forks seized up?!

[super90]

Alright so im out riding in some old whooped out railroad tracks, and my forks seize up. I hit some large bumps and they come unseized. I came home and put new fork oil in and cleaned them out. Then hit the whoops again today and they seize up again!! what would be causing this?!

[ceaserthethird]

1. Bent fork tube / Tweaked .

2. Broken Spring

3. Rust in your Fork tubes

Best Way to find out Tear them Down !

Keep us posted

[super90]

Well I took the fork off and managed to get the clip out pretty easy, but whenever I put it in a vice to yank the seal out it sticks. So I cant get the tube to slide to get enough leverage for it to pop out. I put it up for sale/trade in the classifieds. Im looking for something I can completely tear down and fix everything at once so all the problems wont be one after another like this one has done. I have invested over 900 into parts already and it continues! We'll see what happens, if anyone offers a some what decent 350 I wont hesitate to trade / partial trade.

[BigRedRunner]

Its usually easiest to have someone sit on the bike so the forks have a little weight. What you do is undo a small allen head bolt on the very bottom of the fork. The weight of someone compressing the forks help to prevent spinning of the piece the bolt is connected to inside the fork. Next, undo the fork cap and pull out your spring. Pop off your outer dust seal and remove the circlip. Last comes the fun bit, grab the upper tube (slider), compress it down and give it a swift yank upward. It's gonna take a couple pulls, but eventually your fork seal will pop out and then you're good to go.

[super90]

Thats exactly what I was doing. But you see, when you go to yank the tube in the last step you mentioned, the tube is seized somehow. It can move about 4'' up and down, then when it goes past that it jams and you have to hammer it back down. I cant pull it far enough back to get a good pull at it to pop the seal out. Ive done this a few times before but the tube moved freely inside the seal. I dont think its bent, I rode it all day yesterday and they were fine, then all of a sudden it just seized up for no reason at all. If I could get the seal out I could see whats going on inside but the tube wont move enough to let me.

[BigRedRunner]

Ummm... pull like hell? :wondering

[super90]

Thats what ive been doing, and it will not budge. When it sticks down I have to hit the bottom wheel axle clamp with a hammer to get it go back down. I think it might have something to do with the damper inside, because when I got it to move it was free for a minute then siezed back up. Well thats the only thing left inside of the fork tube so that has to be it. It kind of seems like suction is holding it down? So if i cant get this thing to move ill have to buy a new left fork I guess :confused: :drool:

[super90]

Well today I found a entire front send for 75 bucks. 2 nice 84 200x forks, triple clamps, hub, very very nice OEM wheel, and brand new OEM lookalike tire with no holes or dryrotting. Forks leaked but I replace the seal and mix matched some parts to make one nice front end. Only thing was the old oil in the forks was like sludge, So i cleaned it out with kerosene. If anyone needs a 84 hub, 86 wheel, or first gen. 200x triples let me know. I will probably not use them since the fender mounts dont line up with the 86 fender. :beer