What do I do now? Stripped fork bolt

Sickboy

Member
May 10, 2001
15
0
So now I've done it. After watching some videos on youtube on how to replace fork seals, I decided to give it a go and do them myself since one of mine was leaky and the oil was never changed since I got the bike and probably for long before that. To make a long story short, I couldn't get the bottom bolt loose that holds the cartridge in the fork. After dousing the sucker with liquid wrench and waiting an hour or so, I used a pretty good size breaker bar and couldn't break it free without the whole fork popping out of the vise, so I decided it was a job for the trusty old impact wrench. Now I've got a pretty powerful (450ft-lbs torque) impact wrench that hasn't let me down yet and I thought it'd make a quick job of this. But that little bolt (21mm) just didn't want to come loose, lost the battle and rounded off. So now I'm stuck, I can't get the fork apart. I'm going riding Thursday so I just filled the outer tube back up with oil, and put it all back together. My question is: Is this fixable? and if so, by who?? or should I be looking at getting a whole new fork tube for that side?
 

ZOMBIE666

Member
Mar 24, 2006
324
0
if i remeber right that is a large allen/hex head bolt? drill the head of the bolt off. then the damper tube will come out as if you remeved the bolt, only that the threaded portion of the bolt you drilled is still screwed into the damper. now you can try to get it out with the damper removed from the fork tube.
 

Pete Payne

MX-Tech Suspension Agent
Nov 3, 2000
933
38
Is this the 01 cr 250 ? I have had to fixture a few of them up in the lathe and machine them out . Not a fun thing to do . It should be a 21mm hex if it is the 01 cr 250 with showa front forks .
 

whenfoxforks-ruled

Old MX Racer
~SPONSOR~
Oct 19, 2006
8,129
2
Merrillville,Indiana
If you are going to be doing this, you really need the special tool for holding the damper tube inside the fork. Usually just the impact works, still not a good idea spinning the seat like that.
 

Sickboy

Member
May 10, 2001
15
0
According to the Honda parts fiche it's called the "Center Bolt". It's at the very bottom of the fork where the rebound adjuster is. $66 online! Geez I just saw a complete set of front forks on ebay go for 50. I guess I can get a metal hole saw, cut out the bolt, remove the damper tube and then start grinding away at the remaining piece with a dremel until it comes loose. I've done similar things with rusty car parts, but I've never had to replace a $66 bolt before, that's insane!
 

Ol'89r

LIFETIME SPONSOR
Jan 27, 2000
6,961
45
If the bolt is rounded off, take a nut the same size as the bottom bolt and weld it to the bolt through the center of the nut. The heat from welding the nut on should help loosen the bolt. Let it sit for a few minutes so the heat can transfer from the bolt to the cartridge. Make sure the oil is drained and the fork cap is off so the heat does not pressurize the fork.

BTW, it's not just a bolt. It is your compression dampening valve. That is why it costs $66.00.
 

m4i2k2e2

Member
Oct 8, 2007
344
0
first off on my impact wrench i have levels 1-4. i hope you didnt just go to the max setting and start off there. if so you should have started off with less power, then if that did work go up a step. if it started to round off, then bring it some where and have them break it so they can fix it.
 

stumanarama

Member
Aug 29, 2007
306
0
when i went to change the seals on my 95 yz 250, i thought i had to take apart the cartridge but you dont. as for fixing the damage, listen to the guys above me. but for changing your fork seals you shouldnt have to mess with the cartridge at all
 

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