the best way to check is to take it apart and lay the fork tube on a flat bench and roll it slowly, if it's bent it will wobble. my fork tube is slightly bent right below the bottom triple and it works fine, just drives me crazy knowing it's bent.

if it is bent search around the city for someone that straightens wheels and frames and they can get the fork tube straight"er". check with the dealers to see if there is anyone they would send there stuff to.

 

If it's even bent a little it's a no-go. You will destroy your seals in no time on top of the fact that you might be rubbing the tube against the spring at some point, which would kill the proper movement of the shock.

 

what about having fork tubes fixed? anyone advise against having it starightened out?

 

just knowing your forks are bent can freak you out while riding...........a few years ago i lent my bike to a good friend.......he of course crashed it,forks were bent.......got them straightened but was still a mind f%*k.

 

k, now we're getting somewhere.

who straightened your fork tubes? and how?

thanks...i dont want to have to pay $250 for a tube from the dealer :scared

 

mate i'd really like to help..........the incident happened when i went to see a very good friend of mine, who lives in bradford.got it fixed locally there, from a guy who used to fix bikes in his house for a living.He has saved me alot of money in those days,as the stealerships would charge £40/hr and he'd only charge £5/hr.....big saving. got alot of work done from him over the years.
i really doubt you'd want to send your forks over here in the uk to get fixed.
FYI though, if memory serves me correctly he charged me just over £50 to get them fixed, plus other bits and bobs......was a little concerned and nervous about the fix but had to ride 200 miles to get back home to london lol........seemed ok but like i said before, was a mind f%*k...........sorry to be of little help but i know it can be done.

 

E-gay that. there tons of forks on there

 

:lmao thats where this one came from

i have never rebuilt forks before, and the riding season is getting nearer. i figured i could get a cheap ebay stock fork and practice if the shit hit the fan, but, then if all goes well, i would also have a spare ready to go.

this is the one i bought:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e.../ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=170441983218&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

the guy says its "perfectly straight"...for $35 (w/shipping) i cant complain much. im looking for experience and if i can do it and not fuck it up its worth it :lol

i have seen LOTS of bent forks on ebay for more, and other "perfectly straight" forks for TONS more. you just have to believe the guy who's selling it i guess.

im not mad that i got a bent fork off ebay, it didnt cost me a lot and "eyeballing" it you cannot tell it is bent, you NEED a dial indicator to actually find it.

 

Rebuilding the forks is cake. $14 for a fork seems cheap as hell! Good luck.

I guess you might be able to tell if the tube it bent (without putting it on a flat surface and rolling it around) by pulling out all the internals, then put the tube in and the seals and move the fork up and down and see if there are any tight spots.

 

$14 for a fork seems cheap as hell!

yeah it was ending in an hour and no one had bid yet :dunno

 

http://www.framestraightsystem.com/Motorcycle Fork Repair.htm

might have to give these guys a call tomorrow.

anyone have a better suggestion?

 

here is what you need, 4 short peices of 2X4" or similar, a holesaw same size(a lil + tolerance) and a shop press. A dail indicator if you want dead on.

Clamp the 2 2x4's together and drill a hole in the middle, do the other two the same.

Put two of the 2x4's on the press, put the bent tube (stripped) on them and find the high spot, mark it with paint marker. Place one of the other 2x4's on the highspot and press the tube down just passed straight. Release and measure again. Repeat as necessary.

I've done a few forks this oer the years and have never had an issue. A couple forks more than once and they are still intact to this day, some 5-8 years later.

 

That is the way they typically measure at first. Nearly a quarter inch out, yes that is too far out.

I think something like .08 is spec.

GMD MIGHT be able to straighten that one though

 

I can see the bend in your picture without my glasses on!
It is about 1" above the lower slider.
And no, riding on it would be a little sketchy.