Aargh, '04 2.5 fork spring spacer jammed in rebuild

[bluegnu]

Hi all,

Run into a problem last weekend when cleaning up and rebuilding my forks - the first time I put the spacer in above the spring it jams in the leg!?

All I can think is it's been lying in parts for a few weeks now and likely something has expanded/contracted in that time.

On the last trial I noticed the forks weeping and got really soft (it was over 30c that day). So decided it was time for a rebuild and examine.

The seals were relatively new, as was the oil just before I bought the bike. But when I opened them up the oil looked like it had almost split. There was gunk and almost crystallised bits around the seals.

Following the RYP ShercoUSA guide, I pulled them apart and ordered new oil. It stayed really hot for a few weeks, so they sat there draining. 

Eventually I cleaned the parts up, but noticed when I replaced the plastic spacer on top of the spring it was stiff. 

Now I've jammed the metal ring from the bottom of the spacer half way down inside the leg trying to push the spacer in!

How the hell do I get it out without either damaging the fork or the spacer ring?

And how do I get it back in if it's expanded??

 

Any thoughts much appreciated as always 

 

[copemech]

so are you saying the spacers are swollen?  jammed metal ring? what ring? you got pics?

[ourian]

Are these the instructions you followed ? LINK

As the spacer and ring should sit on top of the spring, it's hard to understand why the spacer is half way down the leg

A few suggestions

1) try compressing the fork to see if the spring will push the spacer out

2) take the lower leg off the tube and try pushing the spring & spacer back up the tube

3) try hooking the spacer, you'll have to make a special tool preferably with a slide hammer action to do this

Once you have the spacer out examine for damage and if it has expanded or deformed, fit a new one.

[gary1980]

had the same problem last night doing the fork seals on my beta, the plastic spacer was jammed in the fork leg, ended up bending it a bit with a screwdriver, enough to get a set of long nose pliers on it, and pulled it out. was well stuck in there!

found a bit plastic pipe that was slightly smaller, cut it to size and put that back in instead, works a treat.

cant help with the metal ring..

[bluegnu]

Ourin, that is the guide I'm using.

Ok halfway down may have been an exaggeration, as deep as the plastic spacer that I used to push it in with.

But I did get the metal ring out of the upper tube using an axle with a bolt on the end. 

It seems the top spacer fits in with the metal ring on top but not the other way (as the guide has it) - have I got it wrong or is the guide inaccurate?

The diagram on Page 2 doesn't look quite right either - the plunger rod sit underneath the spring and not through it as the image suggests.

Oh well, got forks back on and they're still weeping, so better order new seals and do it all again 

 

[bluegnu]

How long would you expect the oil seals to last normally?

The bike's had pretty light use over the past year and a half.

But it was a hot day, 30c+ when I noticed them give.

[tony27]

Replace the bushes, when worn they put more pressure on the seals by allowing oil past. With good bushes in the forks the seals should last for years, make sure you release the air pressure that builds up during riding at the end of the day to help prolong the life of the seals