Bonneville America Forums Forums Technical Forums Performance Mods lowering problems

Hey Guys,

Working on my lowering today [Pro's kit]and I must of spun a damper seal. I put a ton [that's how much my friend weighs] on the end of the fork pushing down with a broom handle inside. I had someone else hold the fork tube from turning and hold the broom handle from turning also.

The bolt would not fricken crack. I felt it rub on the end of the handle while I was turning it and then it suddenly got easy to turn meaning I spun the seal, right.

I did this on the first fork and did not attempt the other.

Now what!! Pis*ed

BikerT

What I did was to install the Progressive main spring only, and instead of messing with the dampner springs, I just raised the fork tubes up in the triple trees by one inch. Much easier IMHO. Vegas

Vegas, In order to get the full effect of the lowering feel, the entire kit must be installed. So I bought the the 11 1/2 412's for the rear. Real nice shocks. And the kit for the front to lower it 2" to level the bike out.

BikerT

I have been thru this, you are pretty much screwed. Put the sping back in the forks, and the top caps. Then undo the damper bolt. I know I have a thread in here somewhere if you search . I ddn't have one available when I tried, but once the springs are out , maybe, maybe an air wrench MIGHT break it ...

Here is my experience ...

http://www.bonnevilleamerica.com/forums/...=true#Post78784

tatkin,

So what your saying is I should of loosened the damper bolt first, just to crack it. Then take of the top caps. The pressure of the top caps should hold everything tight while loosening the damper bolt, saving the seal inside from spinning.

BikerT

BikerT

Correct ...

Quote:

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tatkin,

So what your saying is I should of loosened the damper bolt first, just to crack it. Then take of the top caps. The pressure of the top caps should hold everything tight while loosening the damper bolt, saving the seal inside from spinning.

BikerT

BikerT

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Crap, So do I need to take this leg to my dealer now to have new seals put in or can this be saved.
BikerT

BikerT,
where did you get the front fork lowering kit? is it specific to our bikes or just one that will fit them?

Sebastian

No! Put the spring and top caps back on. If it is like my experience you can then break that damper bolt, and take it all the way out. After that take the top caps off. The same thing happened to me, that damper bolt just spun around when I took the top caps off first. It is all back together now and there is nothing leaking, a month later ...

So if the seal is damaged, the fork will leak. This will be the damage caused from what I have done, Yes. So I could of taken the bolts all the way out with the caps on in the first place?

Not to be confused, I have one good leg. On this leg, do I take the bolt out, then the caps or do I crack the bolt, then take the caps off, then proceed to take the bolt out all the way. On the bad leg, like you say, put the spring back in, take out the bolt. What I am getting at is, if the bolt is loose, will it turn all the way out after the caps are off.

Yeah, take the damper bolt out completely before even touching the top caps.

Why do you believe you wacked a seal ? Like I said, mine did the same thing, with that bolt spinning.

Because when I first started loosening the bolt there was resistance when it was being turned. Then suddenly the bolt let loose without turning out.

Same thing happened to me. I guess we broke the ? bead, then nothing with resistance to allow it to be withdrawn from the damper the rest of the way. In other words the whole damper is spinning, bolt and damper. That's were the spring and top cap come in, to keep the damper in a static position so that the bolt can be withdrawn ...

Tatkin, Thank's dude. I will give it a try. How much did you lower your bike?

1.5 inch lower shock in the back. Progressive 1 inch lowering procedure in the front + I put the forks like 1 quarter inch higher in the tripple trees ... I have NOT posted pics of it lowered yet.

Well I tryed it. I put the good leg back in the tree to hold it and the bottom bolt just turned. It would not loosen. The damper rod is just turning with the bolt. I tryed on the first leg with all the guts in it also with the same results. I think I don't have any option then to bring it to the dealer for them to use their special tool to hold the damper rod from turning unless I/we think of something else.

