Being a former KLR owner I am, of course, one cheap-a## bastage.

This afternoon is when I "goldvalverize" the forks on my 07.

In case I need a cartridge holding tool - does anyone have a plan for a homemade version?

Sorry for plugging up the e-waves with all my questions but I really do appreciate the feedback from this forum. Good help - honest - minimal bickering.

 

Yeah, I'm sick and tired of you plugging up the internet with your endless questions....




...LOL! Hey, that's kind of what the site is for, and I'll guarantee it's more interesting to discuss a suspension issue than what kind of grips should I get for my KLX. On the holding tool issue, there are some options. I went with an aluminum bicycle seatpost in the 30mm diameter range...doesn't have to be exact. I dug up an old used seatpost in a pile of junk at the bike shop. The cheaper they are, the thicker the aluminum walls of the post usually are. I just clamped the post in a vise and worked for a very short time with a hacksay and flat file to create 4 prongs that are long enough to insert safely into the 4 recesses in the cartridge. It worked like a champ. I have a couple of very good air impact wrenches, and my holding bolt would just spin like mad. The modded seatpost work as well as a factory tool, and you have to to do the same thing if you just replace fork seals. It's a nice tool to have for future work and takes very little time to make. I used aluminum because it's easier to form the prongs, and the cartridge needs only a little help to hold it stready to zip the holding bolt loose. And the tool works great when you go to torque the bolt back on. Here's a pic.

 

Ah, thanks TNC. We have loads of bikes in the garage. Our house is the one all the neighborhood kids come to for the ramps, etc. I'm guessing I can mod one and then put it right back on the bike.

 

LOL!...so you're gonna steal some poor kid's seatpost and then give it back to him and put the poor little tyke at risk of injury or death???!!! You're a bad man.

 

If my anklebiters ride em so hard the seat falls off - they've probably got worse problems than the seatpost.