BSA tool needed

[stoinkythepig]

Would like to borrow a BSA 61-3005 fork oil seal holder/fitting/removal tool. It's the sort of tool I doubt I'll use more than once in my life and don't want to spend 70 bucks on it if I can help it. Anyone have one I can borrow?

[Rambunctous]

Could one be made out of PCV pipe?

[stoinkythepig]

Not sure yet. If I can't borrow one, I'll pull the forks and see about making one. I can probably make one out of metal pipe if need be. I have quite an assortment of metal scraps that I use to make tools now and then.

[whynot]

Somehow I've always managed to remove and replace fork seals with common hand tools.

Maybe post up on britbike.com and ask how they do it without the special tool.

Also, the FB group "BSA Motorcycles" is actually quite useful and friendly without the usual FB BS.

[stoinkythepig]

Somehow I've always managed to remove and replace fork seals with common hand tools.

Maybe post up on britbike.com and ask how they do it without the special tool.

Also, the FB group "BSA Motorcycles" is actually quite useful and friendly without the usual FB BS.

Me too, but the 1968 BSA 411SS forks are quite a bit different than the forks I'm used to. The tops are tapered and the springs are on the outside.

I did plan to post on the brit bike forum eventually, but no one really knows me there and it's a worldwide forum. This forum is mostly local people and I've been here for more than a decade, hopefully developing a decent reputation as someone that is honest and trustworthy.

[whynot]

Me too, but the 1968 BSA 411SS forks are quite a bit different than the forks I'm used to. The tops are tapered and the springs are on the outside.

I did plan to post on the brit bike forum eventually, but no one really knows me there and it's a worldwide forum. This forum is mostly local people and I've been here for more than a decade, hopefully developing a decent reputation as someone that is honest and trustworthy.

[Edit/Delete: Never mind!]

The Britbike forum works well for me, I often get answers right away from Australia, Britain, and Europe, and the US.

Do your forks look like this?

[qqac]

here's a thread on making the tool. One guy said he made one in 5 minutes. Another has had luck with an alternative method using rubber, a hose clamp, and pipe wrench.

http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbth...&Number=521050

[whynot]

here's a thread on making the tool. One guy said he made one in 5 minutes. Another has had luck with an alternative method using rubber, a hose clamp, and pipe wrench.

http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbth...&Number=521050

Good info there, covers it all. And, OK, it looks like the seal holders are a little different from the Triumph items, so "never mind" on most of what I posted before. I've used a strap wrench successfully, but if yours have been together a long time, they will probably be pretty stuck. Some thread lube going back together will make next time easier.

[stoinkythepig]

Do your forks look like this?

Yup, they look just like that.

[stoinkythepig]

here's a thread on making the tool. One guy said he made one in 5 minutes. Another has had luck with an alternative method using rubber, a hose clamp, and pipe wrench.

http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbth...&Number=521050

Excellent. I already have the pipe and a welder too. Thanks.

[SprintPoser]

And I could machine one for you PDQ. I would just need a diameter, lengths, and size of the keys. Another 10 minute job.

[whynot]

It's the sort of tool I doubt I'll use more than once in my life ...

If you keep the bike more than a year, you will no doubt use the tool again ... and again ... and ... . [grin]

Also, in my experience, and the advice of Don H., filling the forks with the specified amount of oil, the forks will leak. I start with less oil these days. Like if it calls for 6 oz., I start with 4.

[stoinkythepig]

And I could machine one for you PDQ. I would just need a diameter, lengths, and size of the keys. Another 10 minute job.

I appreciate the offer, but I have everything I need to make one in my shop this morning, and I will be doing that shortly; then I'm going to use it...

[stoinkythepig]

If you keep the bike more than a year, you will no doubt use the tool again ... and again ... and ... . [grin]

Also, in my experience, and the advice of Don H., filling the forks with the specified amount of oil, the forks will leak. I start with less oil these days. Like if it calls for 6 oz., I start with 4.

My dad bought the bike new in 1968 and I have no intention of ever selling it. It will be part of my estate.

In addition to the factory manual and parts list, I have both of the Rupert Ratio books (The engine book, and the everything-but-the-engine book) on unit singles (apparently these books are gospel for my bike) and I will follow his advice precisely. If in doing that, I get leaks, I'll re-visit the issue. Either way, I will have the fork tool in my possession before noon today.

The bike is nearing ready-to-ride state and I'm looking forward to putting it to use.

[SprintPoser]

That's your call. It's wet out and I ain't got shit to do. I also have the stock, tooling and dare say can make a higher quality tool.

If you have trouble, ping me.

[stoinkythepig]

Thanks for the offer, but I made a tool that works quite well. It's made of a two foot section of 1 1/4" black iron pipe with a plate welded to one end. The plate has a 1/2" square hole that I connected to an impact wrench. The other end has two protrusions that grip the seal holder.

Turns out the seal holders were on there pretty good after 46 years and the impact wrench combined with heat and PB blaster did the trick. I wish I'd tried the heat right away on the first one because the second one came apart much more easily when I used heat on it from the start.