Fork spring compressor

[Biker9090]

Has anyone tried something like the sealey fork spring compressor tool?

I'm wanting to change the springs on my strom (USD forks).

I had an absolute bd of a job doing so with my VFR, needing three pairs of hands to tighten/hold everything (mainly the damping rod).

Sealey Ms1824 Motorcycle Fork Spring Compressor https://amzn.eu/d/hfd7J3s

[Speed addicted]

I recently used something like this to do the fork seals on my triumph explorer.
It took a bit of force and swearing but I fitted the seals on my own.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fork-Spring-Compressor-...

[Rubin215]

I don't know if I'm just being thick here, but I'm struggling to see how this would work!

How does it compress the spring when the spring is internal to the fork assembly?

Is it intended to just hold the fork in place and then compress the fork cap down onto it somehow?
In which case, how do you then tighten the fork cap?


Edit:

Ah, right, got it now; it's to compress the spring once the fork cap is undone so you can undo the damper rod.

Edited by Rubin215 on Tuesday 27th August 22:00

[Speed addicted]

Undo fork cap, the handle thing then goes over the fork cap and down to the spacer which has holes in both sides.
The handles then screw in to the holes, push down on the handles to compress the spring and slide in the spacer Under the locknut.
You now have access to undo the locknut on the top of the damper rod holding the cap on.

I had to YouTube it after I’d bought it.

[Steve Bass]

Speed addicted said:

I recently used something like this to do the fork seals on my triumph explorer.
It took a bit of force and swearing but I fitted the seals on my own.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fork-Spring-Compressor-...

Honestly, these are kak.
Never used the Sealy one but have you unwound all of the preload from the top cap? This should expose the retaining nut( which might need a thinned spanner to hold)
Once the retaining nut is loosened, the top cap should unscrew, releasing the spring and damping rod.
Preload tube will be under the spring. Remove it all, set oil height WITHOUT spring and preload tube (normally) and reassemble.

Edited by Steve Bass on Tuesday 27th August 23:28

[KTMsm]

I do a lot of fork seals, I always YouTube before I start, there are some cracking tips

I've never needed any special tools, I think a jubilee clip and a ratchet strap would do the job

[Speed addicted]

Steve Bass said:

Speed addicted said:

I recently used something like this to do the fork seals on my triumph explorer.
It took a bit of force and swearing but I fitted the seals on my own.



https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fork-Spring-Compressor-...

Honestly, these are kak.
Never used the Sealy one but have you unwound all of the preload from the top cap? This should expose the retaining nut( which might need a thinned spanner to hold)
Once the retaining nut is loosened, the top cap should unscrew, releasing the spring and damping rod.
Preload tube will be under the spring. Remove it all, set oil height WITHOUT spring and preload tube (normally) and reassemble.

Edited by Steve Bass on Tuesday 27th August 23:28

I bought it before opening the forks, I’ve done a lot of right way up forks but this was my first upside down so I’d spent a bit of time checking the differences and this tool was used in a few videos.
It may well be the last time it’s used, but it worked well enough for me.

[mikey_b]

I have that same eBay kit. Works a treat - being aluminium it's probably not tough enough for daily professional use, but for someone like me who uses it every couple of years to change the fork oil and/or seals, it's excellent. Whilst you're at it, get one of those fork oil level setting widgets too - a syringe, length of flexi pipe, and a 20cm length of stainless tube with measurements on it. You can easily get the oil level correct to the millimeter using that tool.

[the cueball]

Biker9090 said:

Has anyone tried something like the sealey fork spring compressor tool?

I'm wanting to change the springs on my strom (USD forks).

I had an absolute bd of a job doing so with my VFR, needing three pairs of hands to tighten/hold everything (mainly the damping rod).

Sealey Ms1824 Motorcycle Fork Spring Compressor https://amzn.eu/d/hfd7J3s

I have that one, used it for around 8 years now and never had any issues with it.

I bolt it to the side of my bench when doing forks, easy to use.

[Biker9090]

Steve Bass said:

Honestly, these are kak.
Never used the Sealy one but have you unwound all of the preload from the top cap? This should expose the retaining nut( which might need a thinned spanner to hold)
Once the retaining nut is loosened, the top cap should unscrew, releasing the spring and damping rod.
Preload tube will be under the spring. Remove it all, set oil height WITHOUT spring and preload tube (normally) and reassemble.

Edited by Steve Bass on Tuesday 27th August 23:28

Yeah, this is what I've tried to use before. Whilst It's just about OK for standard forks it's impossible to use easily when you fit stronger springs.

I can do right way up damper rod forks without issue - it's just the usd ones when using stiffer springs. I did make a heath robinson esque compressor that clamped onto a post but it couldn't be locked in place.

[scunnylad]

I've got one of these. Recently did some rc45 forks and with the preload backed off you couldn't compress the spring enough manually to undo the damper rod nut. Fork leg locates on bot peg,screw the Allen bolts in to the holes in the spacer piece and compress the spring by winding the top nut. Worked a treat.

[KTMsm]

I guess it depends how many you're doing and how much you like buying new tools

In the previous pic of the forks - we used a jubilee clip around the white tube, holding a ratchet strap and then ratcheted it down

Worked well enough for a one-off but if I was doing them every week I'd buy a tool