Fork Rebuild
I like pictures 😁.
After removing the front wheel and fender.
I loosen the upper triple tree mount bolt.
Then loosen the lower mount bolt. Pull the fork down to where the top of the fork is just above the lower mount. Then retighten the clamp bolt.
Then I take this gear puller.
And position the bolt of the puller on the top center of the fork. With the 2 prongs of the puller grabbing underneath the triple. Then screw down the puller bolt to push the fork cap down far enough to access the retaining ring. Remove the retaining ring and loosen the puller bolt to remove the fork cap. Loosen the lower triple clamp and remove the fork.
Take out the parts from the top of the fork.
A. Spring
B. Washer
C. Spacer
D. Fork cap
E. Retaining ring.
Turn the fork upside down and pump it like a bicycle pump to remove the fork oil.
Should then place the fork in a vice.
I improvised and used a C-clamp. Removed the dust cover between the inner and outer fork.
Took Kawaski part number 57001-1057
Place it on a T-handle (Kawasaki part number 57001-183)
Put the T-handle in the top of the fork to hold the fork cylinder from spinning while loosening the bolt that holds it in place.
Using an allen wrench to remove the bolt that holds the cylinder in place. I'm using a box end wrench for leverage to break this screw loose. It has loctite on it. Once the screw at the base of the fork is removed, remove the fork from the vice.
The cylinder, along with the small spring can then be removed from the top of the fork.
Then removed this retaining ring. Pulled the fork apart by stroking the inner tube hard to the extended position. Did this several times to remove the inner fork.
Once the fork is separated, the cylinder base can come out of the outer fork.
Internal parts:
A. Inner bushing
B. Outer bushing
C. Washer
D. Oil seal
It's now completely disassembled. I removed all remaining fork oil and cleaned it up.
Reassembly:
I put the outer fork back in the vise. Took the cylinder base and placed it on the cylinder. Then put the cylinder into the inner fork. With the inner bushing in place, inserted the inner fork into the outer fork. Took the bolt that goes on the bottom of the outer fork and lightly coated with loctite. There is a replaceable crush washer that goes with this bolt also. With the T-handle cylinder holder in place, I can screw in the bolt at the base of the outer fork with an allen wrench. Then took the new outer bushing and slipped it onto the inner fork and slid it down and as far into place that can be done by hand.
![]()
Then I take the old outer bushing, place it on the inner fork and up against the new bushing. With a seal driver tapped the new bushing in place. Then just removed the seal driver and old bushing. Next, the washer went in place. Then the new oil seal, with the outer lip lightly greased and a little fork oil on the inner lip. Used the seal driver to seat the oil seal just deep enough to reveal the groove that holds the retaining clip. Installed the retaining clip. Then installed a new dust seal. Time to come off the vise and stand upright. I need to fill with fork oil. Specs call for the level to be 117mm from the top of the fork (+ or- 2mm), measuring with the long spring removed from the fork and the fork fully compressed.
I made my own dip stick for this.
Top end parts of the fork go back in reverse order of the disassembly. Although there is an O-ring that gets replaced on the fork cap.
