Power Kite Forum - prying apart front fork

prying apart front fork

utahtami - 15-6-2013 at 11:27 AM

When I get my all too frequent flat tire on the PL Comp XR+ (I am using tubes now but it hasn't taken care of the problem) it is a bear to get the fork over the spacers when reassembling it. I use a 12" wrench, hammer, block of wood, etc. to spread it. I am just happy to not sustain injury in the process. I am betting you guys have some easy technique - or brute strength.

elfasa - 15-6-2013 at 12:50 PM

...Ignore...

utahtami - 15-6-2013 at 05:07 PM

I am just talking about the fork spread over the spacers and nothing to do with the threads.

BeamerBob - 15-6-2013 at 05:08 PM

Sounds like something could be bent or your spacers are the wrong size.

On the flats, make sure you don't have thorns stuck inside the tire. You can use old panty hose to slide along the inside of the tire to see if they catch on anything sticking through. "Slime" is your savior for flats. it will seal them up without you ever knowing it was a problem. I recommend using a tube in the tire if you are going to use slime. It eliminated a big thorn flat problem on our bikes.

dirtslide - 15-6-2013 at 07:39 PM

the Peter Lynn XR+ fork is in fact a bit tight when getting it lined up with the spacers .here is a trick that I learned a while back, put the wheel/ tire in place with one side spacer (start from the right side) now slide in the axle bolt but only until it starts to show out the hub bearing, then put the second spacer up against the inside of the other fork leg and hold it there with another small bolt just sliding into it from the outside of that leg ,now push the wheel up until it is in contact with the second spacer, and when you straighten the wheel in place the fork will spring out a bit and presto it will all line up ,now all you have to do is push the axle through and that will push the other holding bolt out the other side .simple isn't it. after doing this a few times it will become super easy and others that own PL XR+ will be left wondering how you can do that so quickly and easily. the other option is like Bob mentioned ,the spacer may be a shade long so you can give them a bit of gridding but try and make them both the same if you go that route so that the wheel is still centered.Hope this helps and good luck.

utahtami - 15-6-2013 at 09:51 PM

Thanks! I will give that a shot.

greasehopper - 16-6-2013 at 06:12 AM

I've never verified the fit on a PL buggy but there is such a thing as a 4.80/4.00x8, C rated tire that is a 6 ply, speed rated trailer tire for highway use. They are heavy despite the tubeless configuration and they are a bear to mount, once. However, unless you are plowing into Mesquite trees at light speed or playing chicken in a Cholla Cactus patch, that will eliminate your flats and you can not wear out the tread unless you do a lot of flying over-powered on asphalt. They run about $26 at your local WalMart Supercenter. As Bobby said, a small bottle of Slime goes a very long way toward increasing your wriding vs. wrenching quotient.

Personally, I've run the same set of 5.70-8 D rated 8 ply trailer tires at 3-7 psi on my Flexi Scout Buggly for 3 years across some of the nastiest, tire eating terrain on the planet, Sonoran Desert scrub and blaze trail nearly every time out. I've NEVER had a puncture problem and the tread still looks like new. Mounted on aluminum rims, they are ridiculously heavy in comparison but they are completely bomb-proof.

I suppose it's just a matter of how you want spend your time and money...

elfasa - 16-6-2013 at 09:31 AM

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami

I am just talking about the fork spread over the spacers and nothing to do with the threads.

Haha, okay. Sorry, I completely misunderstood that ! lol..
I got rid of my comment. Save confusion. (And embarrassment :p )

utahtami - 16-6-2013 at 09:58 AM

Darn it, elfasa! I was just getting ready to copy and save your advice for when I do have thread issues. It sounded like some good info.

3shot - 16-6-2013 at 10:03 AM

Mine is tight too Tami. Not so sure it's as much the spacers as it is the mass production/assembly of the fork. My spacers are spot on, but the fork is tight as heck.

elfasa - 16-6-2013 at 10:23 AM

Quote: Originally posted by utahtami

Darn it, elfasa! I was just getting ready to copy and save your advice for when I do have thread issues. It sounded like some good info.

Oh no, sorry !! :/ Ha..

Okay here you go, that info in a nutshell....

-Take the bolts off and soak in very hot water. This may wash off / dissolve any mud / sand / salt that gets in the thread. (They stay hot for a long time, trust me! Hold with tongs or something and rinse under a cool tap afterwards).

-Clean thread with a clean duster / cloth (Hold the thread tightly in the cloth in one hand, and screw OUT with the other. Screw the nut onto a rolled up corner of cloth then pull off). Can use a spray of WD40 when doing this.

- Use a little bit of copper grease (Ideally) on the threads. This stops them 'fusing' if they are left for a while. Can also use normal heavy duty grease, or chain lube (Wet / dry depending on your conditions. I put wet lube on everything that moves on my buggy).

-Remember Nylock nuts don't need to be super tight. So don't over-tighten them

If they do get stuck use a piece of steel tubing, ~1m, to put over the wrench and get some extra leverage.

-Bolts / thread might get damaged / corroded, even if you cant see (especially if you have overtightened them before). If nothing else works replace them. 8.8 tensile galvanised steel nuts / bolts are best for buggy axle bolts.

-Oh yeah.. And beat your chest until you feel nice and strong ! :P

Hope this helps you !

Tim

utahtami - 16-6-2013 at 10:58 AM

Thanks Tim.

