Cool, my method ....XP500FUN wrote: I don`t have a vice but my cousin does have a good, secure, and large vice, and hes also tooled up to the eyeballs so better go there to do it.
Bike on centre stand, put a car scissor jack under the subframe (hiding under a rubber flap) just ahead of the oil filter, raise until front wheel is just off the ground.
Remove brake caliper & pipe clamp.
Remove front wheel
Remove front mudguard
Undo hose clamp on steering yoke, lift hose over & to the rear of the yoke (fiddly but 'do-able') tie calliper to handlebar to stop it pulling on the pipes.
Now it's just a matter of undoing the pinch bolts & sliding the legs out, the TOP bolt needs to be removed FIRST this is important because there is a locating groove in the leg, the weight of the leg on that bolt makes it bind & becomes a right bugger to get out (I found out the hard way), now you should only need to slacken the lower bolt, if it's too tight for the leg to drop out simply lever the yoke slit open a little.
OK legs are out, this is where the large vice comes in , get a couple of bits of wood & cut a 'V' in each, now 'trap' the leg in the 'V's & clamp in the vice, with a six sided socket (not a twelve sided as it can round off the corners) & knuckle bar 'crack' the bolt + 1 turn, now remove the knuckle bar & fit a T bar, continue to undo the bolt while at the same time pushing down (the spring is under compressive preload by the bolt, NOT pushing down WILL result in bit flying around suddenly, also there is a risk of injury).
Put bolt & washer/distance piece somewhere clean, lift out spring, remove from vice & drain oil by tipping into bucket (or similar) & pumping to help clear the damper.
Optional ... Flush out any remaining oil by putting 250cc (or so) of 5w fork oil, reassemble leg & pump 15 to 20 times then drain
Put in specified amount of fork oil 7.5w - 15w, personally I favour Castrol or Silkolene but there are many other makes out there to chose from.
Re-assembly is basically the reverse process except that you will need a piece of 8mm rod with a taper ground/turned on one end to act as a locating tool, to get the leg in the right place relevant to the top bolt hole, fully tighten & torque up the lower pinch bolt, remove locating tool & fit the top bolt, pop it back together go out & enjoy
Will post torque settings, fluid capacity & other tech 'guff' this evening as my tying finger is now knackered