Overhauling Blue Fleet's Cannondale Lefty DLR 100

Hello Gents

Thought I would bring this thread back to life, a year on... :-)

This really is a great thread, and I thought I would try and resurrect it as there is scant resource available online for the Lefty at best, and at worst, absolutely nothing.

My issues are nothing like as bad as the one you started out with. My bearings are simply shot (12 years and no service, many 1000 miles, so not too bad a return on investment) and the lateral and back and forth play in the head stem was getting to the point where it was a nervy ride on the fast stony rides.

I have a 2001 to 2004 Carbon Lefty DLR, much the same as the one you're tearing down here. I have bought the KT004 tool to get the damper out, however I am having a nightmare getting the part that interfaces with the damper to actually engage. Looking at the design of the tool, damper shaft and lockout mechanism, it is hard to see how this part of the tool could be attached incorrectly.

Due to the lack of visibility down the tube with the damper still in place, I cannot be absolutely sure the tool is the correct one. My concern is, the part that engages the damper is too wide, and is simply spinning around just above the damper on top of the outer threaded area. Hope that makes sense.

So, the stupid question from me is, I don't suppose you could measure the outside diameter of the KT004 interface tool, and also the inside diameter of the top element of the Lefty itself. I am convinced I have bought the right tool, but paranoia is setting in as I am having zero success with the tool thus far.

Many thanks
Si

Follow up to say that on closer inspection, as I start to extend the lower element down on its bearing races, the shaft and the damper also disappear down the carbon tube. This appears to take the top of the damper with the castle notches, out of the reach of the tool as the lock ring travel limits how far the can insert the tool.

Any thoughts keeping the damper in reach of the tool, or suggest where I might be going wrong.

Thanks all
Si

Okay, fathomed.. seems I didn't follow the make sure all the air is removed. With a bit of that and extra compression, things appear in reach now...

Let the tear down continue. :-)

Hi everyone

I am looking for an KT004 tool (or only the lower, iron part) to remove the damper from my lefty DLR 2003. Unfortunately the tool is not yet available. Does anyone have such a tool in spare?

I could also build this tool on my own - the upper part is no problem, because i can measure the dimension easily (d_out= 34.00 mm d_in=30.00 mm, slot = 2.00 mm). But the lower part is very hard to measure (inner diameter, size of the "4 hooks"). Does anyone have a technical drawing with the most important mass

thanks a lot

@Howard

Any particular reason my lefty is losing air pressure after a pumping it up then taking it for a spin round the car park?

#leadingquestion #fancyanewproject?

Hopefully just the valve core has worn out. It's just a Schrader valve, you need the schrader valve core tool to pop the core out and replace it with a new one.

Could be the o-ring on the air piston has just worn out, or the air spring sleeve has got damaged. Both are pretty cheap to sort out thankfully, unlike the 2.0! But you need da tooling.

Guess what I bought of eBay inspired by this epic thread...a seized lefty DLR 100 :)

Problem one: The valves is seized. Supposed to be just fingertight right?

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Yeah should just twist off by hand.

Then we found problem nr 1 of n...

Loads of pliers in the house which are the road to deformity if I don't engage brain.

Hah yeah great start. Grab the mole grips!

Praise be my partner's tiny visegrip, it is off!

Shall I start a new thread or just keep posting in here?

Feel free to use this one.

Oh you dirty, dirty fork...

I'll try a clean and soak but probably needs a rebuild. As expected.

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Hah yeah that's done.

The yellow boot might be worth something presuming it wasn't holes in it that caused that ^

The boot is actually fine, but when I slid it down there was water near the top. YUCK.

And not sure how that happened as the boot was ziptied on... I greased the F1000 fork I fixed this weeked and despite Belfast's Finest Rain there was no water or dampness in it at all.

Well, so shopping list: Races, and then we'll see. The fork bearing for the headtube is also toast and looks stuck, but first things first.

I have a normal Castle Tool, is that going to open this one up?

And not sure how that happened as the boot was ziptied on

There's a breather hole that has a filter over it (above the boot IIRC). Water gets in there if the filter is toast (it's a consumable) and will get trapped in the boot.

There's a breather on headshoks too...but it's in the steerer tube between the headset bearing races so in theory water can't get to it.

I have a normal Castle Tool, is that going to open this one up?

Hmmm don't think so, yellow boot means this is old and probably needs the kidney tool.

Aaaaaaaaah........ yeah that would explain it. Not the best design when you think about it, hard to service by the user so some people won't bother.

Where does one get this kidney tool and does it cost an actual kidney? ;)
Dr cannondale i guess?

I can post you mine if you cover costs?

And here we have the insides.

It looks like the opening in the one you have.

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Ok so this tiny part, inside the form boot which requires taking the fork out of the frame and all that, is all that keeps the water out? Slow clap, Cannondale...

Oh well, newer forks are better. Now for some hammering, the fork has been soaking in Plusgas* the past week.

*(Tx to a hobby car mechanic colleague at work!)

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Why won't you move.... :(

I'll ask for a big hammer for my birthday then..

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If anyone is wondering WTF is going here:

You can't remove anything from the telescope unless the lower is compressed in to the upper

The lower won't compress in to the upper here because the bearings have corroded to the point where everything is jammed up.

If you can't compress it it's pretty much in the bin time

Yep...sell on the steerer/boot (no holes amazingly) and stem and give it a funeral service before flinging it in the metal skip at the recycling center, where it will land with a satisfying noise.

However...I am stubborn and my partner is a proper engineer, so we shall see how this pans out. I've never seen anything THAT corroded :/

Next plan is to see if we can get a mini-jack/find a wider door frame somewhere, as the car jack is at an angle where it won't be able to generate much force.

I was wondering if there was anything that would melt or dislodge the bearings, cages or races out whilst not damaging the structure.