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View Full Version : MoFo Mechanical Expedition to Standby


squirrel_hunter
01-09-07, 11:34 PM
This is your 5 minute warning... well not quite.

To celebrate reaching retirement the right fork seal has blown. So its a fork rebuild for me. However I've not done seals before so if any of you orrible lot want to pop in when I'm doing it for a laugh (at me) and a cuppa then feel free. I'm going to order the parts on line and hopefully do the change next weekend, probably.

I will be spending most of my evenings rebuilding the CBR's forks for a bit of practice. But chances are I won't have time/ be sober enough to do this so expect lots of readings of the Bible (Haynes) as the morning, afternoon, evening, next day progresses.

If you can't bare to make the trip up to Sunny Swindon (and frankly I can't blame you) then expect a frantic phone call asking for a lift down to Fowlers to pick up the single part I've forgotten/ broken while doing this. If you are willing to risk it and you haven't visited Squirrel's nest before pm me for directions etc.

Xan173
02-09-07, 07:59 AM
Gis a shout if you need anything from Fowlers. It's about 1/2 mile from us.

tinpants
02-09-07, 06:22 PM
Wouldn't it be cheaper / easier / closer to go to George Whites?

anna
02-09-07, 08:54 PM
mate i would love to .. might not be able to but i do want the pics ;)

good to catch up with you friday again sorry it was short lived but you will have to come down again soon and this time let me know you are coming for sure and i will make sure i clear some diary!!

squirrel_hunter
02-09-07, 09:03 PM
Wouldn't it be cheaper / easier / closer to go to George Whites?

True and that is where I intend on taking the forks after I've fubared them up.

Gis a shout if you need anything from Fowlers. It's about 1/2 mile from us.

Cheers!

squirrel_hunter
02-09-07, 09:06 PM
mate i would love to .. might not be able to but i do want the pics ;)

good to catch up with you friday again sorry it was short lived but you will have to come down again soon and this time let me know you are coming for sure and i will make sure i clear some diary!!

Ok I'll try and get some pics as I do it.

Good to see you again, thought I'd surprise you but I'll give you fair warning next time!

Beenz
02-09-07, 09:23 PM
Let me know if you need any help of the "I wouldn't do that If I were you" followed by sharp intakes of breath type of thing and I'll pop over.

If you need help, let me know.

hovis
02-09-07, 10:06 PM
i have a big hammer, if its any good

Jabba
03-09-07, 11:26 AM
However I've not done seals before....

Old joke alert:
"Looks like you've blown a seal"

"No mate, I had an ice-cream"

Viper
03-09-07, 01:33 PM
Old joke alert:
"Looks like you've blown a seal"

"No mate, I had an ice-cream"

Old ones are the best..... Oh thats meens you are the best Jabba ;)

anna
03-09-07, 07:44 PM
.. oh please dont inflate that ego ;)

.. forks shouldnt be too difficult to do.. if i can do them.. or supervise them being done ;)

squirrel_hunter
03-09-07, 11:06 PM
Well practice run one on the CBR went well.

When I say well I mean I looked at the forks, you see I discovered 2 very important facts, 1) you need a 17mm deep socket to get over the valve caps on the top of the forks and 2) you need a long reach 6mm allen key bit for the damping rod bolt.

Halfords will be seeing me tomorrow.

On slightly lighter note parts have been ordered from George Whites. For the princely sum of forty English pounds in a short number of days I should have in my possession a pair of fork seals, a pair of retaining clips, a pair of dust seals, and a partridge in a pear tree.

squirrel_hunter
05-09-07, 10:26 PM
Ok, so things... well...

Halfords didn't have a 17mm deep socket, but they did have a 18mm so I bought that. Its to big and I knew it but I convinced myself that it might fit and that 'you never know when you'll need one'. I also relived them of a 24" breaker bar purely to counter the tool size envy from the last mechanical expedition.

I also made a longer 6mm allen key, aren't Dremels great?

The seals have arrived, but after further reading I have also ordered new damper rod bolts and washers, hopefully they will be here in time...

hovis
05-09-07, 10:31 PM
17mm deep socket, 18mm so I bought that. 24" breaker bar

6mm allen key, Dremel

...what about a HAMMER

Jabba
06-09-07, 05:16 PM
what about a HAMMER

<Fawlty Towers mode>

Qué? A hammer sandwich?

</Fawlty Towers mode>

squirrel_hunter
08-09-07, 11:43 PM
I would rate the expedition as a success.

A big big thanks to Beenz for the sharp intakes of breath, innuendo, and numerous attempts to knock me out with a wrench. Couldn't have do it with out you mate.

The seals are changed all that remains is a little torquing and the plastics to go back on, that will be done tomorrow. Hovis, you will be pleased to know a hammer was used on more than one occasion. However I will disappoint Anna as I took no photos.

I opted for some heavier fork oil as I'm fed up of the front diving more than a premiership football player in the box and oddly enough I noticed a difference just wheeling the bike around the garage as the front seamed much taller. Just have to wait to see how it rides...

squirrel_hunter
07-10-07, 11:05 PM
Oh deer, I have resurrected this thread. It can only mean one thing, yes you guessed its a blowing again!

The right seal has gone again, its leaking but no where near as much as last time. I have a new seal on order that should be with me some time this week, but again I need a little help. So its expedition to stand by...

The good news is it should be a much shortened expedition this time as I sort of know what I'm doing plus its only one fork that needs doing this time. So if any of you peeps are up for a little forking around do let me know.

Beenz
08-10-07, 09:01 AM
Is the fork leg pitted? Didn't look too bad before.

Anyway I'm available for sharp intakes of breath, various face pulling and sarcasm.

skint
09-10-07, 11:44 AM
I would rate the expedition as a success.

A big big thanks to Beenz for the sharp intakes of breath, innuendo, and numerous attempts to knock me out with a wrench. Couldn't have do it with out you mate.

The seals are changed all that remains is a little torquing and the plastics to go back on, that will be done tomorrow. Hovis, you will be pleased to know a hammer was used on more than one occasion. However I will disappoint Anna as I took no photos.

I opted for some heavier fork oil as I'm fed up of the front diving more than a premiership football player in the box and oddly enough I noticed a difference just wheeling the bike around the garage as the front seamed much taller. Just have to wait to see how it rides...

I can't wheelie a bike on the open road let alone within the 15ft of a garage - top bloke SH;)

_Stretchie_
07-11-07, 05:01 PM
13 ollox

No problem son. We've taken my forks apart (WE DID need that 10mm bit) and my engine out, and taken a big knife to my carbs..

Fork will be nuffin mate.. NUFFIN'

Give me a bell tonight

squirrel_hunter
07-11-07, 08:53 PM
Ah... yes... this...

Well in between my posting this getting married a couple of times, being on my death bed, being drunk etc I kept on missing opportunities. So thanks to those who offered help, it has been noted and will be repaid but fortunately I leak no more!

Me 'rents came up to visit a couple of weeks ago so as me Mum sat in the car me Dad risked life and limb to help get that f*%^£!g damper bolt out and back in. The signs are that its all working again as it should be...

Beenz
08-11-07, 05:31 PM
Now this time, don't clean it, you know what happened last time ;)

Biker_Billy
08-11-07, 07:56 PM
Now this time, don't clean it, you know what happened last time ;)

Exactly...thats what I blame for my broken chain....


new one....never to be cleaned again!:cool: