how to put front end back by myself?

[cooperplace]

Something like this helps A LOT. I made one from some threaded rod and an old top fork nut.
-Gabe
(btw, hope we're allowed to post ebay screen shots...if not, sorry!)

wow, excellent, thank you.

[cooperplace]

I just spent a couple of hours trying to put it back together with some threaded rod, washers, and zip ties. Almost....but in the I gave up because every time some bearings oozed out.

It shows the advantage of that gadget on ebay: it has the cones at each end that will centrally locate the tube as it goes up into the frame.

[Jon Pegler]

I think you'll find that the gadget on e-bay allows you to assemble the yokes (triple clamps) onto the frame without the fork stanchions .
That way you only have to support the yokes rather than the weight of the whole fork assembly.
You then use the tool to pull the fork stanchions up through the yokes and headlamp brackets one at a time, against the spring pressure.
As stated in an earlier post, it can be easily made from an old fork top nut, with the head machined away, and a length of threaded rod.
A guy in the UK makes them for much less than $76, but you could make one yourself very easily.
You still need to use grease to hold all the ball bearings in place when putting the yokes on.

Jon

[Barnwell]

Key to making your own tool is having a fork top nut you are willing to butcher (cut bottom off).

[motoital]

Here are a few tips that can help. Don't bother trying with the legs on you will just waste time. When you first slide the stem into the headstock before you seat the bottom race add the top race and top clamp. Then seat both races at the same time so the bearing can't wiggle free. To install the tubes, that tool works great and u can make your own but there is another way. If you have a tie down or a big strong bungee cord. Place one of the hook ends to the bottom of the fork leg. Then loop the cord over the top clamp/crown and attach the other end to the bottom as well. That way it forces it up into the yoke and top clamp then tighten the bolts.

[cooperplace]

the other thing I had huge trouble with, even with a helper, was getting the headlight rubbers into the stanchions. After several hours of sweating we gave up and substituted some turned-up aluminium spacers with o-rings below. This hasn't worked well because the RHS stanchion isn't securely held in place.

I'm currently rating front end reassembly as:

IMPOSSIBLE.

I may end up having to buy that tool on Ebay, or take the bike to the front end guy, who has similar tools.