fork tube damage, fixable or not? – OLD Bull Trailriders

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March 31, 2011 at 9:18 pm #99728

drew
Member

hey Rudy.

i have taken out the forks and rear spring to send off to get worked over.

however i noticed a rather deep gouge in the L/H fork tube between where it fits between the triple clamps.

how thick are the walls in the fork tubes?are the gouges deep enough to worry about?

do i attempt to weld the gouges up? or would an alloy epoxy be a better choice? or are the forks ok to use as they are with the damage?

the forks seem to be working as they should, just need springs to suit my weight.

i have no idea how the damage occurred, i’ve not had an off where this could have been caused, it may have been before i got the bike.

there are no corresponding marks or damage on the head stem….

any info would be greatly appreciated.

March 31, 2011 at 9:59 pm #199043

scott bocking
Member

That looks like some serious damage mate :ohmy:

STM

March 31, 2011 at 10:45 pm #199052

drew
Member

tis a bit scary looking isn’t it.. and i have no idea how or where it happened, as it was facing toward the other fork. and between the triple clamps.

but as i said it could have been there all the time since late 04 when i picked her up and i’ve just not seen it :S.

the only other explanation is the fork was damaged before it was delivered/assembled.

i reckon it wold have to have been steel to mark it like that. and it looks like a strike/hit, just the wrong shape to be a wear /rub mark.

just put the vernier (spelling) callipers in it. the larger one is just under 1.5mm deep and the smaller on is a whisker under 1mm deep.

April 1, 2011 at 12:51 am #199044

Mark Drinkwalter
Member

Wow this is a conundrum. The bush mechanic in me says you’ve been riding with them that long, eh so what, don’t worry about it.

The profession safety Nazi in me says replace it before something catastrophic happens.

However I will defer to Dr. Nick for a second opinion, as he may have dealt with something similar.

Stand fast,
Rudy

April 1, 2011 at 2:05 am #199054

Nick Dole
Member

Seen it before. Normally throttle cables or a clutch line wearing the tubes over time. Even plastic can do it! If it’s from an impact it will displace the fork tube into the ID and make the slide bush stick. We can check that out when it’s apart.

I’ve only replaced top tubed from impact damage, 1.5 mm will be ok depending on where the damage is. I can’t see it from the photo but does it actually leak oil?! If it’s worn that far i’d replace. Can’t weld it, the tubes go out of round, 0.05 tolerance for roundness.

48MM WP fork? Same since 03 ish bar the stupid 3 bush idea. Any of the tubes will fit if you need to replace, grey, bronze, black, all the same.

Nick

April 1, 2011 at 3:11 am #199055

drew
Member

thanks Rudy and Nick.

the tube does not leak oil. the damage is 120-155mm from the top of the tube.

dare i ask what a pair of tubes will set me back. it’s taken me just over 2 years to get the coin together to get the work done. :blush:

where do i measure the forks to determine size/diameter? the smaller tube is 43mm and the outer tube where the clamps go is ….

never mind i just googled the part number on the spring retainer/ rebound. they are 43mm WP units.

thanks again

April 2, 2011 at 1:59 pm #199045

Jim Drew
Member

By the look of the pics it doesn’t look like cable rubbing wear,the mark on the top fork leg in the pics is what cable rub looks like. If there are no signs of cracking and you think the suspension is working OK then I would probably just cover to keep the dust out with Devcon or salastic. As an extra precaution you could cover the area with a piece of old inner tube (held on with salastic and or cable ties). Its up to you your the one thats got to pay for it.
Jimbo

April 2, 2011 at 5:57 pm #199070

drew
Member

i was thinking Devcon too. it’s the best stuff i’ve used to date.

i may have to go this route yet. i cannot find fork tubes for 43mm apart from a shop has an online listing for genuine WP at $720.00. a pair.

and i’m finding it hard to justify spending $1800+ on the suspension.

April 3, 2011 at 6:28 pm #199071

murph the surf
Member

Yeh
I wouldn’t worry about it either
So long as the marks have not deformed the inner walls than all should be OK
By the way XY, they are 48mm not 43mm as Teknik says
Cheers
Murph

April 3, 2011 at 9:17 pm #199088

drew
Member

you sure they’re 48mm Murph? ? :silly: you have to remember K8ii is a 2002(01 build) Agi4 640

the lower /inner leg (the shiny chromey bit) measures 43mm, the top triple clamp area measures 54mm and the lower triple clamp area measures at 57mm.

now you got me confused :laugh: your newer flash one 525? would be 48mm.

in looking around i found a pair of 50mm :ohmy: forks from i think an older 620 adventurer?

April 4, 2011 at 12:23 am #199046

Mark Drinkwalter
Member

50mm WP right side up forks?

Ick.

April 4, 2011 at 2:36 am #199103

drew
Member

Evil Rudy wrote:

50mm WP right side up forks?

Ick.

yes they are conventional forks.

and what is wrong with them?

just ask all the XR and Tenere and DRZ and KLR riders…. :laugh: :kiss: :side: :whistle:

April 4, 2011 at 2:55 am #199047

Mark Drinkwalter
Member

Well I think you answered your own question…

So if you have a semi leaky, poorly toleranced fork at 45mm and blow it out to 50mm, what do you think happens?

Its not a rhetorical question either. They can be made to work quite well, its just your definition of quite well.

ER out.

April 4, 2011 at 8:39 am #199116

Roy
Member

Did you buy it brand new x-y or did the previous owner rotate it.

April 4, 2011 at 12:35 pm #199110

murph the surf
Member

Sorry XY
Not sure what model bike you are talking about
Just assumed it was an 03 or later Kato (don’t know why) :blush:
What ever bike it is I still don’t think it will be an issue, at least it hasn’t been in the past
Cheers
Murph the surf
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