Forks different length when compressed?

Hi there, I have to admit that I'm not a regular poster on this forum but have found in the past that people have been very willing to help, so here goes:
I've been trying to figure out why my vfr has been steering off to the right. A couple of months ago the wind blew it over which really bent the steering so I had to get the forks and yokes straightened which mostly fixed it. Then someone knocked it over and put me back to square one. I decided to have a close look at the forks, which have always made a rather alarming sort of click-clunk when you hit a bump. When I took the springs out and pushed the sliders into the tube I noticed the left tube goes in a good inch further than the right. Is this normal? I've had a good look at the Honda manual, but can't see anything pieces missing. If you take the oil lock piece out (see pic) the forks will be the same length - but this piece does belong in there. Surely, when the springs are the same length the sliders should travel the same distance. Any help here would be appreciated because this is about the fifth time I've taken the front end apart for one reason or another and I'm getting bored! :frown:
Please ask if you need any more pictures or info thanks in advance :biggrin:

 

Problem solved: a prior owner or 'mechanic' put the oil lock piece in upside down Can't wait to put it back together and see if it rides straight for the first time in ages.

 

A good mechanic never assumes that something they take apart was put together correctly, especially if there is ANY evidence that it was worked on by anyone.

I used to be a mechanic at a dealership and customers will actually lie to you and not tell you they took something apart.
Sometimes they would bring in the bike for a complete tune up and not tell you they took the camshaft out and put it back in incorrectly.
Then the mechanic finds out when the timing marks do not line up whatever.
When you tell them the problem was more than a tune up, they just smile and say ,Oh yeah I forgot to tell you.
Some front forks have .001 max clearances between the slider and fork tube!
That is tighter than piston to cylinder wall specs.

 

Amen to that. Whilst it would be foolish to disrespect mechanics in general, my own experiences of sloppy workmanship have definitely inspired me to tool up and do as much of my own work as possible. Having put the forks back together properly and replaced the oil the handling on the bumpy streets around here has been dramatically improved - it feels like a different bike. A good day's spannering.