I was pulling out of my driveway today on the way to work and I heard an odd noise. Went down the road, got up to about 40, and realized my forks were spewing out oil! :diablo: Rode back to the driveway, found a pile of oil and a stick. Apparently the stick forced its way between the anti dive and the forks, and snapped the sucker off!
Question:
Is their any way to fix this without getting a new anti dive unit. I have my motorcycle test on thursday afternoon, and I have no time to get parts. I think all of the oil leaked out of the left fork leg, but there is plenty in the right fork leg. Do you think I could get away with riding it without oil (just for the stupid test)? Can I remove the anti dive unit from the brakes without compromising the ability to brake?
Any suggestions would be helpful. (can I borrow your bike in burlington VT for thursday afternoon?)
Thanks
-mike
Mike,
There are probably a dozen or more of the early forks with the A-D units on them sitting in the corner of garages that the owners would be happy to give you for the cost of shipping.
That doesn't get them to you by Thursday though.
Without the A-D unit and the fork oil in one leg, you will only have 1/2 the damping, but at low speeds its probably not going to handle horribly. You could make a cover plate that connected the ports and allowed the (new) fork oil to stay in the fork.
I wouldn't recommend you ride the bike like this, but you could probably get through a rider's test IF the inspector doesn't notice. Did you get oil onto the brake disk and/or the brake pads? This is probably more dangerous.
Is your test a test of you to get your bike license endorsement or is it a test of the roadworthyness of the bike?
Arnie
Should have clarified this, it is the licence test (obstacle course ect...). It would be 2 mile ride to the test, 20 minutes of testing, 2 mile ride home. The bike is already inspected, so I don't think I'll see any problems there (hopefully the license guys don't take a real close look at the front left fork tube). I planned on switching out the forks to the 89 model (with the bigger wheel) anyways, so this isn't such a let down from a having to get new crap prospective.
I am at work, so unfortunately I cannot look at the bike, but is there a way of removing the anti dive from the forks without compromising the braking system? Otherwise I will have to duct tape it safely out of veiw, because right now it is hanging and is in serious danger of being sucked up into my wheel.
I am sure some fork oil got on my front rotor. Any recommendations on how to clean it off?
I am currently investigating the option of using someone else's bike for the test, but they are not so excited about that prospect. Kind of pisses me off actually...
Thanks for the reply Arnie
-Mike
if you are planning on replacing the forks anyway just clean the area real good with brake cleaner (pads and rotor too) then JB weld that sucker back onto the forks.... rock on to the test and then do your upgrades.
JB weld is some amazing goodness
Kookaloo!
Frank
Quote from: racerman_27410 on October 13, 2010, 01:52:00 PM
if you are planning on replacing the forks anyway just clean the area real good with brake cleaner (pads and rotor too) then JB weld that sucker back onto the forks.... rock on to the test and then do your upgrades.
JB weld is some amazing goodness
Kookaloo!
Frank
Excellent solution, I second this option. The AD units most likely don't do squat for you. They don't on my 86'. How challenging is the course. Hard braking? Braking while turning? The test in California is a joke (great for maneuvering in parking lots). I saw a guy fail it on a Honda Rebel 250.
Quote from: Arnie on October 13, 2010, 09:21:05 AM
There are probably a dozen or more of the early forks with the A-D units on them sitting in the corner of garages that the owners would be happy to give you for the cost of shipping.
Heh... I remember when I put my old forks up on eBay with a starting price of $20.00... they sold for exactly that much. Same for the 16" wheel.
Well, it looks like God is smiling on me today... Doug (carsick) was able to ride down and let me borrow his bike for the test, and I passed (thanks doug). The bad news is, when I got home, the set of forks I was looking at were sold.
So, in the meantime, I was wondering if any of you had the anti dive units from an old fork conversion? I'll post this in the parts section too.
Thanks for the advice. Plan B was to use my JB welded anti dive mechanism, which had some small chance of success.
-Mike
Quote from: mijohnso on October 14, 2010, 01:18:53 PM
So, in the meantime, I was wondering if any of you had the anti dive units from an old fork conversion? I'll post this in the parts section too.
Thanks for the advice. Plan B was to use my JB welded anti dive mechanism, which had some small chance of success.
-Mike
I got some lowers that I am not going to use. I took the fork tubes out of them and replaced my bent tubes. The lowers are in great shape and have the anti-dive units attached. PM me if interested.
