Hi guys, I'm forging ahead with replacing all fluids on this 86 K100RS but could not get the caps off the forks. The caps seem to be pressed up against the bars. It doesn't look right to me, I would have thought the top of the forks should be level with the top yoke. Do I need to move them down. See pic.

Also, whats the trick in getting the caps off the spark plugs. These ones don't seem to want to budge. I thought maybe some sort of T-bar with a hook to hook the tab?

robin

Hello, if you push fork tubes down and align with uper triple clamp you ll get enough space to remove caps with some little screwdriver. But its easier to move bars a bit after removing a dashboard.
My forks are 10 cm higher than triple clamps like on your bike. Let it stay that way. Before you start to work cover tank with some old towell.
You can grab a metal cover of every spark plug with pliers. Look at spark plug and you will see little bulge on metal part near the wire. Take it out with pliers

Best regards

If the spark plug caps are the metal originals, there is a tab on the top that you grip with a pair of pliers, then just pull on them and they'll come off. You made need a bit of force, so watch out when they let go. You don't want to rip them off the leads!

When reattaching the caps, dab a bit of silicone grease on the ribbed part of the spark plug and they'll be easier to remove next time.

Cheers Guys, I found out why the forks are like that, the 8mm allen on the bottom yoke is toast,it's not going anywhere soon I guess I'll have to pull the dash out to do the fork oil and leave them the way they are for now. That's a job for another day I think.

Yes blakey they are original metal ones. The tab has hole in it hence my t-bar idea. I tried the biggest pliers I have but didn't move them. Maybe more force is required. I'll have another go.

Nearly done with the fluid change. Just the forks, plugs, air filter and splines to go.

Yep, try and hook them out. I had to use vise grips the first time. Good luck!

Yes, pliers or grips but twist them a little first and pull at the same time.

Thanks guys, I'll have another go tomorrow if work permits, there's not enough light out there to work at night.

I've decided to pull the fairing off and fix the fork yoke bolts, plus have a look in there while I'm at it. I can see already that it needs new fuel lines and a bit of a gurney to get the grime out.

I've got everything off apart from the main upper fairing part. Is it easier to unbolt the metal fairing mount from the bike or unbolt that mount from the fairing. The manual seems to want you to remove every screw and bolt on the machine. Bloody work is sort of slowing this down but it looks like tomorrow will be free

Don't use a pressure washer on a K bike as they tend to have big problems with water getting into everything including the ECU and ICU which then tend to let all the smoke out and refuse to work.

I just wanna get rid of the oil and road grime around the front of it before I pull the tappet cover off and also up the arse around where the clutch rod is. I think there might be something weeping back there but it needs to be clean in the first instance to find out.

Got the stuffed bolt out of the yoke with a big pair of vise grips and there was another stuffed bolt holding the dashboard down. Got it out by hammering in a torx. Got the plug covers off with a lot of force, the plugs where worn out but looked ok colour wise. The radiator overflow had some sort of green/black sludge in it, I hope it wasn't from oil in the water although I didn't see evidence of that in the radiator flush itself and I managed to loosen the wheel nuts, they where really tight. I can almost see that light down the old tunnel.

I have some anti seize coming in the mail but I really need some now. Can I get it from Repco? Should it be copper based?

I got some permatex antisieze from supercheap a few days ago, about $16 from memory. Its an aluminium base but every bit as good as copper stuff.

Cheers guys, I'll give this copper stuff from the UK a few more days before I pull the trigger, it's a pitty US postage is so expensive, they seem to have everything for sale you'd ever need.

I need some help again. I've drained the forks and one of the drain bolts came out with the thread attached

It had 2 washers on it too so some gorilla has been at it.

I figured I could tap it to 12mm and get a new bolt and then flush the swarf out of the leg somehow.

Or is there another method to fix this?




Also, drove past a bolt shop today, dropped in and got replacement bolts for the stuffed ones I've found so far and they had a tin of silver anti seize so I grabbed it.

At the moment the threads are 6mm, you can tap out to 8mm thread. If you grease the tap and remove it after each turn then you should not get and bits in there. I woulf remove and disassemble the leg before I did anything like that. You can then wash it and dry it and have no chance of getting a bit floating about.

Terrific, just what I needed, an inside tour of the forks. I see greasy fingerprints all over the fork section of the manual with sections hi-lighted so someone has been in there before. Not looking forward to this at all.

Will I be able to get a crush washer to suit?
I've got several sizes here but none are 8mm.