Yamaha conundrum

[Seeker]

I am having fitted K-Tech cartridge inserts for my Yam's front forks. I removed the stanchions without any problems but as I drop off to sleep I started thinking about how the headlamp is held on.



It is held by "ears" shown above (item #5), but item #6 (O-rings) are not held in place so when I go to re-insert the stanchion into the lower triple clamp the O ring will be pushed out of position. I assume they are for anti-rattle purposes.

My current thought is to push the stanchion into the lower triple clamp so it just enters the "ear" and then start to push the O ring down using a piece of wire/wood/cardboard tube and use successive iterations until the stanchion is near the top triple clamp. It means the O ring would never be in its correct lower position, although I don't think that matters too much.

The ear can be moved up/down slightly - about the thickness of the O ring, if it moved a little more it might be possible to physically hold it. I did try and pull the O ring to the outside of the ear but that didn't work.

My off-the-wall idea would be to try and put 2 or 3 loops of dental floss to anchor the O ring but whilst it sounds great in my head, I suspect reality might want a word.

Anyway, the the suspension guy isn't fitting the inserts till Wednesday so I've got time to think more. Any suggestions welcome. (for £60 the suspension guy would have stripped the stanchions off the bike for me, which now sounds like good value, although it wasn't clear if it was another £60 to refit).

The 2022 Service manual isn't available so I couldn't get any tips from that and, of course, the 2022 model is different from earlier models in this area. Having said that, the 2016 service manual that I have is a little vague on the finer details of everything I've checked so far

[Bibio]

just "cup" the oring and bracket with one hand while you push the leg up. you could also use masking tape on the outside to hold it in place.

make sure that you get all the old internals back......

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Bibio

just "cup" the oring and bracket with one hand while you push the leg up. you could also use masking tape on the outside to hold it in place.

make sure that you get all the old internals back......

Unfortunately, the ears are fairly tightly sandwiched between the upper and lower triple clamps (you can lever a gap about the thickness of the O ring), so you can push the O ring to where it belongs but then cannot access it again once you start inserting the stanchion. As soon as the stanchion reaches the O ring it immediately starts to push it up the ears.

I've experimented with a couple of ideas this morning. First was position the O ring, insert the stanchion (I used some plastic pipe of the same diameter) and then use a piece of wire to push the O ring back down from the top. Only partially successful.

The other idea was based on the the levered gap between the ear and the lower triple clamp. I managed to pull the O ring outside of the ear by inserting pieces of card to stop it falling back into the gap. My thought is that once the O ring was located like this, I could insert the stanchion until it was nearly home, release the O ring so it snaps back through the gap and push stanchion home whilst nudging the O ring so it's back inside the ear.

I am not impressed by whomever thought this system up.

[Ruffy]

I presume the bottom o-ring will take care of itself due to the relative direction of fitting of the stanchions and the 'ears', with only the top one is troublesome?

So, perhaps best to take off the top yoke to allow access for proper fitting of the top o-ring, then re-assemble?

[Seeker]

Originally Posted by Ruffy

I presume the bottom o-ring will take care of itself due to the relative direction of fitting of the stanchions and the 'ears', with only the top one is troublesome?

So, perhaps best to take off the top yoke to allow access for proper fitting of the top o-ring, then re-assemble?

No, it's the bottom O ring that's the issue. The O ring's purpose is to be trapped between the ear and the stanchion so it's a tight fit. Once the stanchion is raised up through the lower triple clamp and it reaches the O ring it immediately starts to push it up the ear.

The O ring has little headlamp supporting function, I assume it's to stop it rattling.

The top O ring, if pushed out of position is visible through the upper triple clamp and can be pushed back.

[Seeker]

This is what it looks like and where the O rings sit:

[Seeker]

Looking at an older MT-07 service manual since they use the same part number o ring in a similar location. On that model the o ring is not inside the ear/shroud it is trapped between the lower triple clamp and the shroud. That would make it much easier if mine is supposed to be the same.

[Bibio]

use an old credit card/plastic lid with a cutout.

[Ruffy]

Originally Posted by Seeker

No, it's the bottom O ring that's the issue. The O ring's purpose is to be trapped between the ear and the stanchion so it's a tight fit. Once the stanchion is raised up through the lower triple clamp and it reaches the O ring it immediately starts to push it up the ear.

The O ring has little headlamp supporting function, I assume it's to stop it rattling.

The top O ring, if pushed out of position is visible through the upper triple clamp and can be pushed back.

Hmm, not straightforward - a victory of fashion over function it seems (The old naked SV has circular captive rubber grommets on a more rudimentary bent steel frame that similarly fits between the yokes to supports the ears for the headlight, which was much easier to deal with.)

Having said that, perhaps my original idea still has some merit if you take off the top yoke and re-assemble from above? That way you can position the leg in the bottom yoke, place the lower O ring towards the bottom, push the ear on from above to decently seat the bottom o-ring, put top o-ring in place then refit top yoke - et voila?!

[Bibio]

is it possable that the bottom oring is meant to fit inside the lower part of the bracket to stop the bracket rattling. so it wont matter as the "step" on the bracket will stop the oring rising all the way up the bracket lower tube?

assemble the oring with a little silicon grease or chain lube.