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Removing Stubborn Fork from Tapered Yoke

Submitted by ian_lambert on Sun, 31/07/2022
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Commando

Is there an alternative to considerable brute force in removing the forks from the taper in the top yoke? I have a 68 Commando and from looking at the sad state of the stanchions and the colour of the oil, there's every chance they've not been apart for a very long time. I tried heating the yoke up and hitting, what I thought was very hard, but still a refusal to budge. Hit harder?

Submitted by ian_soady on Sun, 31/07/2022

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... you've slackened off the pinch bolt in the lower yoke (and even used something like a flat screwdriver to wedge it slightly open) it should drive out from the top using the filler screwed well in.

If this fails, although I haven't ried this, it may be worth using a similar technique to car ball joints - ie hitting the outsiide edge of the top yoke with a heavy hammer while supporting the other side of the taper. I probably haven't described this very well.......

Thanks Ian. I managed to release it with a bit more brute force than I'd been using previously. Next step is to unscrew the fork slider extensions, which again, look like they've been there in situ for quite some time.

Submitted by john_holmes on Mon, 01/08/2022

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Heat on the alloy fork lowers will help as the seal retainers are steel. Expect lots of corrosion on the threads if the bike has been kept in a damp atmosphere.

Submitted by ian_soady on Mon, 01/08/2022

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.. to get the extensions off is to use a jubilee clip round the extension with a bit of inner tube to protect the finish and tap it round. I'd still soak it all in plusgas for a few days and apply heat as John says.

 


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