Just on with stripping the front end down ready to replace the fork seals. Before removing the forks I have cracked off the fork caps and have tried also to crack off the bottom damper bolt. One side is turning, (whether or not the damper is inside is another matter!) - the other side is solid.

Now there is some corrosion, so I plan to remove the fork leg, turn it upside down and allow some penetrating oil to do its magic. If this fails, is it possible to remove the damper rod by turning it from the inside, using the Yamaha or equivalent holding tool?

We do have a big impact gun at work I could use on the cap (hexigan) head but I don't want to risk damaging anything.

Well just took it down the local tyre place where the bro in law works and we had a go with hia air gun - the bolt is that tight the Allen bolt was starting to turn in the bolt head; bleeding tight this is

I had the same problem and it didn't work with a impactgun. So I bought a long steel treaded bolt and screwed on two nuts on eighter side, trimmed one side so it looked like the original holding tool and slammed it in with a hammer so it was stuck in the fork. Then it was just to screw the bolt of.

Which end of the fork leg did you put it into - where the damper is inside the fork leg?? I presume your damper was turning with the bolt or was the bolt solid and would not move at all??

Well the fork leg is at the local bike shop - see if they can do anything with it! If not then I have a trick up my sleeve - going to try to hydraulically press the seal out - more here .... http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/tec...als/index.html

Sounds interesting no?

Yes, inside the fork leg and the damper was turning with the bolt.

ahh yes - thats what i thought I have shaved down a boom handle in the past to good effect, and ramed it into the damper tube, the problem i have with this leg is that the bolt will not turn at all.

I picked up on another couple of methods last night whilst searching the various forums, from being very careful with a screwdriver to drilling the seal and using a self tapping screw, that way having something to pull / lever against.