Subject: Re: Forks and front end
Author: Ian Adkins
Date: Dec 11, 2000, 2:32 PM
Post ID: 1704406484
Hi Pete,
I tore into the front end of my 70 Ambo when I was restoring her. The work
is pretty straight forward and I kind of figured it out as I went along.
For any work on the bike I would recommend the shop manual available through
Harper's (possibly MG Cycle or MG Classics..ones that I prefer to do
business with). The manual doesn't give a whole lot of info with respect to
the front end but helpful.
| I did see in the Tips book, a diagram of a tool to pull the fork tubes back up during re-assembly. I'm going to make one of those. |
All I did here was to take a 6mm bolt (whatever the common one was for the
bikes) screwed it into the top plug and wrapped a piece of wire around the
bolt and then pulled the fork tube up. (wear gloves). I guess if you have
some welding skills a tool would be good too but my wire method worked
great. A second person would be a big help too.
| Is there an exploded veiw or a diagram of the front end anywhere on the web scanned in? |
Not in the manual...just some bad pictures. I'll have a look and see if I
can see anything that might help you.
| I especailly want to know where the seals are so I dont damage them. |
The fork seals are inside the fork tubes so unless you are planning to
unscrew the fork lowers from the uppers then you don't have to worry about
them. The only other seals are the top plug o rings. They are in the plugs
that come off before you remove the top bracket. Since they are off when you
are doing all the fitting of the fork tubes you don't have to worry about
those either.
| Any tips or suggestions how to get the bearings off and then new pressed on? |
A bearing drift would come in handy but I just used a socket the right size
and whacked away. The top race will come out from above and the lower one
from below. I believe that these are standard bearings readily available
from one of the shops above.
One thing that I was thinking after I repacked the steering bearings was
that I should have drilled and inserted a grease nipple so I could grease
the bearings every once in a while. Likely overkill big time and totally
unneccessary but I thought about it. Anyone ever thought of this?
Let me know if you have any other questions of you need me to clarify
something.
Good luck....Ian Adkins