Hey guys

spent the weekend in the garage with the VTR, pulled and stripped one fork leg out without any issues, however leg 2 is a nightmare! the seal has rusted so badly that I can't get it free from the lower. I have been sliding the tube back and forth to try and "hammer" it out with no joy, left it to soak for a couple of hours in WD40 to try and loosen the rust but no dice. It just won't budge!.

anyone have any ideas or suggestions? if I cant get it out I may have to buy a new fork

 

I may have misunderstood you but there doesn't seem to be anything that the seal could rust onto. If the fork slider tube slides freely into the fork leg I don't see how it can be the seal rusted.

Make sure you removed the bolt in the bottom of the forK and the stopper ring (just under the seal. See section 13, page 14 of the service manual.

 

the bolt has been removed, there is nothing but the slider tube, the lower leg and the seal left. the retaining clip has been removed. the rubber/plastic coating on the metal ring that makes up the body of the seal has perished and the metal ring has rusted heavily

 

The Teflon on the fork slider bushing on mine were shot. I planned on replacing them as they are cheap. It took a surprising amount of force/speed yanking on that fork tube to get it to pull free.

On a side note, when the tube does come out be sure you don't fall backwards or take out somebody behind you. Guess how I know!