Fork Link Bolt Removal

[TheSeeker]

Hi Folks

Does anyone have any tips for removing the bolts holding the fork links in? I have a set of forks which are obviously quite corroded and the bolts won't come out.

Both bolts rotate freely but just won't budge. The links themselves will waggle side to side on the bolts. Unfortunately I hammered both bolts after taking the nuts off (very stupid mistake) so now the first couple of turns are mashed and the nuts won't go back on (do not attempt this job when you are tired and pissed off about other stuff).

I've got them soaking in WD-40 and have some Plus Gas on it's way from eBay.

Are there any other tips? I thought about some extreme blow lamp action which might melt the plastic bushings. Would that do any good?

Best regards

Ben

[Hillt68]

Hi
I've had this problem in the past with a set of old forks, the bushing steel sleeve had rusted to the bolt,
I did as you've now done, soaked in WD40 for a few days then found a piece of tube that was just bigger than the bolt head,so it sits on the welded on washer of the boot (for support)
Clamp the tube in a vice and a few sharp blows on the threaded end (using a bar of just less diam. )
and they came out, I was lucky in the fact that the threads of the bolts were on the outside of the forks, a bit tricky if they are fitted the other way (no room to swing) .. good luck..

[J1MS]

The bolts were the wrong way around on mine, so I ground the bolt head off, and fitted a bar between the fork legs which I tacked in place with a mig welder...... Then held the forks by the bottom fork leg in a vice.... then punched what was left of the ground down bolt through with a drift, this was after they had soaked in release oil for a week....Now fitted to my SX....

[Andy Pickering]

After leaving to soak in WD40 I clamp the bolt from the inside with quick clamps (with nut removed) and used socket with wrench to get out much the same as if it was threaded..

[Knowledge]

I have stripped a couple of real hard-cases when it comes to forks. I have a drastic but effective technique.

I cut off the head and the thread of the bolts, so they are flush with the welded-on washer. Using a hacksaw, I cut along the dividing line between the two halves of the pressed section at the bottom of the fork leg. You have to cut a long way around - as far as the start of the top rebound rubber. Now get a crow-bar in there, and lever the two halves of the pressed section apart, and the link will drop out.

Oh dear, we have ruined some forks.

Do not dispair. Push the (now bent) halves together again using a vice or a G clamp, and weld along the hacksaw line, restoring the forks to good health. If the GP-style lower re-bound rubber mount gets damaged in the process, replace it with a bolt-in item.

Go play

[TheSeeker]

then found a piece of tube that was just bigger than the bolt head,so it sits on the welded on washer of the boot (for support)
Clamp the tube in a vice and a few sharp blows on the threaded end (using a bar of just less diam. )

This gave me an idea to put a 20mm socket over the bolt head and then tighten the whole thing in the vice, pushing the bolt through from the threaded, nut end. Worked a treat for the first bolt, it moved right out until the vice touched the metal of the fork (I should have taken a picture).

The second bolt was moving but very slowly, I put a bit too much leverage on the vice handle and the vice exploded! The outer jaw broke away from the central section.

Bugger, it was a nice Irwin Number 3. As well.

Thanks for all the advice guys. Going to let them soak a bit longer and start looking for another vice.

Stickies not joking when he says in his book to take it to a specialist

Ben

[jason frost]

Just get them red hot with an oxy torch and they will come out fine

[dirtyhandslopez]

Do you lot have PB Blaster over there? It's an excellent de-siezer, loads better than WD40. Do not let it sit on white paint for more than a few seconds, it will get sucked into the paint and cannot be removed.
Drastic measures on that fork cutting and welding. Got a picture of the finished result?

[sugarlump]

I also have a vice which is now the garage door stop courtesy of a seized link, horrible job to do. I like knowledges suggestion cause you could deseam the forks when you weld 'em back together.

[Knowledge]

I like knowledges suggestion cause you could deseam the forks when you weld 'em back together.

Not half mate.