I made a boo boo

[Jakobi]

Well.. well.. First time in forks and I was doing a simple and straight fluid change only. All was going well. Measured the stock air gap at 130mm. Bit higher than I though but oh well. Thought I'll make a small change only. 135mm. Yep sweet. All good! Go to put it back together. Running smoothly until...

Go to test the rebound clicker on the first fork after assembly. Its not working right. Removed the top cap again and cracked the lock nut. The cap backs off and the clicker is still sitting there in above the damper rod. Threads stripped I expressed my frustration with a few common words before wondering how the hell I'm going to get out of this one.

I inspected the other leg and the only damage is to the brass screw (the clicker itself) which can be pushed out of the top cap. Essentially all I need is the new clicker, but will I be able to get one? or will this end up being than ben.

More than anything I'm disappointed in myself for doing this. Upon assebly I just failed to take enough care in making sure everything was lined up as it should have been. *sigh*

 

[GGEvo]

Oh bugger mate sorry to hear that!!!

I have nothing to offer other than give Scotty's a call in the morning and see what they think. Until then, crack open a stubbie!!

 

[Jakobi]

Had a few rums since and been googling. Theres sweet FA on anything apart from ohlins who definately sell these as a replacement part for some of theirs. I have heard of husky owners getting them replaced too. Unsure which forks they are running.

I'll be talking to my dealer tomorrow and have shot an email to les LT Racing, and to Scotty. Heres hoping I can get it fixed by next weekend. I guess at worste I'll be up for some new fork caps. Best case just the damaged part.

 

[Bailey28]

I can see it now in the for sale section:

"Want to trade, S3 head and inserts for Sachs fork internals"

Sorry to hear that, I guess these Sachs have a very sensitive top cap. I've changed oil before many times on other forks with no issues.

BTW, what oil did you buy to replace the Sachs oil?

Ohlins makes their TTX internals that fit the Sachs. At this point, I would look for someone who replaced their Sachs internals and maybe try to get a deal on those.

 

[Jakobi]

Its not the actual internals that are damaged. The cartridge and rod is still in good working order. Its just the brass screw that pushes against the rod for rebound damping. Nothing flash about it. To be honest I'm not even sure if the Ohlins use their own caps or just use the same as the Sachs.

I'm not stressing too bad.. I've learnt another lesson and whats done is done.. Tomorrow I'll find out how much this mistake is going to cost me

I have replaced with Silkolene RFS Racing Fork Oil 5W with 135mm air gap.

 

[GMP]

Les had a fairly detailed article on his site about this fork and its quirks, and this was one of them. Are the damper rod threads damaged as well?

 

[swazi_matt]

suppose you could take out the other one and head down to your nearest engineering shop and ask them to make up another one?

 

[Jakobi]

Glenn,

I luckily no damage to the damper rod. Only the screw itself. I have spoke to les who has passed on a part number and pointed me back to my local dealer. The dealer followed up with importer and advises can't get this part individually. What he suggested next was what Matt has suggested.

Taking the good and the damaged down to the dealer who will run them to one of his trusted machinists to work magic on. He advised this will be my cheapest fix as new caps are $150 a piece and the ones without the preload adjustment like I have on my bike are... unavailable!

Seeing that its only a small piece of brass with 2 o-rings and some thread I don't envisage it being too hard to have made up.

 

[Jakobi]

Sigh sigh.. Not too hard to make up but expensive.. Was quoted more than a cap for the hours involved in programming a machine to make up the one part.. Said person is going to see if they can do a shonky fix for me either by adding some silver solder and retapping the threads or somehow attaching a new piece of brass to thread up. What a pain and I'm still kicking myself.

Just found this http://www.ktm-parts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=K&Product_Code=BE201402509 listed on ktm/gasser parts and have sent an email. Good price too. Hopefully will hear back soon but in the mean time I'd like to know if any kind souls may be interested in getting one and mailing it to me express in an envelope? I can imagine it's going to cost 300times more for postage than the part.

Love you guys!

Part in engrish - O-ring STOPPER MORE REGULATOR SUSPENSION

 

[swazi_matt]

just a thought, since it is not really a stressed part, have you thought about getting it 3D scanned and printed in polycarbonate, doubt the poly is much weaker than brass

 

[motogroove]

Sigh sigh..

Just found this http://www.ktm-parts.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=K&Product_Code=BE201402509 listed on ktm/gasser parts and have sent an email. Good price too. Hopefully will hear back soon but in the mean time I'd like to know if any kind souls may be interested in getting one and mailing it to me express in an envelope? I can imagine it's going to cost 300times more for postage than the part.

Love you guys!

Part in engrish - O-ring STOPPER MORE REGULATOR SUSPENSION

I'd be happy to mail the part for you if the vendor won't. PM me if you need help with that.

USPS rates here:
http://postcalc.usps.gov/
shipping from Vendor Zip code 25313, or my zip code 06443

HTH
-Dean

 

[Jakobi]

Thanks Dean. I've got a ride coming up next weekend so I have 7 days to work with persay. Ktmparts/Gasserparts advise to ship internationally they require a forwarding company to be set up. I'm hoping they'll do a once off for me if they have it in stock. I'm praying and hoping that either them or gofasters have it in stock. Next best thing is that they can at least get it in stock. If I have to spend $300 on 2 new fork caps I'd rather put another G with it and get some TTX.

