You must remove the axle to access the drain plug/bolts that are at the end of the fork tubes. No need to remove the forks and invert them. :)
Those allan head bolts are the retainers for the damper rods inside the fork, NOT drains. DO NOT REMOVE THEM, THEY HOLD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, AND THE FORK SPRINGS WILL THEN PUSH THE LOWERS OFF THE STANCHION TUBES.
Quote from: Troll on August 18, 2014, 05:53:55 AM
Those allan head bolts are the retainers for the damper rods inside the fork, NOT drains. DO NOT REMOVE THEM, THEY HOLD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, AND THE FORK SPRINGS WILL THEN PUSH THE LOWERS OFF THE STANCHION TUBES.
That's some good intel there....
I remember thinking it was going to be easy myself last winter. But alas I was told about the forks not having a "drain" plug like my older other bikes had.
I was also told that what Troll has stated is correct, and I could take it all apart, but I did not because it is far beyond my skill set.
Quote from: Troll on August 18, 2014, 05:53:55 AM
Those allan head bolts are the retainers for the damper rods inside the fork, NOT drains. DO NOT REMOVE THEM, THEY HOLD THE WHOLE THING TOGETHER, AND THE FORK SPRINGS WILL THEN PUSH THE LOWERS OFF THE STANCHION TUBES.
Wow! thanks for that info Troll! I was talking to some guy earlier this week with a Vulcan Classic and he told me those were the drain plugs! Just out of curiosity, where did you get this information from? please tell me it was either from the dealer or factory manual!
Quote from: Tecumseh on August 18, 2014, 19:30:46 PM
Wow! thanks for that info Troll! I was talking to some guy earlier this week with a Vulcan Classic and he told me those were the drain plugs! Just out of curiosity, where did you get this information from? please tell me it was either from the dealer or factory manual!
I have rebuilt a lot of forks over the last 50 years...people would bring me the tubes with the springs removed, and I would have to take them apart with an impact gun, since the damper rode spin without the springs holding them down
I have my manual here and it states
12-6
Fork Oil Change
Remove the front fork (see Front Fork Removal)
Remove the top cap
Hold the outer tube vertically in a vise
Push the top plug down to remove the plug retaining ring and remove the plug
Quote from: Tecumseh on August 18, 2014, 19:30:46 PM
Wow! thanks for that info Troll! I was talking to some guy earlier this week with a Vulcan Classic and he told me those were the drain plugs! Just out of curiosity, where did you get this information from? please tell me it was either from the dealer or factory manual!
Once you have the front wheel off, the next step of taking the fork tubes off is only a few more minutes anyways. I think if I remember, it's just to loosen the 4 triple-clamp bolts, then they slide out. Now, once they're out - it's only a few MORE minutes to get the cap off the top, and get the spring out - then you can clean them out good, too.
Think the hard part was to get the front wheel out and the fender off.....
Did that operation last sunday.Took the front fender and brakecaliper off,10min. work.Then the wheel and speedocable,10min.Loosened the clamps that holds the forks,and removed the forks.10 min. The whole thing including oilchange and reassembly took about one and a half hour.I have not doing this on this bike before,only on mx bikes.
The hardest(and most time-consuming) part,was getting the damn thing properly and safe up on the lift :o)