Well this can't be good...

Yeah, mine come apart as you described, with a set screw at the bottom. PITA to get them apart though, but it can be done.
 
OK I have a theory that makes sense to me now. The pinch bolts were never overtightened. Your torque wrench is most likely fine. The crack was caused by the axle being shoved down on the right side while sitting inside the left side fork.

This can't really happen while the wheel is assembled and tightened down, so it probably happened when the wheel was off. If you (or someone) had the axle sitting inside the forks without the wheel and then lifted the front on a fork stand, then the L fork could have compressed while the R fork was fully extended, causing the axle to twist down. This could easily happen if most of the lifting force was applied on the L fork.
 
spray____ said:
One guy on another forum suggested I could replace just that lower piece. He's suggesting the tube is threaded and sealed with red loctite, and/or there is a single bolt in the bottom of the tube holding them together. If they can come apart, that might be the best option. There are a bunch of bent forks on ebay for super cheap where the piece I need is fine.
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I have seen a build thread where the bottom pieces came off by unthreading. They shortened the tubes and threaded higher to shorten the fork. That's the only time I've seen them off but looks doable.
 
The stanchions are screwed into the castings, and held there with loctite, and usually a set screw. You can replace just the casting by screwing the stanchion out, but that can also be a complete pain in the hole of a job. Not to mention, you still need to take the fork completely apart (outer tubers, spring, oil, cartridge all need to come out).

Just get the casting tig'd and call it a day.
 
Renboy said:
The stanchions are screwed into the castings, and held there with loctite, and usually a set screw. You can replace just the casting by screwing the stanchion out, but that can also be a complete pain in the hole of a job. Not to mention, you still need to take the fork completely apart (outer tubers, spring, oil, cartridge all need to come out).

Just get the casting tig'd and call it a day.
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I've been thinking about it all day and that's the conclusion I came to. A bent fork + shipping is going to be more than I expected. Together with labour (wouldn't try the swap myself) and I'm pretty close to just buying a full used set and selling my good right side.

Leaning back toward welding again. Going to call some shops when they're open tomorrow. I would still love recommendations if anyone has any.
 
Renboy said:
The stanchions are screwed into the castings, and held there with loctite, and usually a set screw. You can replace just the casting by screwing the stanchion out, but that can also be a complete pain in the hole of a job. Not to mention, you still need to take the fork completely apart (outer tubers, spring, oil, cartridge all need to come out).

Just get the casting tig'd and call it a day.
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Then it will still need to be machined, painted, and probably won't be as rigid as the casting. Just rebuild the forks and throw in an extra carrier.
 
Dunno if it'd be any cheaper (or worth the effort) but one other idea is to buy gutted forks and put your internals in.

I sold a few sets of forks to guys like Sharrard, they use the internals for other builds. I think he said he was using them on snowmobiles.
 
fastar1 said:
Then it will still need to be machined, painted, and probably won't be as rigid as the casting. Just rebuild the forks and throw in an extra carrier.
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Cost aside, a problem with replacing just the carriers is the damage to the threads on the stanchions caused my the set screw. This in turn damages the threads inside the carrier, and makes removing the stanchions an effing nightmare.

And as far as rigidity is concerned, anywhere that flex is required (like pinch bolts) rigidity isn't ideal. There's a reason spring steels aren't cast. There's also no need for machining, it's a crack being filled with a weld. Worst case scenario, it's aluminium, hit it with a file and sand paper for a couple minutes, then rattle can it. Then next year, or whenever the forks get rebuilt again have it powder coated. Problem solved for under $50.
 
Maybe the person who rebuild your forks overtorqued it
 
Well technically they are scrap (to me) without the cartridges, if you think you can use em let me know.

Educating myself a little further, I think some parts may fit an 06 with the exception of the 05 forks (inverted).

Seeing as they are 03 forks they may just fit. Anyone confirm this?
 
meme said:
Well technically they are scrap (to me) without the cartridges, if you think you can use em let me know.

Educating myself a little further, I think some parts may fit an 06 with the exception of the 05 forks (inverted).

Seeing as they are 03 forks they may just fit. Anyone confirm this?
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I don't think I can. I was looking around over the weekend and I believe the piece I need is significantly different. I don't think it would work without swapping most of the front end. R6 2006+ are mostly all the same, with 2008+ being 10mm longer.

Thanks though.
 
So after breaking the first pinch bolt - you used the same amount of torque and broke the second one?

If they were threaded (not mangled) in well - use extractors to get the broken piece out. It might take a few attempts - but it should come out.
 
frekeyguy said:
So after breaking the first pinch bolt - you used the same amount of torque and broke the second one?

If they were threaded (not mangled) in well - use extractors to get the broken piece out. It might take a few attempts - but it should come out.
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No, no pinch bolts were broken. The fork is cracked
 
What happened to the bolt head on the axle? Who molested the corners? The pattern is strange.

I wouldn't trust a weld over the top of that part, if you ground it out and refilled, that would work, but then you would need to machine the pockets. The holes are going to get filled in so you can't even use a counterbore to seat the bolts. Good luck.
 
Yeah someone on another forum pointed those marks out. I'm not sure how they got there, it's always been like that. I thought that's just the way they are.

No US shipping address, but I did get an offer from someone to give me their 2008 bent forks for free.

I'm still waiting to hear back from one shop about welding, but I don't really expect good news. I think the best option right now is going to be to buy the used set I had my eye on. Once my bike is back on the road I can try disassembling the old one and replacing the cracked part.
 
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