.

Now I've finally got the replacement bushes, but having just reread the tips on Splatshop, it turns out I need to widen the gap in them BEFORE ramming them in the fork case!!!

Unfortunately, I've already trashed one set trying to get them in and now one of the bushes is so badly forced into the leg I can't begin to shift it to get it out again. (and the lower bush has popped off the stanchion tube)

How can i go about removing the bush without ruining my forks, and how do i accurately resize the bushes to fit? ?

How accurate do the bushes need to be if I widen the gap in them?

Any advice would be really appreciated - I'm desperate to get the bike going again....

Look around for a second hand set of forks, someone will come on here and advise where the best breakers are.

I hate to say it but it sounds like you've gotten things messed up. 

The bushes on the bottom of the stanchions has to spread slightly to slide into place with the coating on the outside. You slide the stanchion into the fork completely then slide the top bushes down & into position in the top of the fork leg, takes a bit of working around the bush to get it in place as it actually needs to close up the gap. 

Fork bushes are actually the first part of the seals in reality, it's only when they wear that oil should get to the seals in any great amount 

The fork rebuild file in the links at the top of the page should show what I have tried explaining about which way to assemble the forks, it's a easy job if you do it right

Thank Tony, that does explain it better - I hadn't thought of them acting to help the seal.

In the end, having well and truly jammed the new bush, I used a jab saw to cut along the gap. The bush then fitted a lot better and I used a needle file to widen the other ones. 

Also got some 40mm plastic pipe which worked brilliantly to push everything into the forks. 

So far there's been no sign of oil leaks and the real test will be next time I get to a trial. 

Moral of the story would be not to force things if they don't fit.  But sometimes it's hard to know how much force you should use.

 

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