Piston rod turns with fork cap

23jayhawk

Sponsoring Member
Apr 30, 2002
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Trying to change the springs on my son's KDX. Have the cap out of the fork tube, wheel blocked up, and about 6" of springs sticking up out of the fork tube. Slid my handy dandy fork spring tool under the 17mm jam nut, and broke the fork cap loose from the jam nut. All good so far, right?

The piston rod is turning with the fork cap, instead of the cap threading off the piston rod.

Question - how is the piston rod attached at the bottom? I've never had a set of forks apart, so this is made more difficult by not knowing how it all goes together down there. Is the piston rod unthreading from the base valve when it turns? Shouldn't it have been torqued from the factory?

Could use some help here; thanks.
 

23jayhawk

Sponsoring Member
Apr 30, 2002
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Thanks, I believe I've read just about all the threads that are relevant over the last couple days, including 'carver's treatise from '02, and I've checked out Matt's web page.

My concern is how the rod attaches at the bottom. The factory manual, because it has the exploded diagram, does not make itclear to me how the piston rod is retained at the bottom. Or even what it attaches to.

I've finished one side, and got the fork cap off the other side now. The rod also spins on that side, so it seems that is a normal condition. But I would still like to know how it is retained at the bottom.
 

Robcolo

Member
Jan 28, 2002
342
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rebound piston inside

the rebound piston is on the bottom end of that rod & fits somewhat snugly inside the cartridge tube which is attached at the bottom by the base valve assembly. the piston is considerably larger in diameter than the bushing in the top of the cartridge so it'll never come out of the top without a special tool that unscrews the bushing & it's housing from the rest of the cartridge. . The parts diagram really is lousy for that particular assembly.
 

louis

Member
Sep 2, 2002
136
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The rod will turn. Hold the rod with vice grips & remove the cap. If you want to remove the rod you will need a two foot hex wrench which is a 27mm or 1-1/16 nut welded to a two foot piece of 3/4" pipe. Slide it down over the rod into the hex & hold the socket head cap screw at the bottom of the slider with the head of a bolt.
 

23jayhawk

Sponsoring Member
Apr 30, 2002
675
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Thanks to all - I was probably a bit unclear. I was able to get the cap off the rod, that wasn't such a big deal. My question was more about the rod turning. Having never taken apart forks, I did not know what to expect. But for some reason, I expected the rod to be fixed (not spin freely). After getting it apart and looking it over, it makes sense now.
 
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