426 fork help!!!!????

[yama426rider]

I bought an 02 426 back in the summer and so far it seems that i have nothing but problems with it! I just got it back after putting a grand in it to rebuild including clutch, crank, rod the whole nine yards. Well anyway i got it out to break it in today and while i was in the process i noticed that the forks felt unusually harsh and thought maybe it was just that i havent rode it in a long time and wasnt used to it. Well when i pulled back in the garage and shut the bike off i looked down and noticed that my forks were stuck about half way down and i pulled them back up and tried pushing them down and they wont budge hardly at all. Is this a seal and oil easy fix or am i in for another big wad of money to dump into this thing that hasnt showed me much reliability so far? Does anyone know why this happened? and what is it going to cost me to fix it?

???

Thanks

[YZ426F Rider]

Did you have your front wheel off? It sounds like you are bound up pretty good. Loosen your front axle nut and the axle pinch bolts and try bouncing the forks up and down. If that frees it up then retorque your axle nut to the proper torque (75 ft/lbs off the top of my head...don't have the manual with me at the moment), compress the forks up and down a few more time really good and then retorque the axle pinch bolts (20 ft/lbs off the top of my head).

Also, double check that both forks are at the same height in the clamps.

If that doesn't do the trick then you have something else going on but I'm not really a suspension guy. Somebody on here will get you going though.

[yama426rider]

Can anyone else help me?? please!

[essex426]

Just sounds like they are binding,so listen to the last poster. sometimes you might need to open the gap,after loosening the pinch bolts,with a screwdriver.

Also you could check to see if the bottom triple yolk bolts are to tight,failing that you could have bent forks,but if they were ok before and you have not crashed,they wont be bent.

Could even be twisted in the yolks,cant really see them sticking down though,unless badly binding or bent.

[yama426rider]

Thanks guys i took the advice a realigned my axle in the pinch clamps and greased everything up and she works like new man this site rocks! thank you guys again:worthy:?