How do I remove the damper rod while changing out fork seals?

[justafifteen]

I'm in the process of replacing my fork seals. I've got the forks removed, the top cap removed, the springs and washers removed. Now, according to several guides, I need to shove the Special Tool inside of the fork and use it to help remove the damper bolt from the bottom. Well, I got the special tool welded up (5/8" threaded rod with 15/16" nuts on each end) but the problem is that there is nothing for the special tool to grab onto inside the fork. I've followed several guides step by step and I'm stuck here. I've looked down the fork tube with a flashlight and there is only a small hole that the nuts just can't fit through. I don't know what to do -- the forks won't come apart using the slide hammer effect (yes I've removed the dust seal and retainer clip).

Can someone give me some feedback here? What exactly is the special tool supposed to be going inside of? There are only round things looking down the fork tube, no Allen wrench shaped items or anything. I'm really wanting to get these replaced today, and I've been trying to figure this out for the past two hours.

[justafifteen]

I looked around town for an 8mm impact wrench socket so that I could use an impact wrench to remove the damper bolt, but nobody sells them individually. I took it to the dealership (only one open today was the Honda dealership lol) and asked them to remove the damper bolt with their impact wrench really quick.

The guy comes out of the shop 30 minutes later and says that even with their impact wrench, the damper bolt was just spinning in place. He told me that the usual way is to go down the fork tube and use something to hold the inside part still and then remove the 8mm allen bolt. I told him that I know, I got the special tool made, but inside the fork tube is just circular items and nothing for the special tool to "go inside" of.

Spent like 8 hours on this today, still can't get it figured out. I tried putting the springs back in and tightening the top caps all the way on, but even then the damper bolts just spin using an allen wrench and breaker bar.

I noticed that if I have the top cap & springs removed, and I "compress" the shock all the way, if I tip it upside down and back there is something in the lower tube (where the damper bolt is) sliding back and forth. It doesn't do it with the shock extended. Hopefully I didn't break something by trying to slide-hammer the fork apart without removing the damper bolt.

[Paulcet]

The "special tool" you need looks like this:


Buy it here:
http://www.alpha-sports.com/tools/suzuki_tools.htm

[justafifteen]

The "special tool" you need looks like this:


Buy it here:
http://www.alpha-sports.com/tools/suzuki_tools.htm

Why do I need this? Are my forks different?

[Paulcet]

Yes.

[justafifteen]

Is it because mine is a 2005? All the guides I've seen online (several of them) indicate that I just need a 15/16" allen wrench.

If I need that tool, I'm most likely going to take the forks to the Suzuki dealership and see if they can remove the damper bolt really fast. I'm not spending $32 on a small bit

[Paulcet]

Yes, it is because yours is a 2005. Same for other years, I don't know which ones. 

Those several guides you have seen online were written a long time ago, or did NOT specify that the 15/16" tool would work on newer forks.

[gsJack]

When GS500/F bike assembly was moved to Spain beginning with the 04 models they began using a new fork assembly made in Spain.  Not sure but I think all GS models thru 02 have the old fork design that use the 15/16" homemade hex tool and GS models assembeled in Spain have the newer design forks without an internal hex and require something like the special tool you show Paulcet

justafifteen, when you took your forks to the Honda dealer to try to remove the damper bolt with an impact wrench did you have the springs and spacers installed with the cap on?  Some have removed the damper bolts with impact tools with the forks assembled without holding the damper rod internally on the old original design forks.

I had a leaking left fork seal on my 02 GS and I found I could use a large allen wrench and hit it with a hammer to loosen it and to tighten it again with the fork assembled with springs and held clamped in the triple clamps. It wouldn't work with the right side fork so I let it go that day thinking I'd do it later and later hasen't come yet.  That was at 69k miles on the bike that I replaced the left seal only and neither have leaked since with 90k miles on it now.  Guess I lucked out and could be my stiffer Progressive springs helped to hold the damper rod in place while I looosened that bolt.

[GI_JO_NATHAN]

Stick a wooden broom handle in the end and pull it tight with a ratchet strap or something. Take an 8mm allen wrench, hacksaw a straight peice off of it about an inch and a half long, then insert it into an 8mm socket. now you should be able to impact it off. If not spin it off with a ratchet.

Edit: Almost forgot, when you're trying to get it off, do you have the spring and cap(maybe spacer too) installed to put pressure on it? Last time I did mine I drained the oil, then reinstalled everything and ratcheted the fork so it was compressed a little. Then just spun the bolt off with my impact and home made 8mm allen socket.

[justafifteen]

Stick a wooden broom handle in the end and pull it tight with a ratchet strap or something. Take an 8mm allen wrench, hacksaw a straight peice off of it about an inch and a half long, then insert it into an 8mm socket. now you should be able to impact it off. If not spin it off with a ratchet.

Edit: Almost forgot, when you're trying to get it off, do you have the spring and cap(maybe spacer too) installed to put pressure on it? Last time I did mine I drained the oil, then reinstalled everything and ratcheted the fork so it was compressed a little. Then just spun the bolt off with my impact and home made 8mm allen socket.

I've tried removing it with the cap/spring/spacer removed, and with them reinstalled and the bolt still just spins. I can try the wooden broom handle thing possibly later today or tomorrow -- during the week I'm swamped with college so I don't have much free time to work on my bike.