Stuck fork caps

[DucatiKen]

I have a '95 900ss/cr. I was going to change the fork oil and seals. I slackened the spring at the bottom of the fork and actually drained the oil from there. Then I went to take the cap off. I used a socket and it seemed too tight. I got a breaker bar and I thought it was moving properly. Instead, it totally rounded off the nut. I mean, it is totally round. I used vice grips to grab it...which only made it worse. Am I right that these are normal lefty-loosy nuts? Any ideas on how to get it off? I think I'm going to have to drill into it and just chip it out at this point. Tell me I'm doing something wrong!

Thanks
Ken

[stoshmonster]

The fork cap spins counter-clockwise to loosen (lefty loosy). Those fork caps are tightened to 35 Nm (approximately 26 ft/lbs) on the Showa forks which really isn't much. They should come off fairly easy.

Leave the bolts on the bottom triple clamp tight and completely loosen the clip-on pinch bolts and the top triple clamp bolt by the fork cap that you're trying to remove to take the clamping pressure off the fork slider tube. Just break the torque off the fork cap (preferably with a good six point socket) until it spins about one full revolution and then remove your fork.

Please tell me you did completely loosen the clip-on pinch bolts and the top triple clamp bolt by that fork cap before you used that breaker bar.

[DucatiKen]

Actually I'm doing a total rebuild and the forks are already completely off. Ive got them in a rubberized vise and am clamping them about a foot down the tube. I'm going to try the other side now. hopefully it will come off easier. Thanks for the help!

[DucatiKen]

Nope the other side is just as bad. The nut is starting to round off. Darn it! I tried heating the tube a but too, along with some penetrating oil. It ain't budging. I hat to drill it out but I think I'm running out of options.

[trace33chargers]

I'd try clamping them further down the tube, almost by the seal. I hate to say it, maybe an impact driver would help you (I don't typically use them on delicate parts, like aluminum threads)

[trace33chargers]

and make sure you are using a 6 point socket or wrench, that'll give you a little extra grip.

[DucatiKen]

Thanks, guys. I'm going to a New Years party, but will be back at it tomorrow. I'll update you then!

[TassieDave]

I had my forks apart about 3 weeks ago to install the full Traxxion Dynamics AK20 cartridge kit and springs - with new bushes and seals. Their instructions were:
1. Loosen upper triple clamp bolt.
2. Loosen fork cap, but do not unscrew completely.
3. Support bike from the steering head or in a fashion that lifts the front wheel off the ground.
4. Remove forks.

After that I sort of strayed form the instructions and loosed the bottom bolt fully as you did. That meant that when I took the caps off everything came out easily.

Then I went back to following the instructions and they finished with "Tighten the fork cap. Make sure the fork is fully extended when you screw the cap back in. ".

I also bought the tools which helped a lot when putting everything back together. To compress the spring I used the spring compressor and for a third hand I placed one side of the compressor under my thigh. Just had to make sure I didn't fall over.