Question about working on forks.

Hello everyone. This is my 1st post on the board.
I bought a 1993 VFR 750 a few months back and need to replace my fork seals. From reading several threads here on the subject, I think I can handle it myself and plan to replace the bushings and springs while I am at it. I've never really worked on bikes before but consider myself pretty mechanically inclined from working on trains and personal vehicles most my adult life. I have a garage full of tools, so I should be covered there.
My question is, what's a good way to go about supporting the front end for this work? I've checked out several reviews on lifts, and am just not really sure what would work with my bike.
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

Hi, and welcome to the nut house as some say. Once on the center stand, what I do here is I use a long eye bolt and run it down through the steering head. then from that use a tie down and fasten it to another eye screw in the ceiling. Pull it up nice and snug. wa la.

 

I have had perfectly good results just jacking up under the headers while the bike is on the centrestand. I also made myself a wood block of the right dimensions which I can slide under the headers with my foot while I lean the bike back on the centrestand to lift front end. The centrestand takes most of the weight of the bike.



For a more secure solution, a head lift (which lifts on a pin through the bottom of the lower triple clamp) is awesome for fork work, but no good for any work involving the steering head.

 

Thats what i do is hang it

 

Yay....I get to use this photo 2x in the same day!

 

What a bonus


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Although I have front and rear stands I also have hooks in the ceiling beams so I can strap the bike up if need be.

 

Thanks for the reply! This may work but I'd be a little concerned with my ceiling supporting the weight. I live in a 2 story, so I'm not sure what kinda weight it can support.
Edit: sorry, meant to quote RVFR

 

If your roof rafters can't support the weight of a VFR front end (my guess is 20kg max) then the people upstairs from you should be worried.

 

Haha, that's a good point. I may be ok then.

 

I did it at my 2 story with no problems


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Be sure to loosen fork caps while still on the bike, and front axle bolt while bike is still on the ground.

If the bottom fork bolt resists your efforts, you'll need an impact driver. :grumpy:

 

I use a couple of sand bags on the rear seat once on the center stand. Keeps the bike rock steady.


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LOL, yea, not a whole lot of total weight here with the VFR front being supported from the ceiling. Yes you will need to screw that eye screw into one of the floor/ceiling beams