In the mean time the trusty WR250F will be on stand by!

 

[motogroove]

Thanks Dean. I've got a ride coming up next weekend so I have 7 days to work with persay. Ktmparts/Gasserparts advise to ship internationally they require a forwarding company to be set up. I'm hoping they'll do a once off for me if they have it in stock. I'm praying and hoping that either them or gofasters have it in stock. Next best thing is that they can at least get it in stock. If I have to spend $300 on 2 new fork caps I'd rather put another G with it and get some TTX.

In the mean time the trusty WR250F will be on stand by!

Well, I've been called worse things than a forwarding company. But that sounds sort of official...

If it's easier to leave all international out of their transaction, I'll buy one (or a pair?) and mail them out. Overnite to me, I could have the package tomorrow, then I could send whichever way to you on Monday. Pay me back when the dust settles.
Let me know.

-Dean
my backup bike is an XR80R

 

[Jakobi]

Thats the ace moto Dean! See PM for further..

 

[wence]

Good onya Dean, this is what keeps us together as one happy family mate.
Cheers Mark

 

[GMP]

Good man, but thats if the part is in stock. Problem is that not that many Sachs bikes are in circulation here in the US. Even Zoke parts are not always stocked.

If its just the threads, what about building them back up with a brazing rod or silver solder, turning to diameter, and running it through a die? Got to be cheaper than a new part. Also, what machinest writes a CNC program for one part? Can you find a guy that can machine one the old fashioned way. I get stuff like this made occasionally, a prototype of that part done manually should cost less than $100 easy.

 

[Jakobi]

Good man, but thats if the part is in stock. Problem is that not that many Sachs bikes are in circulation here in the US. Even Zoke parts are not always stocked.

If its just the threads, what about building them back up with a brazing rod or silver solder, turning to diameter, and running it through a die? Got to be cheaper than a new part. Also, what machinest writes a CNC program for one part? Can you find a guy that can machine one the old fashioned way. I get stuff like this made occasionally, a prototype of that part done manually should cost less than $100 easy.

You're the man Glenn! Hit the nail on the head. I have ordered 2 through Gasserparts. They did not confirm if its in stock or not but it doesn't list them as on back order and I'll have words to say if they are. In the mean time you have suggested what I am having done. The bloke I left them with is going to try and add some silver solder and then run it through a die to get me some thread back (which are 8x1) Damn Sachs and their odd ball numbers.

Hopefully I'll come out of it without too much expense, still have a ridable bike for next weekend, and some parts available if anyone else I know ever has this problem!

 

[Jakobi]

Update. Just received a call from old mate advising he's fixed it for me! Yeww!! Not sure what hes done yet but I'm guessing silver solder. Bike should be back together for the weekend!

 

[lonetree]

Crap, I've gone and done the same thing as jake, stripped the clicker... mine is off a 250r so i have the preload adjusters in the caps. when i took it apart, the caps came off as per usual, but when i went to put them back on, somthing didnt feel right and a srtipped thread was the result.
What is the best way to assemble these forks? im thinking knock the clicker out of the end cap and screw them into the top of the dampning rod, then put the caps on over the top of these? PLEASE HELP, i dont want to do the same to the other one....
wish there was a mannual or somthing......
interestingly, my clicker only has one o ring on it, compared to the 2 on jakes clicker.- although i dont think jakes has the preload adjust?(is that right jake?)

 

[Jakobi]

Correcto!! No preload on my fork caps!! I have some bad news for you too! The replacement parts I ordered waaaay back when I did mine (2 new ones - love the spares) have still not shown. Ordered through Gasserparts in the states who have been trying to organise them through GG who I think is trying to get them through Sachs. I'm just lucky that someone could repair mine.

Did you sustain any damage to the inner threads on the damping rod?? I can only imagine how much that would cost to repair!

Bailey sent me a pm when he opened his up with this info:

Hi, I just found out how to install the rebound and fork cap clicker without stripping the threads. You don't even need to screw both of them in at once! Check this out:

Push out the brass rebound screw. Install the spring, spacer, etc. Put your 19mm wrench on the cartridge to hold it in place. Then, screw just the brass rebound screw into the threaded portion of the cartridge and screw it down until it stops. Then install the cap right over top of the brass screw. The detent ball will start to click as it grabs the brass screw. The slots on the screw activates the detent clicker in the cap once the cap is about half way on, but the screw does not turn as it is bottomed out in the cartridge rod. You will hear a bunch of clicks, but very little if any resistance. Finish screwing the cap on until it is tight.
Then use your small flat blade screwdriver to unscrew the rebound out. Just to check it, your rebound screw will click 18 times out, then stop flush with the top of the fork cap. Ha!! Then reset it all the way in and then count how many clicks out you normally set it at. Basically, the principle here is that the cap now turns outside around the screw, instead of the screw turning around inside the cap. I couldn't get the cap back on with the brass rebound screw installed in the cap.