Holder For Betor Forks Damping Spindle - Need To Fabricate My Own

Lads - what's on the end of that long tool the parts manual calls the "Betor forks damping spindle holder"? It's a T-wrench with a long shaft but can't tell from the drawing what's on the business end. Is it a hex key? A flat blade?

Anyone know? Have a close-up pic?

As an infant among adults in the Vintage Husky World, I must say again how much I appreciate the collective knowledge in this forum. Infant Binx

If you're trying to remove the lower fork leg...I've been able to loosen the allen head bolt from the damper rod on both Betor, Husky and 71 BSA forks MANY times over the last 40 years without a special tool to keep the damper rod from turning.
After removing front wheel...
1. Drain the fork oil, leave the fork tubes clamped in the triple trees
2. Reinstall fork springs and spacers and top nuts.
3. Compress the fork leg as much as you can using a tie down strap to keep it compressed. You'll need a way to brace the lower fork leg to keep that from twisting. Methods depend on if the lower leg has any fender tabs, etc. in which to insert a long screwdriver or steel rod that braces against the other lower fork leg.
4. Insert correct size allen key, put a box wrench around 90* leg to provide leverage
5. Give it a short,sharp, shock of a twist.
6. The fork spring will almost always prevent the damper rod from spinning, and the bolt will snap free.
7. I'll admit to also using a 3/8 air gun at times...it's the quick "snap" that helps to brake the bolt loose.

That should do it!
-Richard

Richard - I appreciate the advice. I'll give it a try. Not sure if I'm working with standard Betor forks though.

The P.O. (or one of the P.O.s) of this '76 175GP may have modified the Betor forks with an after-market Fox Forx Kit. The fork caps have Schrader valves and I didn't see any springs or spacers under those caps. And there's a sticker on the airbox that says, "FOX FORX - GAS PRESSURIZED". "DESIGNED BY STEVE SIMONS". I think Steve Simons worked with Bob Fox back in the 70s.

Here's a link to press release on the Fox Forx Kit in a Jan 1975 Cycle World: https://books.google.com/books?id=q...wJ0#v=onepage&q=STEVE SIMONS FOX FORX&f=false




I'll give your steps a try and hopefully will discover exactly what's inside these forks. Maybe solve the mystery. Thanks again. Binx

Not sure what is inside those however one bike I got came with a half inch drive socket maybe 7/8 inch or so modified with about a 5/8 inch slot cut out. It would fit the top of the spindles I have but I have never had to use it. Loosen first or just break loose at the beginning.

You can't go by the fork caps with the valves...my old "spring" Betors have had those since the mid 70's also. I still use them to bleed off built up pressure.

However...if indeed yours was set up to use only gas pressure (I'll assume nitrogen...) and has no springs...then I guess you have 2 options to hold the damper rod (which the allen bolt threads into) from turning:
> Find some fork springs and spacers (pvc will do) that can be compressed as described above
> Or find or make the damper rod holding tool that is the "factory correct" method. Shine a bright LED light down the tube to try to see what it has to interface with.
Perhaps that 7/8" socket with notch will match up.

The Genuine Kawasaki tool (& others I suspect) is just a long "T" bar with a tapered square on the end as you push the the tapered part into the bottom of the fork assembly the corners catch and stop the damper rod turning. the local mechanics shop near me (long racing heritage) say leave the leg assembled and spin the allen bolt with an air gun works 99.9% of the time.

Another thought...start looking for a set of fork springs for your bike. Despite what F1 engines use, and new generation MX bikes have...I'd never trust just running such a small volume of air to hold up the front of my bike. Didn't do it 40 years ago cause I didn't want them to collapse 60 miles into a 100 mile enduro when a hard hit blew the seals.
And I don't do it now...
Your Simons/Fox dampers are not a radical different design. Longer damper rods for an extra inch of travel, and perhaps a slightly different valve design at the top of the damper rod. Assembly / dis-assembly procedures remain the same as for stock Betors.
Check with Matt at Speed and Sport for seals and springs.

yep, rattle or air gun no probs. take the fork out, turn upside down and push the fork down as you rattle away to put tension on the spring . just did a set of PE forks that had never been apart. took some rattling but it let go in the end.

Ha! Suprize - I'm guessing "rattle gun" translates to "impact wrench" in Yank-speak. I don't own one, but have a kind neighbor who does.

I think it's safe to assume I can get by without the special damping spindle tool. Will give it a shot with the rattle gun. Thanks again, guys. Binx

that's the one..by the time your finished, all your filings will have rattled out!