fork install

When refitting the axle a little grease is no bad thing and will help make the insertion easier. I make a point of tightening the axle nut first, then bouncing the forks to let the offside clamp find the most relaxed/aligned position on the axle, then tighten the clamps. You get the least stiction/binding by doing this.
 
I seem to remember once or twice when the tubes didn't want to go back through the clamps as easily as I expected, I inserted a large flat blade screwdriver into the small opening on the clamp and turned it a bit to open the clamp just a little. That made the insertion a piece of cake. I think even after releasing the pinch bolts they sometimes have a little spring to them, not enough to prevent you from pulling the tube out, but after the tube comes out the remaining spring tension makes the clamp openings shrink to a little smaller than ideal. Doesn't happen every time, but I remember doing it at least once over the 28 years I've owned the bike.
 
Tubes went back through easily, no problem. I spoke with the local RaceTech guy who did the work. He was great by the way ... Steve at Suspension Systems in Alexander NY.
He said use nothing, as TerryS said. (I too always grease the axle). Only the Scotchbrite pad to tidy up the triple tree clamps.
Hope I notice a difference with these fancy fork innards! (not that things felt bad before).
 
Also make sure the axle bolt slides easily through both fork legs to insure that the forks are both at the same depth. After install of wheel the tire should be centered in vertically in forks
 
If you put in Gold Valves, you will notice the difference when you roll over the first bump. Then you will want GVs in your rear shock, too.

Grease on the axle also prevents rust, which can make removal next year a bit difficult. First time I pulled my wheel, I put anti seize on the axle. Big mistake, as I found out when I removed the wheel a year later and ended up with anti seize on my hands, my pants, shirt sleeves, my cheek and a dab on my left ear....
 
Regarding the anti-dive. There is an item Honda calls a 'stop ring' #1 which apparently goes on the end of the 'pivot collar/bushing #2/3. Looks like an itty bitty split ring on the fiche. Is it? There is, a really tiny groove at the end of #2 to accept it.
I don't seem to have it anywhere and am wondering if I can just do without. Since the anti-dive is now disabled anyway with the Gold Valves.

anti dive (2).png
 
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Hi John. Will it be ok until after a 1300 mi trip to OH-STOC. Can't get one until then.
What does it do anyway. That 'pivot collar' can't go anywhere.
Don't know if the disabled anti dive has any bearing.
 
hey Dean, I'm curious about the part(s) that are shown in the diagram because my bike doesn't seem to have the same set of parts that are shown in the diagram.

On mine, its just a single flange piece, that always falls out when I remove the caliper and I have to remember that the wide side of the flange goes to the right side when re-inserting it.

All it seems to do is reduce the hole in the anti-dive piston to the size of the lower caliper bolt that goes through it. As you say, its captive once you tighten down the caliper bolt, so I don't know what the purpose of the retaining clip would be, unless that's what's supposed to keep it from falling out in the first place when you remove the caliper. I've looked at mine a few times, but never all that closely, and I never noticed a place where a clip would even be used.

Is it possible that this clip existed in earlier model STs, and later models don't actually have it? The parts fiche doesn't look quite like the service manual diagram, so I'm not able to make sense of it clearly there to see what parts are even available.
 
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