Hitchcocks Forum

Hello once again! Once more I am in need of advice. I've left this part to sit for too long. As I've mentioned before I'm in the process of restoring a '55 bullet which sat in a pig sty I presume for most of it's life. Evidently the fork seals have somewhat sealed themselves onto the forks. So far, I've tried applying heat, followed by penetrating oil, followed by repeating this process over. I've also tried folowing Hitchcocks advice; ordered oil filter wrenches. Sadly these slip. I've also tried to wrap some inner tube around them, then tying it down with a pipeclamp and tapping it with a hammer to try to unscrew them.
None of these things have worked, so I turn to you, people of more experience.

You could try freezing them. (A compressed air gun at close range using a continuous blast until you can see frost.)
Or find a freezer big enough.
That may loosen them up, when they thaw.
(heating them up directly after freezing them could be risky if any aluminium is involved it could crack.)

Soaked in a penetrant for days' is a start, then evenly Preheat the seal-holders till the metal starts to charge colour,(straw) should be adequate to break much of the oxide grip.


With a length of doubled-up canvas strapping , or webbing, loop it twice around the seal holder then tie off the material over a LONG tommy bar. The tommy bar is used to 'wind-up' tight (pretension) the cloth so as to grip onto the surface of the seal-holder, then apply leverage...
The tensioned canvas strap applies even pressure (grip) over the full OD of the seal holder and should not slip.



The hard bit is stopping the fork leg from turning.

I think Tim's recommendation on heat is spot on but I've never had a lot of luck with those canvas/leather strap wrenches. A technique I used on my 55 Bullet is to use a large wide hose clip tightened onto the seal holder. Position it so it is not crushing the thread, that will only make things worse! Do not use packing, you need metal to metal contact. Then when the seal is hot, tap the worm drive mount of the clip with a hammer. You may need several goes to release it fully (I did,) but it will come off. If the clamp distorts, so be it, the goal is to get the seal off without damaging the leg so a few pounds/euros on a clamp is just part of the deal! As Tim also says, holding the leg in a vice is tricky. try clamping a rod in the spindle clamps and holding that in the vice.

REgards, Mark

Would a plumbers pipe freezing kit be worth a try?

So today I tried heating the seal with a paintremover for hours, put a heavy duty metal hose clamp on it, hammered it for a while...over and over...the clamp popped off each time, leaving the seal where it was

Hi, Had the same problem on a customers bike, eventually we sawed through the seal diagonally with a junior hacksaw on opposite sides being very careful to avoid cutting into the alloy slider or the threads, then using a small chisel spit it apart. As an aside a good dose of wd40 and a blowlamp often works with stubborn threads (let it burn a bit too) but you have to apply pressure on opposite sides to get things to shift.

Stefaand, an electric paint stripper gun just isn't going to get it hot enough. You need a blowlamp (propane or similar) and get it REALLY hot!

REgards, Mark

Hi vince, I think I will carefully try your hacksaw method. Mark, I'm working in a small garage with alot of motorcycles and a few old cars in it, and I don't feel comfortable using a blowtorch or similar in this petrolly-smelling tight space, but you are probably right about the paint stripper gun hah!

Any chance of taking it outside? You need to get it up to temperature to break the bond between steel and alloy, once it's moving the heat needed will probably reduce. Also, try wrapping the alloy leg and the steel stanchion in cloth, (old blanket or rag) to act as an insulator to prevent heat from leaking away. I work in a petrol smelling environment too and I'm still here!

REgards, Mark