Lower Forks Damper nut Issue

[rby1234]

I was removing the lower sliders on my 1953 Hydra Glide front end and found that the right side (no brake side) damper nut, which is at the bottom of the slider won't come off. It spins with the entire damper road when attemping to unscrew. I was wondering if there is a trick to keeping the damper rod from spinning so as to remove the damper nut? Any help would be appreciated. The left side was no problem. I am removing the lower sliders with the front end still on the bike (to replace the seals). Thanks in advance.

[RUBONE]

The damper rod itself has two flats milled into it which locate on matching flats inside the lower slider. If it was not engaged properly the last time it was apart or is damaged it will spin with the nut. Try turning it very slowly while pulling it down as hard as you can and see if it engages. You can lock a vise grip straight down and use it to pull and turn. If not you may have to dismantle the entire leg to repair it.
Good luck
Robbie

[john HD]

a cordless drill might spin it fast enough to get it off.

john

[Panacea]

Or you could try having someone compress the front end while unscrewing the nut with an air wrench, the extra spring pressure on the top of the dampener might stop the slippage...Mike

[Robert Luland]

You’re most likely going to have to grind it off. I make a sheet metal sleeve to fit the inner diameter of the leg to protect it and have at with a die grinder with a ¼” round burr. Bob L

[1950Panhead]

rby,
Have not seen this before.
Let us know if the dampner and fork leg have the flat spots when you get it out.
Jerry

[rby1234]

Thanks for the good ideas. The other side damper rod did have the two flattened sides. I do have an impact wrench which I"ll try first. I also have a dye grinder if all else fails. I've tried pulling down but it just won't go into the slotted end.

[Bigincher]

Thanks for the good ideas. The other side damper rod did have the two flattened sides. I do have an impact wrench which I"ll try first. I also have a dye grinder if all else fails. I've tried pulling down but it just won't go into the slotted end.

With all due respect, I think this method is one that will have a good potential to round out the squares in the bottom of the slider, causing permanent damage.
Shortcuts are seldom the best approach.
If it was mine, I'd go ahead and tear down the fork leg-- I mean, how hard is it really..?? Not very.

[58flh]

DEF> TEAR it all apart!--& MR LULAND had the idea!--I had done it that way myself once or three times! ---GOOD-LUCK!---RICHIE

[rby1234]

Makes good sense; if I can't spin it off or with some compression/tension, I'll tear it down. Thanks again for all the help!

[Panacea]

Thanks for the good ideas. The other side damper rod did have the two flattened sides. I do have an impact wrench which I"ll try first. I also have a dye grinder if all else fails. I've tried pulling down but it just won't go into the slotted end.

With all due respect, I think this method is one that will have a good potential to round out the squares in the bottom of the slider, causing permanent damage.
Shortcuts are seldom the best approach.
If it was mine, I'd go ahead and tear down the fork leg-- I mean, how hard is it really..?? Not very.

The problem is, to remove the leg from the slider, the nut has to come off. pulling the leg out of the trees won't change that. Or am I missing something?

[rby1234]

You weren't missing anything. Removing the forks from the tree only made it easier to grind off the nut (on a workbench). It appears the previous person who worked on these forks pounded the nut on (jam fit) most likely because the threads were bad. Therefore, all the nut did was to rotate on a damper which was stationary and the nut wouldn't come off. I ground the nut off with a 1/4" high speed cutting bit, had the damper re-threaded, put new gaskets on, and tried some avaition gasket sealer #3 on everything. So far, no leaks, at least not on the forks!

[Panacea]

You weren't missing anything. Removing the forks from the tree only made it easier to grind off the nut (on a workbench). It appears the previous person who worked on these forks pounded the nut on (jam fit) most likely because the threads were bad. Therefore, all the nut did was to rotate on a damper which was stationary and the nut wouldn't come off. I ground the nut off with a 1/4" high speed cutting bit, had the damper re-threaded, put new gaskets on, and tried some avaition gasket sealer #3 on everything. So far, no leaks, at least not on the forks!

That's a gutsy technique considering that nut really helps to keep you alive...