DOC HARLEY: FORK TUBE ASSEMBLY TIP

Doc Harley from the Service Clinic at Low Country Harley-Davidson to help you with the health of your motorcycle! This week he shares a tip to help with fork tube assembly.

[@Wooley689]

Great tip for most of us who do not own special equipment to do a one time job.

[@whip-its_dad4239]

A good video would be about how to carefully take it apart . Thanks Doc Harley .

[@joegreer8760]

Thanks doc! Your videos are always informative and clear

[@ATGMotoring]

Awesome advice thanks for sharing it!

[@miketodd8640]

Another great tip. Thanks Doc.

[@felipecamerato2423]

Thanks Doc! Awsome tip!

[@07hdflhti]

Great tip Doc !

[@chrisw3119]

Another helpful tip... thanks I really appreciate these tips that help a do it himselfer like myself to fight less on a job I chose to tackle... thanks

[@edwardmorrison2461]

That's a damn good tip Doc, thank you.

[@patrickzambori473]

wrist ratchet aka palm ratchet is my tool of choice for these... push and turn with the same one hand.

[@markh4763]

Awesome video, thanks Doc

[@goodboyringo9716]

at time 2:15 his face was normal but at time 2:22 it shows how much pressure needs to be.

[@pR1mal.]

Hold the cap against the fork tube threads, turn the cap counter-clockwise until you've heard or felt the threads click twice.

[@61espo]

As always... Thanks Doc!

[@neildewitt2869]

Good tips! Thanks.

[@danielgaskell5490]

Thanks so much from my 2018 Heritage!

[@dougfresh1341]

Just viewing some of your old videos. I laughed cause I thought for sure you were gonna grab one of the big guys in the shop to help! I got on a ladder while my wife steadied the fork tube in the vise. We were competing with Barnum & Bailey. 😚
We got'r done tho.

[@DavidJones-bl5vb]

I just did this job on my fatbob, after about 50 goes with my bare hands I gave up and started looking on here for how to videos, I came across this video which had some good tips, like marking the point where the thread catches, but then the bloke pulled out a specialised tool which I certainly dont have and after searching the Internet couldn't even find available to buy. So back to the drawing board, after another 50 goes still no luck just sore hands. Heres what I came up with.
I picked up a piece of inch by 2 inch wood, about 3 feet long. 2 inches from one end i cut a notch roughly the size and shape of the underside of my handlebars. My bike has about 5 inch risers.
I then measured roughly the distance along the piece of wood to the top of my fork tube.
From the other side of the wood to the notch I drove a roofing nail with a cap on top like a little umbrella into the wood
Then with the notch under the handlebars and the head of the nail on top of the fork cap I levered the cap down into the tube.
I should say here I had to slide the forks up and down through the triple trees until I found the optimal height, it took about half a dozen tries to get it right.
Then bingo, success, so I looked at the other side. I set the fork tube to the same height to the other side, marked where the thread caught and tried again, success on the first attempt
I should note the reason I used the nail with the cap was so I had room to get the adjustable spanner under my piece of wood to turn the cap.
Hope this might help someone else who is spitting and cursing at a prick of a job.

[@Otis884]

Good stuff Doc.

[@johncasor9698]

Doc Harley Super genius...

[@michaelbobbiharris2587]

Good video!

[@Vic-ng8if]

Cheers Doc

[@FloridaDualSport]

Thx Doc!!!!

[@roncoburn7771]

Good video

[@acef4389]

That tool makes life alot easier

[@billmago7991]

Thankyou so very much for your video....I fashioned up a service tool from inch X inch mild steel square tube by drilling and filing to shape a hole for my shovelhead flh showa fork top cap ....got it done first go

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

Nice work!….Doc

[@flytheedge]

Holy crap! I needed that tip a couple months ago after a fork upgrade! Have the part numbers for the vise holder and fork cap tool with the handles for a 2017 XL1200X?!

[@ozit0]

hi doc, I wanted to see how you applied the torque for these.

[@aircamry]

Thanks doc!! I have a question I gotten a 2001 road king the previous owner cut the spacer and he did remember how much he caught would u happened to know what’s the correct measurement of the top spring spacer?

[@AmmarAwaad]

Thanks Doc! What is the name of the tool used to twist the fork cap? Or what parts is it made of?

[@lqqkout4thedude]

Looks like it could be done with a Motion Pro Fork Cap Socket #08-0139 and a 1/2" drive sliding T-handle like a Proto #J5485

[@In_His_presence4ever]

Has Doc Harley done a video on noisy primary at all? Like a whiring noise until the clutch is pulled in.

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

No bearing failure has not been covered yet

[@timbarnett3898]

Hey Man, that's my trick! Haha!

[@jaimeb.384]

So can it be done without all those tools?

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

I am sure someone on the net has tried. I personally would not. Thanks ~ Doc

[@tylerfj24]

what is the part number for the clamp that holds the tube in the vice?

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

JIMS offers a multi-adjustable fork tube holder part number 2251

[@tylerfj24]

@@LowCountryHarleyDavidson i thought u said it was a harley part? Jims i know of but i liked this one better if i could get it

[@MarkAmazingo]

I would highly recommend using eye protection while doing this!

[@neildewitt2869]

A helmet for weakling might be good too!

[@johnnyhenry7688]

Nerd

[@vicgarcia61]

whats the name of the tool or part# you are using?

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

No part number on the tool. It’s that old😄…..Doc

[@johnnyhenry7688]

Looks to be a ratcheting adapter with a short t handle and the sockwt for the cap

[@mountaindew8042]

👀👂💬👍

[@adrian_thegamer9725]

You four got the oil come you know better than that.snf how much oil.i know there is deferen levels and whight to.

[@LowCountryHarleyDavidson]

Adrian that is what Manuals are for, These are just tips.....Doc

[@lawrencebrandt8448]

that must be a expensive tool with that ratchet action .