Copper washers for front forks from electrical terminals
Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:03 pm
Alright, well I always wanted to be immortalized in a how to....I also wanted to give back to a community that makes me capable of doing my own work. Time after time I come on here because I need help.
Here is a simple solution to an aggravating problem. The crush washers on the front forks need to be replaced. Some replace them every time but I think thats excessive. Mine had some serious high miles on them though and were dead and useless.
so after a week of waiting for honda to send me silly little copper crush washers and then being told to wait ANOTHER week (and shipping was $8...really?), and scouring every bike shop I could find...
I got desperate and followed the suggestion of a forum member here 'backwoodz'. He suggested using the small (and he called aluminum) terminal rings used in electronics. I originally thought of it as a hack solution and I didnt want that. Mostly because I didnt want to change materials... Then I did some research and found that aluminum would make a perfectly fine alternative and I got to work. What I didnt know was under the gucky silver coating, the terminals were copper anyways! So thanks to backwoodz for throwing this one out there.
So this is what we are starting with, what we end with, and what we are replacing...in that order. Note the new one is slightly smaller then the old one. This leads to a cleaner appearance as can be seen in the last pic. It does not appear undersized once under the bolt. The hole size doesnt quite line up with the bolt. I used a 13/64 drill bit and rounded out the hole carefully. Don't go to large or you will bend the copper entirely instead of shaving out the hole. We need to sand off most of the silver coating. I used 320 wetdry sandpaper. My terminals had their wire rating stamped in the back. make sure to sand that close to smooth. Leaving the tab on the ring makes it easier to hold (figured that out after making the first one...) Puuuurdy. Dont need to be perfect yet. Carefully trim off the tab. I used a pair of straight line sheet metal shears. No issue. Clean the edge up with sand paper or a small file till you've got it respectably round. (no pic sorry)
Here is a simple solution to an aggravating problem. The crush washers on the front forks need to be replaced. Some replace them every time but I think thats excessive. Mine had some serious high miles on them though and were dead and useless.
so after a week of waiting for honda to send me silly little copper crush washers and then being told to wait ANOTHER week (and shipping was $8...really?), and scouring every bike shop I could find...
I got desperate and followed the suggestion of a forum member here 'backwoodz'. He suggested using the small (and he called aluminum) terminal rings used in electronics. I originally thought of it as a hack solution and I didnt want that. Mostly because I didnt want to change materials... Then I did some research and found that aluminum would make a perfectly fine alternative and I got to work. What I didnt know was under the gucky silver coating, the terminals were copper anyways! So thanks to backwoodz for throwing this one out there.
So this is what we are starting with, what we end with, and what we are replacing...in that order. Note the new one is slightly smaller then the old one. This leads to a cleaner appearance as can be seen in the last pic. It does not appear undersized once under the bolt. The hole size doesnt quite line up with the bolt. I used a 13/64 drill bit and rounded out the hole carefully. Don't go to large or you will bend the copper entirely instead of shaving out the hole. We need to sand off most of the silver coating. I used 320 wetdry sandpaper. My terminals had their wire rating stamped in the back. make sure to sand that close to smooth. Leaving the tab on the ring makes it easier to hold (figured that out after making the first one...) Puuuurdy. Dont need to be perfect yet. Carefully trim off the tab. I used a pair of straight line sheet metal shears. No issue. Clean the edge up with sand paper or a small file till you've got it respectably round. (no pic sorry)