How to disassemble the 33mm Honda CX500 front suspension forks

Disassembling the 33mm front suspension forks – Honda CX500

At this point you have removed the forks from your Honda CX500 and now need to disassemble them. Here’s how!

As noted in the previous how-to this process is made easier if you have loosened the top bolt slightly while the fork was still in the clamps;

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Leaving that bolt alone for now we want to turn our attention to the bolt on the bottom of the forks:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

It’s an 8mm socket bolt, part number 90116-383-721 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU – original part number 90116-283-010). Use a 6mm hex/allen bit to loosen it – you’ll probably need a deep socket for one side:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

There’s an 8mm copper washer underneath (90544-283-000 – eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU):

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Undo the bolt at the top of the chrome stanchion – it’s a 17mm socket for the non-air-assist models. Be careful as it’s under spring pressure and will shoot upwards as soon as it is released, so keep pushing downward as you remove it and be careful of your face etc.:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

The non-air-assist cap is part number 94605-27101 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU). There’s an O-ring around it:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

The O-ring is 23×2.4mm and is part number 94608-30000 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU).

Now that the top cap has been removed you can remove the springs. On the models with two springs the order is this, from top to bottom – the top linear spring (51401-415-003):

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Washer – part number 51403-362-010:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Long progressive spring (51402-415-003):

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

33mm fork models with the single spring setup will have just the one progressive spring (51401-470-751). After that the damper rod and rebound spring should come out:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

A closeup of the spring:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Next remove the dust cover – part number 91254-413-881 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU). It should pry upwards easily – be careful of the soft aluminium fork, don’t use anything too hard or be rough.

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

With the original bushing-less forks you can now remove the chrome stanchion from the lowers at this point. You may have to twist the top chrome section a little as you pull it away from the lower to get it to come free easily;

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

This gives us a clear view of the fork seal and retaining clip. Here’s hoping yours looks better than this:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

It’s a little hard to see here but there’s an oil seal stop ring here, part number 90601-369-000 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU):

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Use a pick or similar tool and remove the ring:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

At this point the fork seal can be prised out. The seal is 33x46x11mm and is part number 91255-413-881 (eBay US, eBay UK, eBay AU – previous part number 91255-369-000). If you are going to use something like a pry bar to remove it be very careful not to mar the soft aluminium insides of the fork leg lower – if you leave a gouge like this:

Here's how to disassemble the front forks - suspension or shocks - on a Honda CX500 or GL500 motorcycle as shown on MotoFaction.org.

…you may never get a seal to seal properly again.

At this point you should have one fork fully disassembled and you’re now ready to start assessing, cleaning and rebuilding. Articles on those steps coming soon.

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