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R60US Fork Rebuild info

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rbikeocd
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:30 pm

R60US Fork Rebuild info

Post by rbikeocd »

I've searched around and I can't find a good "how to" on rebuilding the telescopic forks on my 1969 R60US. The bike sat for some time and they are very stiff not wanting to rebound easily even on the center stand. Can anyone point me at something decent? Thank you.
1969 R60US Project
Airhead #2306

fogg6928
Posts: 3
Joined: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:00 am

Re: R60US Fork Rebuild info

Post by fogg6928 »

These forks are virtually identical to the /5 forks. The Clymer R Series manual should work.

Special Tools:
It helps to have a special wrench for the bottom M8 nut, the one under the rubber plug on the bottom of the fork. You need to hold the screw, which has an internal hex like a set screw, while you loosen the nut. I had a nut welded to a 13mm socket so I can put a wrench on the nut/socket and put a hex wrench through the center of the socket and into the screw.

You also need a special funnel shaped tool to install the tube with the valve in it back into the bottom of the fork tube. The end of the tube has steel piston rings that have to fit inside the fork tube down inside the internally threaded counterbore at the bottom end of the fork tube. Without this tool it is difficult, but not impossible, to install the tube with piston rings on it inside the fork tube. You have to be very careful not to damage the piston rings.

Make sure you have the proper sized wrenches to fit the big hollow bolt on the top of the fork tube and the big cap on the bottom. I have seen a lot of these that have been damaged with a pipe wrench or channel lock pliers.

If the fork has never been apart, the rubber bumpers inside will probably have turned to goo.

And be aware that when you remove the top hollow bolt that it retains the fork spring and the spring will be under tension! It helps to have two people and be careful. One person can put pressure on the bold with something like a broom stick while the other person unscrews the bolt from the top of the fork tube to that you have control of the bolt and spring when the bolts comes out.

Make sure you get the top bumper in the correct location. NOT between the spring and the end of the valve tube!

Jim Fogg #8280

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