Fork Restoration

[lostinidaho]

I am beginning the restoration of my servi-cycle with the forks.

My question is how rough or smooth are the forgings at the end of the forks.  I am talking about the eyelets at the bottom of the forks not the linkages between the fork and the springer.

Even some of the tubing sections of the forks look to be rough from the manufacture. Some of the welds are definitely not pretty.

I don’t want to over restore my servi-cycle.  Sure I can spend the time to make everything glass smooth.  And that would make it pretty, but if it didn’t come from the factory that way, then it loses some of it originality.

Thanks in Advance

[Ricks]

The fork rockers are a little rough from the factory.  I glass beaded them and had them powder coated and they look really nice.  The welds on these bikes are not the prettiest; remember they where done 50 or more years ago with less capable equipment.  I chose to reweld only one that failed and left the others untouched.  This wasn't really a weld failure as much as from running into things with the crash bars and tearing the metal at the weld location.

I hear you on the originality, so I didn't smooth any of the welds either.  I did choose to powder coat the frame and many of the parts for durability sake though, but I felt this wasn't too far from original to be over the top.  AFWIW, powder coat is paint, just not liquid.  See, there, I just justified it in my mind!  LOL!!

[Tom Bartlett]

After I saw your original question (how smooth or rough are the original eyelets on the ends of the fork) I studied mine more closely, but observed that the attaching bolt/washer combination covered almost all of the end pieces.  But what was showing was sorta smooth. But far more visible are the cast? forged? rockers.  They looked rough.  Tom

[mywaymfg]

Was going to send front springs to chrome plating ,but they won't come off are they just rusted on?

[Ricks]

Yes, they just slip on.  This is assuming you removed the ball ends first.

Rick

[Mike Sal]

Speaking of forks, I've noticed that my bike, and a few others that have pictures on this site, has a small rusty spot on each side of the neck where the upper triple tree of the forks hits when they are turned from side to side.  Is there any trick to minimize this? 
Mike sal

[Ricks]

 What I did was put a small, round, stick on, black rubber pad on each side to prevent the paint from chipping.  Not very noticeable, and is effective.

Rick

[Mike Sal]

Rick, Whenever you have some time, could you publish a close up picture of the pad you put onto the neck.  I had thought about doing that, but am concerned that it'll be pretty noticeable.
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

Rick, Whenever you have some time, could you publish a close up picture of the pad you put onto the neck.  I had thought about doing that, but am concerned that it'll be pretty noticeable.
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

I had to clamp my springs in a vice & gently twist the fork in one direction to get them to loosen up enough to slide off the rod.  The guy who had restored the bike didn't take the forks apart & just painted over the springs.  Between the paint and some small amount of rust, they didn't want to budge without the vice. 

I'm glad now that I took the whole bike apart.  All of the joints were very dried out from setting so long.  The fork suspension was really stiff.  Now everything will some good lube prior to re-assembly.  I dropped all the black parts off at the powder coater today.  He said either Friday or Monday I should be ready.
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

Hmmmm. I started to assemble the fork assembly & found out that the powder coating on the stems that the springs slide over have now made the springs a very snug fit.  I had polished them when I took the bike apart due to some minor rust between the springs and the stems.  I didn't think about the new paint causing an issue.  I think I'll go ahead & try it as is & maybe it'll get a little looser when I can stroke it thru it's whole movement.  Worst case I guess i'll have to sand some of the paint down & then re-buff it.
Mike Sal

[oil-lamp]

Well Mike I was told when I started putting my bike together. Just go ahead ping it and get the first one out of the way so the next one won't hurt so bad. And Rick every time I see your bike it makes me wish I saw it sooner cause I like the pin stripe around the tank. Really makes it stand out.

[Mike Sal]

I knew an old farmer who, whenever he'd trade for a new truck, would open the tailgate, take a 3 lb sledge, & sling it up into the bed, letting it slide to the front & creating a small dent.  He then had the first scratch and first dent out of his way & he didn't have to worry as much.
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

Was cleaning & re-installing the head bearings & found out that the lower bearing cone is way too loose on the stem.  The I.D. measures 1.037" & the stem, even with the powder coating, measures 1.005/ 1.006.  When I first got the bike, I noticed that there was some slack in the head fork assy, but just thought it was due to ill adjusted bearings, but now see that it's due to the oversized cone being loose on the stem.  I took an old bicycle apart to see how it compared & it's cone measured 1.06".

So, what gives?  Do i have the wrong lower bearing cone, or .  It certainly won't work as is without a shim. 
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

Took another old bicycle apart this evening (a 70's amf) & it had a bearing cone that was the size I needed, so no need to manufacture anything.  I'll press in the head bearing races into the frame tomorrow & then mate the forks back with the frame.  Little by little.....
Mike Sal