CR250 '79-'80 forks.

[NRD]

Wanting to change the fork oil in what I think are a set of 1980 CR250 forks. They have the air caps  and I don't think the '79 model had those. My question is, should the caps just screw straight out so as to refill the fork leg? I can unscrew the caps but they don't come off, feels like they are attached to the spring as I can lift the cap slightly. Also the cap still turns but feels like the spring is turning with it. Any help appreciated.
Cheers.

[STW996]

Well if they are "stuck" to the spring the hole lot should lift out, 79 and 80 forks (I believe) are the same and when you unscrew the caps they should pop up from the sprin tension.

If you have the bike on a stand lower the stand (slowly) and the springs should then protude from the top of the forks.

There is no reason why the caps should be stuck to spring

Shane

[JohnnyO]

The caps are bolted to the cartridge rod inside the fork. Undo the caps then compress the fork a little and undo the nut beneath the fork cap.

[magoo]

What Johnny O said.

[STW996]

Cartridge forks on a 80 model bike??

[JohnnyO]

Cartridge forks on a '78 model bike!

[magoo]

Correct. 78/79 and 80 all had cartridge forks. According to the rule book you can't run cartridge forks or later model forks. Go figure. Dumb rules were made to be ignored

[NRD]

Thanks guys. Got the forks apart ok. One thing I noticed is a 40mm spacer between the air cap and spring. Any reason for this? Thanks again.
Cheers.

[JohnnyO]

Most forks have a spacer just to get the correct amount of preload on the fork springs for that particular bike.