My son has an 02 VTX1800. The fork seals are blown out and we're trying to get the caps open without success. Tried locking the fork tube in the lower triple (upper triple is this strange design that is not open on top).
After some heat, PB Blaster and cranking on it, NY son managed to gorilla the top cap threads. 
Anyone have any suggestions? Obviously we need a new cap, which are not inexpensive.
I've done a few forks and never had the caps overtorqued in place like this. big difference being I've normally loosened up the top triple abit first, but that's not an option here
Looks like the fork legs can be removed from the clamps and then you push down on the leg to relieve spring pressure on the cap. The caps on these appear to be attached to the fork stanchions...
An impact gun is probably the easiest way to get those off (and probably how they were installed to gorilla torque specs) but if you had that capability you probably would have already tried that. Clamping them in the lower tripple seems like a good idea but I'd try sliding them up a little from where they are in the picture so you're not clamping the tube down on the threads you're trying to loosen.
Thanks for the input!!
I do have an impact, but with having to clamp on the lower triple it's tough to get a good angle on it, even with a u joint. We did try to clamp up high away from the threads as well.
He's bringing them to work to see if the machinist in the shop has any ideas as well.
If not for the ridiculous (and expensive) top triple this would prb be a non-issue. Fashion over form 🤦♂️
Ugh, these things are a royal PITA. They messed around with them at work, one of the machinists noticed Teflon tape around the dust seal that had fallen down 🤦♂️. Makes one wonder if someone put threadlocker or JBWeld or something on the threads, as well as 'will the lower bolt also be overtorqued using Thor's hammer?"
Tonight we berkeleyed around with Mapp gas and power tools for awhile. The results were... disappointing.
The angle iron was the first victim of various implements we tried along with lots of heat.
No joy 💩
Rather than berk around with it forever, he deployed the parts cannon and found new to him set of forks on Epay. New fork caps are like 130/ea from Revzilla 😮.
At least he should be able to have a rideable bike by this weekend.
This is crazy! I have rebuilt quite a few sets of forks, and have never had one like this! People do stupid things to make their bikes look better for resale, but wow!
Yeah it's infuriating! I think I did one set where I had to loosen the top triple pinch bolts first, but normally it's been a non-issue.
And I think those aftermarket triples were like $800 15 or so years ago. He has the reciept somewhere.
Parts cannon deployed successfully.
Even looks like the seals are brand new.
Old vs new:
In reply to XLR99 (Forum Supporter) :
Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.
Yup, and that allowed this to happen today:
Actual dampening is taking place again!!
Downside-monsoon season is back for the foreseeable future.
i'd be tempted to forge ahead trying to remove the cap just because i don't like to admit defeat! but glad the bike is back up and running
Yeah I keep looking at them mocking me. Shame because it's all top shelf Honda stuff from that era.
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