OK, Got the "special tool" and everything else.
What's the secret to opening up new forks?
I've even heard of compress it, then one said pull hard, in order to get friction to remove the bottom bolt.
I've got half a dozen new style forks to work on and had one "unpleasant day" trying to get one opened up.

On the good side, we did get a lot of other stuff done in the bike cave today.

The newest-model GS500 I ever worked on was Manjul/the good guy's '02.  (I did actually see an '04 model in a parking lot back in '05 or so, but nothing newer since.)

With that in mind, can you say a little more about the "new style forks" you're working with?  Are they specific to a certain model year range?  Do they not have a screw-off cap on the upper end like the older models?

Also, you mentioned a "special tool".  Is it anything like THIS, or something altogether different?

Trying to get caught up.... 

From what I am aware, it's similar to what Baltimoregs posted here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cSYiIl8gQk

Just with that special tool in place of the threaded rod/nuts. I used a pair of vicegrips on the threaded rod and stepped on it, and using a t-handled allen key twisted off the bottom bolt.
Let the forks hang upside down for an hour or so and the mess will be much more compact.

Kerry, I believe the newer style forks (that require the special damper tool to remove) are on 04-up bikes. The tool is pictured here:
http://gstwins.com/gsboard/index.php?topic=55830

This is the complete "Special Tool" kit. Has ends for all Suzuki forks
The correct end, the cone with lots of tiny ridges, hardly grips at all. The square conical one grips more but everything just won't budge. I have to replace one fork seal tonight for a member and the rest later.

I hate the new forks. Old ones are so easy to take apart to get the seals out.



I guess I'll just go back to the cave and really bust my butt on it.

I have the home made tool and this thing to handle the older forks. Its the newer ones that are the real beiatch.

And here is why these new forks are a real fucker to get apart:

New damper: What the frack can a tool grab on to? You have to POUND in the new tool (oh, the "Special Tool") to get any grip on this thing.


Old damper: pretty easy to fabricate a tool for this:

Apparently leaving everything together and using an impact driver on the bottom damper bolt first is the accepted way of doing it:

http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=270974