K11 Owners Group

[SugarHillCTD]

Possibly hammered the next size up torx bit into the female hex head of the bolt? BTDT at another time on a #@!?*$$# stripped Allen bolt.

Would be tough to reach in that far with a screw extractor.
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John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[Mystic Red]

I didn't realize the bolt head was buggered. I just thought the bolt was spinning like that bolt does sometimes, turning the internals.
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Scott Hespelt, '94 K11LT
K11 OG #466

[RTDude]

As with all good stories, there should be an ending. I hope this is it.
I spoke with the repair shop when I picked up the fork. They used a liberal amount of oil, coupled with some significant hammering to loosen up the bolt. Their plan was to use an easy-out to release the bolt. But they were unfamiliar with the bolt and were not sure how thick the walls of the bolt head were. They did not want to break the head free of the threaded part. After some research they realized they had a significant amount of metal to work with. So they really went at it with a hammer and punch. After that they used a Snap-on easy out and it broke free fairly easily.

I got it home and went to work on the forks immediately. My initial attempt led to much cursing and gnashing of teeth because the bolt began turning the inner works without tightening. I had to pull the tube and inner works free of the sleeve in order to screw the new bolt into the inner works. I did this several times to clean up the screw and make it easier to attach the fork sleeve. After I screwed it in and out a few times it worked just fine. I installed the new gaiter and mounted the fork tube in the triple tree. The only issue there was accessing the fork bolts that hold the fork tube. I finished the job about an hour ago. Ready to go riding in the morning. Yeehaah!!
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Older but not old
1997 K1100LT, 41,000 miles

[SugarHillCTD]

RTDude,

By answering your thread, I must have put the "whammy" on myself.

Today I wanted to change the fork oil and add Rancho gaiters on the K100RS I bought last fall.

FAIL.

Some previous A**hole had beat the living crap out of the bottom bolt head on the right fork leg.

Fortunately the seals are in good shape. So I drained the oil through the drain holes then slide the fork uppers out of the triple lamps to slip the gaiters on. Bolted it all back together and added the oil. DONE.

Hope those seals are good for a while since I can't get the right leg apart without drilling and a screw extractor.
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John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[RTDude]

That is too ironic. Mine was the right fork also. Hopefully, the gaiters will prevent any deterioration of the seals and you will be ok for a while. Ride safe!!
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Older but not old
1997 K1100LT, 41,000 miles

[SugarHillCTD]

THANKS. You too.

John
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John & Cathy

'92 K100RS4V Pearl White SOLD
'04 K1200GT
IBA Several-SS1k, BBG, 50CC NYC to S.F.

[RedBrickRider]

And just where does one find a set of Gaiters?????????????
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Lifes too short to ride an ugly Motorcycle

[ljjohns]

Rancho #1952 available at many larger auto parts stores. About $6 each.
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1993 K1100LT (Washington)
1995 K1100LTSE
1996 K1100LTSE (parts)
2003 K1200LTC
1991 K75RT

[micky77]

Is there a post that shows how to do this (I.E. pix)?

[RTDude]

1. Place bike on a stand that allows the front wheel to turn freely and provides sufficient room to dismount the fork tubes. Dismount the brake calipers, use some cord to suspend them from mirrors, thats what I did. This takes the strain off of the connecting tubes.
2. Remove wheel
3. Loosen the forks from triple tree. Do this one at a time. Before removal, be sure and mark the tubes to indicate height from top of tree.
4. Slide Gaiter on to the tube from the top down. Do not secure them at this time.
5. Reinstall fork tubes and tighten (but not real tight) to prevent them from sliding out of triple tree.
6. Remount the wheel. This will force the tubes to parallel.
7. Adjust height of tubes to triple tree and torque them down.
8. Reinstall brake calipers.
9. Secure the gaiters at top (to the tube) and bottom (to the fork slide)with screw clamps
10. Using a scribe or some other sharp object, poke some release holes in the back side of gaiters. This will prevent a vacumn from forming inside the gaiters, adhering them to the tubes. I actually used a small drill bit and created two 1/16" holes in each gaiter (one at top and bottom) to ensure a clear air passage.
11. ALL DONE
12. I would go ahead and change the fork oil at the same time, just sayin'
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Older but not old
1997 K1100LT, 41,000 miles

[micky77]

Need to replace fork seals: Anybody got a link or pix for doing this on the bike (if possible?) or a link to
doing it off the bike (pix or process)? Thanks in advance.

[RTDude]

No pix, I no longer have the bike. But, I can tell you how to do it.

1. Put bike up on center stand
2. Dismount brake calipers, suspend them with cord to the mirrors to take strain off of the brake lines.
3. Remove wheel
4. Get yourself a small bucket or large bowl to catch old fork oil.
5. Using correct sized metric allen wrench, take out the allen bolt (8 mm?)at the very end of the fork slider. When it comes loose the oil will gush out into the recepticle.
6. At this point the fork slider should come free and slide down the fork tube.
7. Looking in the top of the fork slider you will see the seal and the retaining clip. The clip is the challenge. After fighting with the clip for about 15 minutes, I just took some dikes and cut the old seal out. This provided additional work space to work the clip up and out of the slider.
8. Once the clip is out just insert the new seal. Slide the retaining clip back on, this is much easier than removal. If the dealer sold you new metal seals for the tube, go ahead and put one on now.
9. Then slide the slider back onto the tube. Re-attach the end bolt so you don't lose the new fork oil. Attaching the bolt also re-attaches the bork slider to the fork tube.
10. remove the cap cover and allen bolt from the top of the fork tube. insert new fork oil.
11. Re-attach allen bolt and cover.
12. Repeat process for other fork tube.
13. Re-attach wheel and calipers, ALL DONE!!
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Older but not old
1997 K1100LT, 41,000 miles

[malcolmt]

I had a heck of a job finding suitable gaitors for my K11 here in Afrika.
I fitted a pair of universal steering rack boots intended for a car.

They work a treat, look good, and cost about $2 each.
Well worth looking into
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A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
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[Ernie-NH]

Hi Malcomb...

Which model car were the 'rack boots' intended for ??

Best regards.........// Ernie in NH
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AMA,, American Deaf Bikers
Airhead Beemers Club
'11 G650gs
'95 K1100LT
'76 R100/7

[malcolmt]

They are universal, The ends are stepped to fit a varity of sizes, I just chopped them off at the max size. Take a look at this site, this is exactly what they look like. http://www.viagra4cars.com/un_boot.htm

The rachero shock boots ae not available here and to get a pair brouht in was more expensive than proper gaiters from Motobins.

Here is a pic of my K11 showing off her new steering rack boots cunningly disguised as fork gaiters. http://k11og.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=9005&highlight=

At the time I said they cost $3 each..hope we dont fall out for $1
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A Bike on the road is worth two
in the shed
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[Al.]