I have a pair of Hagon progressive fork springs but am having trouble fitting them to my 3AJ. The problem is the amount of force required to compress the spring enough to engage the fork top plug in the threads in the fork leg. The plug threads are aluminium and very fine - brute force would strip them but brute force is required to compress the spring. My local motorcycle engineer has made me a special tool to compress the spring but still too much force is required to have any 'feel' on the threads.

A visit to Hagon only provided the advice to push hard against the spring. (I think you would have to be a gorilla!). Has anyone who walks erect managed this feat?

Any suggestions or advice would be gratefully received as I am leaving on a trip to Africa in two weeks.

Many thanks,

Jim, XT600Z 3AJ, UK

Use a wrench with which you can push hard and turn at the same time, do that and be sure not to stop pushing hard until the plug thread is completely in.

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Fred, XTZ660, Holland.

Thanks for advice; problem now sorted. Solution was to clamp fork stanchion in bench, climb onto bench and use full weight to push down on socket on nut while turning with socket bar, and to keep weight on while turning.

Brutal but effective.

Jim, XT600Z 3AJ, UK