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[Adrian]

Like I said, a photo would REALLY help us to spot what they're actually off if you do have one you could post here.



Well never mind, let's look at what you've already shared here. I found another post from last October in which you said your sliders had the same oil drain arrangements as the classic Bullet drum brake forks and you posted a youtube video with a standard Bullet getting a fork oil change, saying they looked "Similar to this - "



http://www.hitchcocksmotorcycles.com/fo ... ost_104021



(9th and 10th message down)



SO if the forks have the standard cap nut at the bottom which you undo to drain the oil, and you add new oil through the top with just the casquette top plugs removed, then I'm pretty certain that the INTERNALS will be standard Bullet, no matter how different the sliders might look.
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Therefore, if your forks are fitted with the standard Bullet components INSIDE, then regardless regardless of what the sliders look like on the OUTSIDE, our host's fork stripping and rebuild instructions should be exactly what you need.



Given your bike's slightly odd pedigree anything is possible, but people usually need a pretty good reason if they want to make something extra-weird when factory components will do.



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[papasmurf]

Adrian there is no "fork spring stud nut" on the forks on my bike, there is just a drain plug.

[papasmurf]

Adrian there is no "fork spring stud nut" on the forks on my bike, there is just a drain plug.

[Adrian]

OK, so NOT "Similar to this-"



Do your forks have the drain plugs like THIS? (Ignore the bolt-on spindle caps for the moment.)







(Photo lifted from ebay)



If they have, then you're dealing with a set of later damper internals of the sort used in the B5 and C5 EFI forks, also the later-style Thunderbird forks like to those in the Indian strip-down video you posted, though possibly with different fork tops. I have my suspicions, but one step at a time.



Are we getting any closer, Papasmurf?



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[papasmurf]

Adrian, closer, but whoever wrote the workshop manual I paid good money for should be given the sack.
The instructions in it make no sense. Our hosts state that undoing those two hidden Allan bolts should allow the bottom of the forks to be removed and with them the springs, but the workshop manual states otherwise, that I need circlip pliers and two special tools.

[Adrian]

You're still not being very forthcoming, but I'll take that as a "yes" to the drain plug question, so that would mean you have a set of forks with the late internals, in which case:



1. Front end strip. The forks will need to come out.



2. Whatever top caps are fitted to the stanchions, they will have to come off. For the forks with the plain tops and the spanner flats on the caps, these unscrew anti-clockwise (see the Indian video). If the stanchions have a screw threaded top on the outside, the top cap has a female hex socket (seems to be 12mm rather than 1/2") and will unscrew CLOCKWISE as viewed from the top (left-hand thread on these).



3. With the top caps off the stanchions you can press them down into the sliders a bit, this will let you remove the spacer and washer over the main spring. You can then just pull the spring out and replace it. Fortunately there is no need to disturb the damper assembly or the bottom allen screw. While the forks are off you can drain the old fork oil out (by holding the forks upside-down an pumping the oil out as per the video) and then refill bofore screwing the top caps back on.



4. Re-assemble.



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[papasmurf]

Adrian after numerous email exchange with our hosts, the forks do not need to come out to change the springs. To change the springs takes no special tools as I already have an adjustable C spanner.

[Adrian]

That would be true with the old style forks, which you have effectively told me you don't have!



Can you see now why I asked if you could post a photo?



If after all this you **DO** have the older style fork internals then, as I suggested when I still had a bit of enthusiasm for this post, our host's instructions are good. If not, the forks have to come out as per my last, but at least that way you don't have to disturb the damper assembly.



I think need a lie down, now...



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[papasmurf]

Adrian, I would need to take the forks to bits in order to post a photograph which would somewhat defeat my object of as little dismantling as possible in order to change the springs.
I can still find no picture/diagram of the forks fitted to my bike. (Or at least not one that makes any sense.) I can find full strip down videos for earlier and later ones. (There are some later models where the springs do come out of the top, (only after the forks have been removed so the cap holding the spring in is undone.)
I would not have asked the question in the first place had I been able to find any relevant information and the workshop manual was clear,(It isn't.)
I have replaced springs and seals on numerous motorcycles but none have been the dogs breakfast my Enfield appears to be.

[Adrian]

Well I tried my best. The reason I kept banging on about putting up some photos was that any clue will help. If someone can identify the parts used in building your bike's front end, there's a better chance of guessing correctly what's fitted internally, and therefore which strip down procedure is the one you would need to use (even with a case of parts book roulette).



Regardless of what's on his breakfast menu, you could still let the dog see the rabbit. Have fun.



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