My first Matchless is here!!

[Mick D]

Hi Mark

Sorry I missed your response re removing the top yoke:

The Allen headed dome screws should just unscrew - if they are tightening up as you unscrew them it's probably down to corrosion - squirt some penetrating fluid into the threads when unscrewed as far as possible then screw in and out and re lubricate until they come out.

Regards Mick

[markwhitelock]

I finally managed to undo the stubborn nuts, duck oil did the trick. Now that I have the done nuts undone I was hoping that the forks would drop out, this doesn't seem to be the case!

I have undone the pinch bolts, taken off the mudguard and removed the headlight shell. Do I need to remove the steering damper assembly from underneath the bottom yolk? I can't really see much that is holding the forks in! In the photos the dome nuts are still attached to the fork internals but the are loose and not holding the forks up.

[SPRIDDLER]

The stanchions rarely 'drop out'. The stanchions are probably corroded in the top yoke - soak with releasing fluid, leave overnight, wind the top bolts back in leaving a couple of mm gap - block of wood on them and a smart tap with a (heavy) hammer should release them. If you can, drive a wedge into the splits on the bottom yoke to shock or open them just a smidge. It won't be much and probably not enough to see.
Have you referred to the Workshop Manual or articles in Christians Archive? - lots there about stripping and rebuilding forks.

EDIT.
Here you are - I've looked up just one of them in Christians Archive:
http://archives.jampot.dk/technical/Sus ... _1965).pdf

[Mick D]

Hi

I'd put the yoke lock nut and adjuster back in place to stop things bouncing around at will, then follow Sprids advice, if that doesn't work get some serious heat into the top yoke around the stanchions and repeat.

Regards Mick

[markwhitelock]

Hi Chaps

These forks are well and truly welded in place! I have been hammering away at them and am not getting far at all.

Am I right in thinking that the threads I can see in the top yolk hole is the internal thread of the fork? Is the internals of the yolk smooth and the fork is an inference fit?



I will continue to spray penetrating oil and bash away if so!

[Mick D]

Hi

Yes the internal threads you can see are on the inside of the fork stanchion

The top of the stanchion outer surface is cylindrical and smooth

When everything is clean it is a sliding fit into the top yoke.

When I was having similar difficulties removing the forks from my Ariel restoration I tried a suggestion from another Ariel owner and tightened the pinch bolts, loosened the yoke stem adjuster and hit the yoke upwards from below - it worked I guess it's an inertia thing, I was only trying to move the yoke with the blows and not the whole fork leg.

Might be worth giving it a go, though the access to the top yoke on your bike is not so good as it was on my Ariel.

Regards Mick

[clive]

I have been using a fork removing tool for the last 30 years. It screws into the top bolt thread. I whack it with a club hammer rather than a smaller hammer. The top shows the impact over the years. You will probably need the tool to pull the stanchion back up.

[Plugsnpoints]

I've been watching this thread with interest, and have been a little concerned, knowing how much grief has been involved dismantling these forks.

Today I attempted to dismantle mine.

Earlier in the week I had a chat with Tony (raffles) who gave me sound advice, and explained it wasn't a difficult job.

I already had the dismantling/assembly tool, and a car oil filter strap wrench to undo the oil seal holders.

I found it a piece of p*ss! Loosen everything, then a sharp tap with a rubber mallet.

All I have to do now is wait until I can get hold of a pair of oil seal holders. That seems to be the hardest bit.

Thanks Tony

[Mick D]

I found it a piece of p*ss! Loosen everything, then a sharp tap with a rubber mallet.

One of the lucky ones then.

It all depends on how much care was exercised the last time the stanchions were fitted to the yokes, how long ago and how the bike has been cared for in the interim.

If the bare metal portions of the stanchions are not protected, (I used Waxoil), they will corrode, it's this corrosion that seizes them into the yokes:

Stanchion Corrosion.png

These had to be jacked out of the bottom yoke with a hydraulic puller once the corrosion had been cleaned off.

If Mark's stanchions are still resisting removal he can try dis-assembling the forks in situ and then use more industrial methods to remove the stanchions.

Regards Mick

[g80csp11]

i had the same problem in Spain when my fork stanchions had corroded heavily , to such an extent that one had seized in the fork bush leaving me with no suspension up in the mountains
had to remove one fork leg in the hotel car park and fit a replacement shipped over form my mate, under these circumstances its brute force and plenty of WD40. 2 days later and £140 postage via DHL and the bike was back on the road to continue our trip . luckily Neville (Spriddler) was not there to take photos