BikerT

So if a guy just wanted to replace the stock springs with the same height of Progressives, do you have to go through all of this? Or is it just a matter of pulling the upper caps and remove and replace?

pull remove replace

Frank

BT, please explain what full lowering effect I am missing using the method that I used. Vegas

Sorry dude, putting the springs back in and the top cap back on worked for me ...

Quote:

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Well I tryed it. I put the good leg back in the tree to hold it and the bottom bolt just turned. It would not loosen. The damper rod is just turning with the bolt. I tryed on the first leg with all the guts in it also with the same results. I think I don't have any option then to bring it to the dealer for them to use their special tool to hold the damper rod from turning unless I/we think of something else.

BikerT

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If I had to do it over again I do believe I would do what you did, just place the forks a bit higher in the trees. I am not sure what I actually accomplished doing the damper spings.

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BT, please explain what full lowering effect I am missing using the method that I used. Vegas

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This issue has come up before & you’re an easy trick away!
Once the lower tube & lower leg are off & apart, you are left with...
Removing the hex screw that holds the dampener/seal in the bottom leg. Removing this will remove the dampener/seal inside the fork tube & allow you to install the Progressive kit.

Trick:
1. Get a small broom stick & insert it ALL THE WAY into the tube so it bottoms out against the dampener plunger. (This is where most people mess up)

* Issue Tip: make sure the fork is fully extended!
In some cases the forks can "get stuck" & you will not be able to remove the hex screw unless fully extend.

* If so: keep compressing & expanding (leg & tube) by hand (sharply & abruptly) until they reach FULL extension.

2. Put the stick on the ground with the fork inserted over the top of it (lower leg with hex nut facing up).

3. Put pressure on the tube so the dampener does not spin while you remove the hex nut from the bottom lower leg.
It should be as easy as that...be patient unscrewing, as it will feel like nothing is happening.

Warning: Do Not use a high speed tool for this install...you can cook the seal on the dampener plunger. Seal is $80. As it comes on the plunger OEM. Only

Last: You may have to jiggle the tube to get the plunger & lower leg apart after removing the hex nut.

4. Reverse & repeat for reinstall.

I noticed this issue is causing people to "give-up” or question the whole installation. Believe me its WAY worth installing the "whole" Progressive front end kit the "right way". U WILL B HAPPY & notice the improvement.
Just stick with it, it's a little tricky but if you do it once you'll be a pro @ this.

Member
Gary James
* Feel free to email me for my phone info if you need support

Gary, Tatkin and Pat and others

Success. Thanks for all your help people. I did manage to get those damper bolts out. Even though I had to use a pipe clamp to hold the stick firmly against the damper rod to loosen the bolts. They must of had a ton of lock tight on them.

Couple of questions.

1.Does the shop manual give accurate amount of oil to put on the forks. When I empted mine the levels were uneven. Or is there a better way the measure the right amount.

2. Should I put a drop on the damper bolt when I put it back in.

BikerT

The manual says 548cc of fluid.
166 mm below top of tube, when the fork is fully compressed.

Look over that thread I posted a few messages back in this thread. Fluid levels are kind of up the the rider ...

Fellow bikers, Now that I/We have successfully lowered my bike 2", I still have one thing to do. I wanted to know what options I have in altering my kickstand. My bike will lean if I swing my bars to the left. If I swing them to the right, the bike will fall over. Do I cut and weld? bend it? And at which location on the stand would I have to do this? Is there a replacement stand I could buy.

I don't want to have to look for a spot to park or remember to lean the bike to the left. Thanks all.

Willy/BikerT

Fred,

Remembering to lean the bike to the left is not for parking but more for in my work shop. The way my bike is sittings now in my shop, if I were to sit on the bike and hold it vertical, the stand would be 1/2 of the ground. Also in the same position in order to put my stand up, I would have to lean the bike to the right because the swing pattern of the kickstand hits the ground. I don't think all bikes sit the same as some change their stands and some don't.

BikerT