I am taking off the yokes and stanchions to deliver to someone for refurbishment. Progress was good until I tried to get the top yoke off the stanchions. I have tried hitting upwards on the top yoke and downwards on the bottom yoke with pinch bolts tight but without luck. Is there a technique or just more penetrating oil and a bigger hammer!?
The extract below is from the workshop manual for an OIF A65. It looks as though the steering column might need to be persuaded to separate from the ball bearings with a bit of attention from a mallet as indicated?
Just reading the original post again, I assume the stanchions are still in place and you are trying to remove them and the bottom yoke as one assembly?
If it was me, I think I would remove the fork legs from the yokes first to separate the problem of removing them from the top yoke from the problem of removing the top yoke from the steering column. To remove the fork legs, after loosening the bottom yoke pinch bolts, you may have to slightly unscrew the fork top nut and then tap if with a mallet to break the taper.
Thanks Spaceman, I have succeeded! Whether it was the action of the WD40 overnight ot the heavier blows, the top yoke separated quite easily from the stanchions in the end. First I freed off the steering column bearings by loosening the lower yoke, then once when it was free of the bearings, I retightened the lower yoke a bit further down the stanchions.
Thanks again for your help and reassurance!