Ixion FAQ

How do I deal with pitted forks?

(Phone number deleted as they were over 10 years old. Google brings up several hits for hard chrome plating in the UK. Price still seems to be accurate at 60-70quid per stanchion - AC).

That is about right, depth of pitting does not effect the amount of work involved NB ensure that you get industrial hard chrome plating: ordinary chrome plate ain't the same, even though that was probably what was usedon the new parts. Your reconditioned hard-chromed forks will probably be better than new, for this very reason.

Dave asked about aralditing fork legs:

I've done so. First, you've got to get all traces of oil off the fork leg (either use a solvent such as white spirit, or "sweat" it off with a blowtorch I used a solvent). Araldite won't stick if the surface is dirty. Fill the pits with arardite, leaving a "blob" that stands proud from the surface. Then spend lots of time rubbing the araldite down to the level of the fork leg with extremely fine wet'n'dry.

Araldite (slow version) has worked for me, but I also tried a Loctite or somesuch "chemical metal" which turned out to be too soft. Expect the araldite to fall out after a few years, and perhaps to irk MoT testers (refit the forks with the pitted area facing backwards makes it less obvious and protects from the weather).

Andy H.

I finally remembered to bring in the MOT testers manual (available from all good bookshops - HMSO publication)

Section 3 Front Suspension

3.1 Check the condition, alignment and security of the front fork assembly

Principal reasons for failure...
A fork component ... misaligned or corroded

Thats all it says, no mention of how corroded.

Elsewhere it says

4 Stripping or Dismantling
This is not permitted except for the removal of panels and covers where it is necessary to remove to allow the inspection of an item.

So fork gaiters (securely attached) probably cant be removed. Certainly, any bike I've had tested with gaiters fitted - he hasn't tried to look inside.

mif

I pulled out the forks and when I got to the bit where I had to dismantle the inner tube from the outer, I looked at the workshop manual and imitated the illustration there where you grip the outer tube at the brake caliper mounting bracket in a vice, lay your hands on the inner tube and pull. Well, what a load of crap that turned out to be. Even Arnold Schwarzenegger in his prime after several months on clembutarol and fired up with several lines of cocaine just beforehand wouldn't have been able to separate the tubes. I ended up using a fuckingreatbig (shouldn't this adjective be entered in the OED these days? ) hammer on an old spindle going through the bottom of the outer tube and the tubes separated after several thwacks. Thanks to andyh@minster (a member of the Guild of Ace Mechanics) who supplied me with the fresh pair of outer tubes and advice on how the tubes were connected.

Installing the new seals was even harder, 'cos the new seals Suzuki issue have an extra spring in them now. Using a non-Suzuki non-genuine non-special fork-seal-installing tool (consisting of a 1 1/2 inch drain pipe with an old fork seal on the end, while lubing the tubes with lots of WD40) resulted in nothing but a series of squashed drain pipes as the new seal stubbornly refused to seat itself. I ended up using a scrap bit of inner fork tube holder from a headset, with an old fork seal on the end, and hammering away at its headlamp bracket. Its headlamp bracket gradually became a misshapen mass of metal, but the new seals eventually seated in properly.

According to Kirit the new Suzuki seals simply never leak. Ever. I'll believe it when I see it, but if they never ever leak it's a jolly good thing too, 'cos I'm not sure it's possible to get them out again without sawing the outer tube in half and then using a chisel.

xxx

PJ