SuzukiSavage.com - Upper fork plate

533clive

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airbrush artist

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Andover, Hants, UK

Upper fork plate
03/13/14 at 14:11:14

Stripping my bike down completely, and everything is off, minus the steering stem!!!!!!

The Clymer says (after removing the forks, handlebars etc), remove the upper stem nut and washer (done), then remove the upper fork bridge.......................

............................this will NOT budge a mm!!!!

Anyone got any ideas, top tips to get this off. Tried heat, and BFH!!

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1990 bobbered Savage, and a 1996 work in progress

www.airborneartwerx.co.uk

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SimeonC

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Alabama
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Re: Upper fork plate
Reply #1 - 03/13/14 at 20:47:48

You need to get a standard screwdriver and make sure the joints that you took the bolts out of are actually releasing be wedge it in the gap and twist back and forth be careful not to scratch it though.. while you are doing this spray a penetrating fluid like "Nut Buster" into the gap and continue to work it...When you start to see signs of release of movement carefully go at it with a rubber mallet banging it upwards on all sides in a clockwise order until it slides off!! I had the same problem and this process is exactly what I did to remove mine and cause no damage to the fork assembly... Cool

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S-P Serious Thumper Offline Back in the saddle again Posts: 816 Phoenix, AZ Gender:	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #2 - 03/13/14 at 21:16:52 SimeonC wrote on 03/13/14 at 20:47:48: while you are doing this spray a penetrating fluid like "Nut Buster" into the gap and continue to work it... A home made penetrating oil that works better than any off the shelf stuff is half acetone and half tranny fluid.
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Dave

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Camp Springs, Kentucky
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Re: Upper fork plate
Reply #3 - 03/14/14 at 04:46:45

SimeonC wrote on 03/13/14 at 20:47:48:

You need to get a standard screwdriver and make sure the joints that you took the bolts out of are actually releasing be wedge it in the gap and twist back and forth be careful not to scratch it though.. while you are doing this spray a penetrating fluid like "Nut Buster" into the gap and continue to work it...When you start to see signs of release of movement carefully go at it with a rubber mallet banging it upwards on all sides in a clockwise order until it slides off!! I had the same problem and this process is exactly what I did to remove mine and cause no damage to the fork assembly... Cool

The upper yoke on the Savage does not have any gaps to shove a screwdriver into. It is just al aluminum plate with a hole where the steel stem slides through....whith a nut and washer on top.

I suppose there is corrosion of the steel and/or aluminum that has locked the two together. Penetrating oil and/or heat are probably your best approach.

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Someday I will be old......But not today!

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533clive Junior Member Offline Knuckle scraper, and airbrush artist Posts: 53 Andover, Hants, UK	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #4 - 03/15/14 at 09:24:50 Still not shifting!!!! Tried heat, penetrating oil, and BFH to no avail. Think it's almost time for even more gratuitous violence, and then buy a new one!!!
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justin_o_guy2

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What happened?

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East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.

Re: Upper fork plate
Reply #5 - 03/16/14 at 10:19:45

Nothing delivers driving force like an impact,, that constant beating breaks stuff loose, & a BFH is just one slap,, BUT, a Panel Cutter with a hammer in it is an inicredible tool. Its a miniature jack hammer. IF you have air available, Get yerself a panel cutter. If ya buy a hammer to put in it instead of shaping another tool, be aware, you tilt it, it snaps off. But you can grind & shape the tools, you can grind a groove & make it seat on a bearing & drive them right out,, wear leather gloves.

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The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.- Edmund Burke.

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533clive Junior Member Offline Knuckle scraper, and airbrush artist Posts: 53 Andover, Hants, UK	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #6 - 03/19/14 at 14:41:30 Nothing delivers force like taking a run up, and smacking the handlebars you put back on it, with a 4lb lump hammer!! ......................... ..................... It's off!!
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #7 - 03/19/14 at 17:33:13 cheater!
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pg Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 5273 In Transit	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #8 - 03/19/14 at 17:39:27 I haven't done it myself, but I hear electricity can break loose areas where aluminum and steel bond. Go ahead Dave / Jog:
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Dave YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 18096 Camp Springs, Kentucky Gender:	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #9 - 03/19/14 at 17:43:45 pg wrote on 03/19/14 at 17:39:27: I haven't done it myself, but I hear electricity can break loose areas where aluminum and steel bond. Go ahead Dave / Jog: I know that applied electricity can make me let go of anything I might have a tight grip on!
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pg Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 5273 In Transit	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #10 - 03/19/14 at 17:50:14 A guy I know has an 01 Shadow VLX and it was time for a tire change. They couldn't get the front axle bolt to budge, so they pulled on a welder and and gave it a couple shocks. They said it worked. Also, that guy with the VLX said he estimates he has over 200K miles on it now.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #11 - 03/19/14 at 18:18:20 I wonder if they had it on AC or DC & if it was DC, did they use the steel or the aluminum as the ground? Seems like one of those places in life a guy mite wanna have a clue what hes doin,,
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pg Serious Thumper Offline Posts: 5273 In Transit	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #12 - 03/19/14 at 18:48:29 justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/19/14 at 18:18:20: I wonder if they had it on AC or DC & if it was DC, did they use the steel or the aluminum as the ground? Seems like one of those places in life a guy mite wanna have a clue what hes doin,, I'll ask my buddy next time I talk with him.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Upper fork plate Reply #13 - 03/19/14 at 19:19:36 Thanks,, I have a welder, Id try that if I HAD to And I had a clue as to how to go about it & Not make the thing permanent,.,
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pg

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Re: Upper fork plate
Reply #14 - 03/20/14 at 17:42:20

pg wrote on 03/19/14 at 18:48:29:

justin_o_guy2 wrote on 03/19/14 at 18:18:20:

I wonder if they had it on AC or DC & if it was DC, did they use the steel or the aluminum as the ground? Seems like one of those places in life a guy mite wanna have a clue what hes doin,,

I'll ask my buddy next time I talk with him.

Ok JOG, you'll probably know more about this than me. I'm repeating stuff I don't know a whole lot about. He said he's done this to get the front axle of the front wheel to break lose when tools simple couldn't get it done. My buddy said to use DC current, one clamp on the bolt head, one clamp on the thread end, and the grounding clamp real close to where you want the current to go through. He mentioned be careful because it will leave a mark where the ground is. He said he used something that had maximum of 225 and used the lowest level of 40. Your not trying to burn it, weld it, just trying to get an electrical current to run through it. It's supposed to come off like butter.

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I don't make the rules, I just know what they are.....

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