OK I got the left fork out. I removed the snap ring, fork top cap, and spring so that I could get a bite on the fork tube with my piece of wood to drive it out. I pretty well had to drive it all the way. I inspected the tube and the aluminium triple tree expecting to see some galling in the metal but it looks pretty good. After I got the tube out a bent piece of tubular aluminum about 2 1/2" long and 3/16" in diameter fell out. I think it's should sit inside the fork ears and is used to keep the turn signals from pivoting. I'm thinking that this somehow was interfering with the fork tube and the lower part of the triple tree brace.
The saga continues after I cut the grass after lunch.