I am trying to be proactive and anticipate my next problem.

utahtami - 16-6-2013 at 11:06 AM

Ken, I think after the next flat I am going for the 6 ply.

I have some left over snobbery from the bicycling world to be able to resort to slime. And actually Rusty did use some slime after one flat I had in Ivanpah but it didn't help.

Ken or Bob: would you go tube or tubeless with the 6 ply?

3shot and dirtslide thanks for the confirmation about those forks.

BEC - 16-6-2013 at 11:20 AM

Not only am I member......I'm also the president.....(for those of you who remember).....

Woodworker and kite buggier.....Go purchase (x1) Irwin spreader bar clamp...about 25.00 bucks...Make sure it's a spreader bar...They do make 1 version that will double duty as a wood clamp and spreader...about 18"...This will do the trick of spreading the fork out a bit to do what you need to do...You will also find a lot of other uses for this around the house so...not something that will just be purchased and used once in a while.

BEC - 16-6-2013 at 11:24 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BEC

Not only am I member......I'm also the president.....(for those of you who remember).....

This is the one I'm talking about...You can change the head around to spread as well as clamp...Get the big one...not the 12 incher....bigger clamp = more spreading power

BeamerBob - 16-6-2013 at 02:47 PM

Tubeless is lighter, but you have to do some trickery to seat the bead if tubeless. Tubes will let you change tires easily in the field since the bead seating is automatic with some pressure in the tube.

Cast the bicycle snobbery aside for your buggy. Those grams in your tire allow you to ride and don't hurt any performance parameters.

greasehopper - 16-6-2013 at 06:11 PM

BEC's got the right Idea as far as spreading the fork to get the spacers in, won't need much pressure.

On 6ply tires, TUBELESS ! You'll be fighting the tube for days as the low air pressure you'll want to run will cause the tube to chafe and wear through rendering it useless no matter how much baby powder you put in there. Just make sure the bead on your rim is nice and clean and use a ton of soapy water when you mount the tire. While the tire is still unseated, let it set in the sun or a warm spot to evaporate out as much of the water as possible. Use just a bit of water in a spray mist to reactivate the soap film when seating the bead and make sure you don't exceed 20 psi of your rim will be very unhappy and could explode in your face. When you get the right combination of water/soap and air pressure, it will slip in place without much more than a lite snap. The soap acts like an adhesive over time and you'll play hell when you want to break the bead to change something so make your changes early.

ChrisH - 16-6-2013 at 09:29 PM

What dirtslide said. It gets easier, just a little tricky at first.

markite - 17-6-2013 at 06:14 PM

One last thing to add and may be a simple solution to check; if you put a wheel in a fork first and fully tighten then the fork flexes a little causing the space to tighten to fit the headstock in the gap - and vice versa, if you assemble your fork and downtube and tighten the headstock fully then it's usually a very tight fit and sometimes not enough to assemble the front wheel, axle bolt and spacers - make sure whatever you do first is in place but loose before the next thing. And if changing the front wheel, loosen the headstock bolt first and then the wheel should slide out with spacers. don't forget to tighten all after re-assembly

soliver - 17-6-2013 at 08:40 PM

Tami, one thing I've noticed with my PL tubeless wheels (AKA the ones that came with my XR) is that if I don't check the pressure regularly, it gets down too low and I'll roll the bead off the rim. Not sure if you're having that same problem or some other reason for the frequent flats. I haven't had that issue with my tires that have tubes.

I know your discussion here is regarding the front fork, but I'm wondering why you're getting so many flat tires?!?!?

Regarding the front fork, I'm in the same kiting/ woodworking club as Bruce (BEC) and would totally go that route in a minute. I also agree with markite as well,... Though I haven't had that problem with my XR front for at all.

Those Pesky Flats

Vince H. - 18-6-2013 at 06:16 AM

I have a customer who was plagued with flat tires running here on Alberta farm scrub. Even with tubes the punctures persisted. His solution was to cut up an old inner tube and place a layer on the inside of the tire between it and the tube. Worked like a charm.

awindofchange - 18-6-2013 at 11:07 PM

As mentioned above, if you are removing the wheel from the fork, or if you are installing a new front fork, put the wheel on BEFORE you tighten up the bolt on the headstock (downtube bolt). When you tighten up the bolt, it squeezes the front fork together making it very difficult to get the wheel and spacers in. If you remove the headstock bolt - or loosen it you can very easily spread the fork open with minimal effort and install the wheel and then tighten the headstock bolt.

dirtslide - 21-6-2013 at 09:26 AM

Good to know, I wish I still had a xr+ so I could give this a try, it does make sense , if the fork was off the buggy it was always easy to put the wheel and spacer together.:eureka:

ChrisH - 21-6-2013 at 01:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by dirtslide

Good to know, I wish I still had a xr+ so I could give this a try, it does make sense , if the fork was off the buggy it was always easy to put the wheel and spacer together.:eureka:

I've got one for sale, come and get it!! :D

KYTE SLINGER - 23-6-2013 at 01:34 PM

by taking off the fork or un-tighten the bolt from the down tube help spread out the fork tubes .... the gusset/ bridge that retains the nut via left and right fork tube sucks the forks inward or out wards ......

what do I know I'm kind of new at this....

BeamerBob - 23-6-2013 at 01:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by KYTE SLINGER

what do I know I'm kind of new at this....

Kyte Slinger you keep at it and you'll have experience in NO TIME! :lol:

utahtami - 23-6-2013 at 03:02 PM

Thanks! I like an easy answer!