I have anti dive units. Your welcome to it. PM me if you still need it.
Mike
Mine already in route. :good2:
Bob, thanks for sending the FJ karma to Mike that I sent to you! BTW, your bag brackets were working great until the bags blew off the back due to unrelated complications. Something about wind resistance increasing at the square of speed increase. Maybe I hit a pocket of dense air. Dunno.
Doug
Quote from: carsick on October 18, 2010, 09:15:50 PM
BTW, your bag brackets were working great until the bags blew off the back due to unrelated complications. Something about wind resistance increasing at the square of speed increase. Maybe I hit a pocket of dense air. Dunno.
Doug
Don't you have the little straps that came with the bags to prevent such "dense" occasions?
Bag brackets? I need some of those. Did you fabricate them? Was it hard?
And Doug, look on the bright side, it is a funny story to recount...
Quote from: mijohnso on October 21, 2010, 12:24:20 PM
Bag brackets? I need some of those. Did you fabricate them? Was it hard?
And Doug, look on the bright side, it is a funny story to recount...
I highly recommend some type of brackets to keep the bags off the side panels. I had a set of Chase Harper's on my bike that eventually wore into both side panels..
Eric M
Quote from: mijohnso on October 21, 2010, 12:24:20 PM
Bag brackets? I need some of those. Did you fabricate them? Was it hard?
I made them. And can make more.......
See --> http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2355.msg18623#msg18623 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2355.msg18623#msg18623)
Quote from: Scooterbob on October 20, 2010, 09:13:12 AM
Don't you have the little straps that came with the bags to prevent such "dense" occasions?
Whenever you (or "I") are in too much of a hurry to bother with something, it was probably important and should not be overlooked. I was sitting on the front hold down strap until I tucked in at speed. The rear straps held nicely, allowing the bags to rotate up and over, placing one against the sidewall and the other over the exhaust outlet. I consider myself rather fortunate they didn't lock up the wheel, another near disaster averted due to pure luck. Must have been quite a show for the cars I was passing. I avoided eye contact with them when I pulled over to assess the damage shortly thereafter. Sometimes I wish someone would warn me against these type of things, and then I realize
I am the responsible adult in this situation. Whoops.
"Responsible adult" sounds contradictory for you (or "I"). :lol: Sounds like you are very lucky regardless.
I pass the rear strap of the bags through the back handles or under the seat normally. Either one of these ways would prevent total fly off. Why are yours so far forward that you're able to sit on the forward strap?!
Quote from: Scooterbob on October 21, 2010, 05:45:15 PM
Why are yours so far forward that you're able to sit on the forward strap?!
Well, my bags are very big. Or were. Now I have all winter to choose something better!
Quote from: Scooterbob on October 21, 2010, 02:04:05 PM
Quote from: mijohnso on October 21, 2010, 12:24:20 PM
Bag brackets? I need some of those. Did you fabricate them? Was it hard?
I made them. And can make more.......
See --> http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2355.msg18623#msg18623 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=2355.msg18623#msg18623)
Or these......http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1823.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=1823.0)
Quote from: carsick on October 21, 2010, 05:27:54 PM
Quote from: Scooterbob on October 20, 2010, 09:13:12 AM
Don't you have the little straps that came with the bags to prevent such "dense" occasions?
Whenever you (or "I") are in too much of a hurry to bother with something, it was probably important and should not be overlooked. I was sitting on the front hold down strap until I tucked in at speed. The rear straps held nicely, allowing the bags to rotate up and over, placing one against the sidewall and the other over the exhaust outlet. I consider myself rather fortunate they didn't lock up the wheel, another near disaster averted due to pure luck. Must have been quite a show for the cars I was passing. I avoided eye contact with them when I pulled over to assess the damage shortly thereafter. Sometimes I wish someone would warn me against these type of things, and then I realize I am the responsible adult in this situation. Whoops.
Someday, I need to sit down and write out the Tail Bag incident a friend of mine had on the FJ he was riding.
I had a front row seat for it! :biggrin:
Randy T
Indy
Quote from: carsick on October 21, 2010, 05:50:18 PM
Quote from: Scooterbob on October 21, 2010, 05:45:15 PM
Why are yours so far forward that you're able to sit on the forward strap?!
Well, my bags are very big. Or were. Now I have all winter to choose something better!
Maybe it's time to switch to mounted hard cases instead? :empathy2: