[Nathan Snoey]

So my forks seals started going out on my 05 V-Star 650 Custom Midnight. I decided to replace them and all was going well until the rebuild. After putting it all back together and screwing in the bolt to the bottom of the forks so I can refill them with oil and wrap it up I ran into the issue that my forks are completely compressed and i can get them to move unless I take the bolt back out. I looked up the diagrams and it says i am putting it back together right. So any help would be much appreciated!

 

[SemiFast]

"and all was going well until the rebuild." < Lol, we've all been there.

Without the spring in place and with the inner tube (upper tube) fully compressed the inside of the outer tube and the outside of the inner tube can make contact, then stick when the bottom bolt is tightened.
(After I read that a few times I could actually understand what I wrote).

Anyway... Two ways you can go.

1) Temporary install the top cap bolt then hold the inner tube in a padded vice (clamping at the top, top cap area) and give the outer tube a good solid pull. It will probably come free.
-OR-
2) Remove the bottom bolt then reinstall it making sure to keep the inner tube in the 'up' position.