'03 K1200RS fork tube question

[k547]

2003 K1200RS

When I stripped down my front forks recently I failed to note where the single oil passage/oil bore hole in the lower portion of each fork leg was oriented (front, rear, left, right).

I'm not seeing anything in the manuals other than making sure the hole is clear and a note not to pass the portion of the fork leg with the bore hole thru the fork seal.

So I'm assuming that it doesn't matter what direction the lower fork leg oil passage hole is oriented to?

 

[20774]

This comes up on Airhead forks. IMO the hole(s) should face the other tube or as an alternative face away from the other tube. My reason is that the tube is going to be bending from front to back...you grab the front brake and the wheel stops moving but the upper part of the bike is still going forward so it bends the tube in that plane. The hole being where I suggested puts it in a neutral plane for tube stresses. Stresses are going to be either on the forward or aft side (tension or compression), and they transition to zero in the middle. A hole is a stress riser and cracks can form there because of the discontinuity. Putting the hole in a region of zero (or near zero) stress is the best.

 

[k547]

Sounds reasonable to me, I'll do that. Thanks

 

[k547]

Forks flushed and cleaned internally and externally, new seals and dust covers, re-finished in silver lacquer with a semi gloss clear coat. Rim, rotors, calipers, ABS ring etc. detailed and cleaned, fasteners re-finished or replaced. New British Dunlopad "clean/low dust" street grade brake pads installed.

 

[k547]

The bike's previous owners had good maintenance invoices/records but apparently they were not concerned with cleaning....
Removing 51,000 miles of accumulated brake dust was slow and tedious. The drilled holes in the rotors were starting to fill up and not wanting to take a drill press to them I devised a little "whip" with some plastic dowel stock, slotted at one end to hold a strip of emery paper and chucked it in an electric drill. A Dremel cleaned up the rest.
The wheel spacer had a deep groove worn into it and the rubber seal showed light 360' around it. Replaced both.

 

[k547]

I was pleased with the results after several days of work even though I did draw blood a couple times as seen on the paper towel blocking debris from the hub bearings.
The brakes (front/rear) are clean and quiet now with excellent feel.

 

[k547]

Brake pad dust was baked onto every surface of the rotors except where the pads actually gripped and was filling every nook and cranny. A wire brush and iron remover wheel cleaning solvent had no effect on it at all. It had to be removed with various powered rotary abrasives.

 

[k547]

Here is a look at the fork legs before and after.

 

[k547]

And the new speed reactive steering damper purchased from EPM Performance.
I really didn't need to replace the factory BMW damper, it had some life left.