Forks Seized?

Information relating to the Matchless G2 or AJS Model 14 250cc Lightweight
SPRIDDLER
Member
Posts: 8541
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by SPRIDDLER »

It seems odd that there's no movement at all. I know nothing about those forks but do they have a drain plug for the damper oil? If so ........(daft thought coming up)...........perhaps worth removing them as it may be that there's a hydraulic lock.

(Stop tittering at the back, but why would anyone fit forks with no movement?).
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
User avatar
clive
Member
Posts: 5657
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LONDON UK

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by clive »

I stopped using my G3L for a few years and then when I came to use it again the bushes in the slider had swollen and there was very little movement in forks (although they did move a bit). I wonder if something similar has happened in a more severe way with your forks. The sliders could rotate around the bushes (unlikely on AMC forks as they are tight in the slider) perhaps.
clive
if it ain't broke don't fix
SPRIDDLER
Member
Posts: 8541
Joined: Wed Sep 01, 2004 1:00 am
Location: WEST SUSSEX UK

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by SPRIDDLER »

Iain_NCL wrote:
I have just had delivered a Matchless G2 - my first classic bike. .......the front forks are a puzzle. There doesn't seem to be any movement in them at all
P'raps have a word with whoever sold it to you?
'There is a tide in the affairs of men
Which taken at the flood............'
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by Mick D »

Duncan wrote:They look like BSA ones to me.
Hi

I'd go along with that, what I can see of the sliders looks identical to my 1958 Ariel FH which uses BSA A10 forks.

Good info on the Draganfly website:

https://draganfly.co.uk/wp-content/uplo ... scopic.png

The symptoms you describe could be the result of the top and or bottom bushes seizing in the slider and the stanchion rotating inside the bush.

The forks are quite easy to strip, once you have unscrewed the bronze coloured collar there should be a wire spring clip retaining the oil seal and upper bush. Once this has been removed the stanchion assembly can be withdrawn from the slider, (There is a grove in the slider to aid removal of the clip).
Fork Circlip.png
Note, if the forks are BSA ones the oil seals and bushes have to be fitted from the lower end, the stanchions are to large a diameter at the top ;)

Regards Mick
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Iain_NCL
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:05 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by Iain_NCL »

Thanks everyone for your help - plenty to work on now. They do seem to look very like BSA A10 forks.
SPRIDDLER wrote:P'raps have a word with whoever sold it to you?
Working on that angle too! Apparently they were working fine before it was shipped - the bike has had very little usage though over the past 10 years.
Iain_NCL
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:05 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by Iain_NCL »

I am struggling to get the forks out. They seem to be just pushed into the upper yoke so no pinch bolts to undo but they don't want to come out either! Any tips on getting some unruly forks to break free without breaking anything else?
Mick D
Posts: 2886
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 5:44 pm
Location: Aberdeenshire

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by Mick D »

Hi

Mine were problematic to remove too. You have slackened the pinch bolts on the lower yoke haven't you?

I tried a hydraulic puller coupled with heat and shocking with a hammer to no avail:
Fork Pulling.png
What got them in the end was shocking the upper yoke upwards, (using the inertia of the fork leg rather than fighting it ;) )

From memory, there is no taper on the top of the stanchion, just a parallel section which mates with the upper yoke.

Regards Mick
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
Last edited by Mick D on Thu Jan 14, 2021 11:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
dave16mct
Member
Posts: 3234
Joined: Mon Jan 01, 1990 12:00 am
Location: LANCASHIRE UK

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by dave16mct »

Have you drained the oil out? If a previous owner filled them to the top (it's been known!) they would be solid.
Dave.
Iain_NCL
Posts: 19
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2021 4:05 pm
Location: Newcastle upon Tyne

Re: Forks (NOT) Seized?

Post by Iain_NCL »

Having had the forks off, the good news is they aren't seized! They also don't seem to have been overfilled with oil (they had about 250ml in which seems convincing enough if they are BSA forks) and generally look not too bad. The bad news is, having put it back together there's still no movement in them.

I think the springs are overly stiff and/or under too much compression for any movement. I needed a stanchion assembly tool to put the fork tubes back in and putting them in does compress the springs to about 80% of their free length.

Anyone ever seen something like this before? I'm think I need to actually ride it a bit and see how it feels, but presumably I need either softer springs, shorter springs or both!
User avatar
clanger9
Posts: 1165
Joined: Sat Jun 20, 2015 9:38 am
Location: Chester, UK

Re: Forks Seized?

Post by clanger9 »

Very curious!

I have a set of Lightweight springs here. They're 45mm OD 34mm ID x 330mm
IMG_0353.jpg
Any use to you? I don't need them any more.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
1989 Moto Morini Dart 350
1993 Ducati 750SS
Locked