Need to straighten fork tubes

[phoo]

Where is the best local place to go to get fork tubes straightened? Typical scenario -- take the forks off to replace the seals and discover they're bent and probably have been since 2004. Maybe that's why the steering is so quick. :)

2001 Suzuki SV650 -- traditional forks, 41mm diameter tubes.


Thanks,

~Patrick

[Boom Boom]

Would think you just buy new tubes???
You have a couple stoppies go wrong?

[Rut Row]

how about turning them around and do more stoppies?

[Longboardr]

I have a friend that used to do it, supported the tube in V blocks and used a press if I understood correctly, he's retired now though.

Are you certain they're bent? They can be checked by spinning them in V blocks while checked with a dial indicator. You could also have a problem with bronze bushings inside the fork tube that is a wear item. When they wear the tube is no longer held quite straight relative to the seal, the seal can't compensate and become elliptical so the seal leaks.

[BillyGoat]

bending them once, then twice in the reverse direction may just overly weaken them. Would you care if your front end fell off when while you are riding?

[motojunky]

I understand that it's actually not very tough using a press and v-blocks. I have not tried it myself, but a good friend who I used to race with did a set for me. They worked just fine and never fell off.

[phoo]

I've had forks straightened without issue. These aren't too bad, but the one was bent enough to be obvious even before rolling it on a flat surface.

The forks were previously on my race bike. They *may* have had more than just a stoppie go wrong. =)

I dropped them off at a shop today, hopefully I'll get them back by Saturday.


Thanks,

Patrick

[phoo]

Oh, and I was in the middle of a fork seal replacement, so the tube was all by itself and made inspection easy and foolproof. :-)


Thanks,

Patrick