More progress-- I was afraid that the M4 phillips head drain screws at the bottom the forks had their heads wallowed out and I'd have to get them out (at worst) by drilling, but it turned out that the slots were mainly filled with dried mud and once I cleaned that out they unscrewed without much drama.
The fork oil probably hasn't been changed in ages and has a strange "lacquer thinner" odor to it, so I'm draining it and putting in a measured amount of BelRay 10wt, my usual fork oil. I'll run the forks with this oil and then disassemble and inspect this Winter off-season. The forks feel pretty good-- no stiction, no play and minimal pitting on the fork tubes.
The _only_ problem is that the 8mm allen-wrench size bolt that holds the inner fork cylinder to the slider won't completely tighten up. It doesn't feel like it's stripped and it will snug up to maybe 10-15 ft lbs, but won't firm up and stop turning. IT feels as though then inner cylinder is turning instead of tightening, if that make sense. I'm inclined to try to "rattle it a bit tighter" with a neighbor's electric impact wrench look closer at it next Winter.
I'm trying get it done this Spring and not keep working on it _til_ Winter.
You are right in that the inner damper rod will turn when just using hand tools. But, if it is snug and not leaking, I wouldn't tighten it down too much, because it will be that much harder to take off this winter. Another method for tightening is to compress the fork a couple of inches, then tighten the bolt. Compressing the forks (with springs, etc. in them) tends too keep the damper rod from turning. I compress mine by leaving them on the bike and attaching a hooked plate to one of the forks lower mounting tabs. I then attach a ratching tie down to the handlebars and the other end to the hooked plate. Tighten up to tie down a couple of inches and it should be enough to tighten or remove the bolt.
You are right-- I hadn't thought of it, but that is completely "unsprung". The top fork tube caps are off since I'm so there is no spring pressure. I borrowed the electric impact wrench and the allen bolt snugged up in a couple of taps.
I checked the feel and adjustment of the steering head bearings and the feel smooth and adjusted to -zero- play and no preload. I gave the lower bearing a shot of grease and cleaned up.
The front wheel grease seals should arrive tomorrow and the the front end will assemble quickly. One last double--check of the new wiring, the ride, Ride, RIDE.
