Hitchcocks Forum

Hi all.
I have recently started to rebuild/restore a very tired 1963 Crusader 250 Sport.
The forks are totally goosed, being seized solid and bent.
I have seen lots of forks advertised on eb for "old models" that are supplied from India at a reasonable price.
These look the same as mine but I have questioned several of the suppliers as to their suitability for my bike but none of them seem to know!
They are also not particularly forthcoming with dimensions.
My question here is whether anyone has used these and are they likely to be suitable for my bike?
Thanks

Ebay sellers will be offering lndian Bullet forks which will fit but are longer by 2" than Crusader. Our Hosts sell new Crusader stanchions and the rest of the components will be re-useable or repairable as they are a very simple design so l'd say it would be near the same price to rebuild the ones you have if you can do repainting and polishing yourself. REgards, Mark

Thanks for the speedy reply Mark.
I did have a suspicion that these may be longer, but as I am unsure whether mine are seized in the compressed or relaxed position I could not be certain.
So far I have been unable to dismantle mine due to everything being seized solid, but based on your comments I will have another go.
Cheers

Heat and penetrating oil are your best tools for this. Read the manual and pay particular attention to the parts diagram for understanding of how to dismantle them. The sliders have no bushes so the alloy often seizes directly to the stanchion, a really good soaking in oil will be needed and patience, it recently took me a couple of months returning to the job to break the corrosion mix! REgards, Mark

If the steel parts are scrap. You could try soaking the seized parts in a strong, hot alum solution. It should dissolve the steel but not the aluminium.



Obviously there are safety implications using this quantity of a strong base, I'll leave you to do your own research.

Based on the fact that I'm snowed in at home today I decided to have another go at these.
After another failed attempt at getting anything to budge I decided to set my angle grinder onto them!
I cut off the top 3" of each stanchion, which allowed me to remove the spring tube and spring from each fork.
From what I can make out of the parts diagram it looks to me like the stanchion should now be free to rotate in the aluminium lower fork legs, though I'm hoping someone will confirm if I've interpreted the diagram correctly here.
Obviously this is seized solid but as long as I know if there is anything else in the way, I will just persevere with releasing oil, patience and brute force!

Yep, that's the way. The spring will unscrew anti clock from the lower slider. I had to cut off the ones l was refering to exactly the same! REgards, Mark

Great minds think alike!
Just for a bit of background, this one had been standing uncovered in a garden for thirty years before I acquired it so I reckon I may have a battle on my hands!

Mine was a Crusader Sport rolling chassis l bought off Ebay. Again it had been left outdoors for 20+ years. Believe it or not because it had a Chronometric speedo in it and if you want one for a project you have to have something to exchange. £100 well spent but l have no idea what l'll do with the rest! REgards, Mark

Hi Wilko. Where are u? Send me an email to [email protected] I may be able to help you. REgards Ian