I need 1998 Gen1 Fork Sliders

[Denci]

Hey guys so I had to change the seals and I don't know what the PO did but on the left hand fork
no matter what I tried I could not get the bottom hex bolt out to separate the forks luckily that seal wasn't leaking but I knew it would eventually. I drained the fork oil and cleaned it out as best as I could through the fork cap then added fresh oil. Now to the other side that has the leaky seal. when I went to remove the fork cap it was completely rounded off and I tried everything to get it off with no success. I did remove the air fill valve and was also able to remove the lower hex bolt to separate the forks and change the seal after a good cleaning. I have since ordered a new fork cap " HOLY CRAP EXPENSIVE!" I have the forks back on and all is great. It has been a few months and low and behold the other seal is starting to leak. I took it to 2 different bike shops that specialize in suspension and both told me the only way its coming apart is to cut it off. WTF? So here I am hoping to high heaven someone has a set of fork sliders they will part with? I found a set of complete forks on ebay but they are in rough shape so I thought I would ask here first before I took that risk.

 

[Fire-medic]

FYI, the way to deal with the damper rod bolts in the bottom of the fork, is to NOT remove the downtube fork cap before trying to bust it loose, and to use an air gun to loosen the allen-head bolt inside the casting of the slider-bottom.

If I had a fork cap that wouldn't loosen, I'd use PB Blaster and a bit of heat, a propane torch should be good-enough. You do NOT need to get it red-hot! Before you attempt this, you must remove the Schrader valve stem, or the damper rod allen-head screw! You do not want to be heating a sealed tube, because it could explode if you do! If the flats are gone, use a bolt-removal tool. You will probably need a 22 mm or 7/8" nut extractor.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/VG_...cXDUD9WPNTGF6Y_5dM33NRlEhiNfNwBBoCBQUQAvD_BwE

 

[Denci]

FYI, the way to deal with the damper rod bolts in the bottom of the fork, is to NOT remove the downtube fork cap before trying to bust it loose, and to use an air gun to loosen the allen-head bolt inside the casting of the slider-bottom.

If I had a fork cap that wouldn't loosen, I'd use PB Blaster and a bit of heat, a propane torch should be good-enough. You do NOT need to get it red-hot! Before you attempt this, you must remove the Schrader valve stem, or the damper rod allen-head screw! You do not want to be heating a sealed tube, because it could explode if you do! If the flats are gone, use a bolt-removal tool. You will probably need a 22 mm or 7/8" nut extractor.

https://www.napaonline.com/en/p/VG_...cXDUD9WPNTGF6Y_5dM33NRlEhiNfNwBBoCBQUQAvD_BwE

Thanks for the information but I didn't write it up in exact chronological order. I did actually follow Sean Morley's advice from his video on doing the seals. I tried like a dickens to get the damper bolts out with the forks still on the bike. it wasn't until I was desperate that I took them off and I also did use my air impact, its not the greatest but it has always served me well with stubborn bolts. As far as the fork caps it wasn't so much as it was seized but it was completely rounded off and mared so bad there was no way to get anything on it to remove it. I do have a replacement now and I know the current one will have to be destroyed to remove it. I really appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge. Guys like you and Sean are why I became a supporting member to this forum. Meanwhile I am still on the hunt for the sliders.

 

[Fire-medic]

Sean is a professional, I'm a hobbyist/bike enthusiast who happens to have the first generation as an affliction. SIck, sick, SICK! Like Oliver Twist: "please, sir, may-I have more?"

 

[Denci]

Sean is a professional, I'm a hobbyist/bike enthusiast who happens to have the first generation as an affliction. SIck, sick, SICK! Like Oliver Twist: "please, sir, may-I have more?"

HaHa yeah I hear ya, I have 3 bikes in my garage and it would be easy to let that turn into an affliction and rapidly multiply.

 

[Denci]

One2dmax saved the day, he is sending me out a set of sliders!

 

[usfwood]

It is probably too late for advice, but, couldn't you have drilled out the bolt head? Then just pulled the rest of the internals out. Then you could have gotten on the rest of the bolt with a small pipewrench or vicegrips to replace the bolt.

How did it turn out??

 

[TK3333]

One2dmax saved the day, he is sending me out a set of sliders!

Tell that to the guy who recently asked who Sean was. Lol