Replacing Fork Seals

[Rattle]

Any tips on removing and replacing fork oil seals on a kat 1000 .How do you hold the damper rod inside the fork tube so you can undo the bolt at the bottom of the leg.I used a broom handle on a rd400 but it didn,t work on a kawasaki.Are the forks air assisted.

[ronjeremy]

Changed the seals on my 1100 last week, pretty straight forward. I did use a length of wood, tapered slightly, then hammered into the nut; worked fine when you use a set of grips to hold the wood. I had tried a large bolt (M10 possibly?) locked with two nuts so I could get a socket on it; nuts just keep getting lose so matter how tight they were locked. The wood works fine.
Incidently, I need to change the seals on my RD400, how did you get them apart?!

[ronjeremy]

don't know about the 1000, but the 1100 forks aren't air assisted

[Katgeezer]

I think most forks from 'our' era of bikes are built the same so what works for one works for them all.
I've got a length of plastic conduit I use to press against the innards so I can undo the bottom bolt.

[Rattle]

On my rd400 I just turned the fork tube upside down after removing the spring and pushed it onto a wooden broom handle remarkably this held the damper whilst I undid the allen bolt on the bottom of the fork tube.A friend has a long (2ft 6inch plus ) T bar with A groove cut out off the bottom, to hold the damper.good luck

[Rattle]

Katgeezer if I have problems Ill let you no as Im local to you

[Katgeezer]

Ok with me, PM me if you get stuck and we'll sort out.

[Rattle]

Thanks