Hey Guys, I'm doing maintenance on my 74 Jackpiner. Getting ready for the spring season. Anyway, I did a new tire and fork seals without removing the forks from the T-Clamps. Then I remembered the o-ring protecting the lower bearings in the stem is gone. Those bearings look awful dry and something (probably the bearings) is squeaking when I turn the wheel side to side. So...I tried to remove the forks and or the top t-clamp, no success. This is a very original low hour bike and the forks have probably never been out of the clamps, etc. Any suggestions? I put a good penetrant around the fork legs and stem at the clamps. I tried driving the top t-clamp off from the bottom with a rubber dead blow. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Tommy
Tommy V. try this:
I used two stubby flat blade screwdrivers as a wedge to slightly reduce the clamping pressure on both the upper and lower trees, then backed out the top cap 1 turn, used a little heat from a handheld torch on the clamping surfaces, using a mallet, gave the cap a blow downward and the tapered surface on the top clamp, which was the offending unit, gave way the dimension of the 1 turn backed out cap, you could even go to 3/4 only turn on the top cap...once I broke the bond of the tapered fit, all else came apart NPF....be carefull tho, and good luck...Tom....
Tommy;
Lets' start by removing the handle bars, then remove the pinch bolt of the top triple clamp, remove the cap from the stem, remove the fork caps and tap with your rubber mallet under the top fork holder. I am sure you must have overlooked one of these steps. These do come off pretty easily. Tip: If you are planning to clean and grease the steering head bearins I would remove the wheel, and forks from the bottom triple clamp also, it is going to make reassembly alot easier. Have Fun!
Thanks for the replies! Doug, I didn't skip any of the steps you outlined, but the forks had never been out of the upper yoke before. They were slightly rusted and stuck pretty good. I put the fork cap back in almost all the way, but left a small gap and then hit the cap with a dead blow hammer. That broke the seal of rust to the upper yoke and they came out easily.
Thanks!
Tommy
Tommy
The taper on the top clamp is holding the fork tubes from slipping out of the triple clamps. I use a propane torch, warm the area around the top clamp and hit the fork cap nut with a soft face hammer, or a piece of hardwood and a hammer. Back the fork cap nut out 3-4 turms before heating and hitting. They usually pop free pretty easily.
Rocket