just wondering what the accepted method for tapping the damper rods out of lowers is?
I know some turn the nut upside down and use that, but its not recommended as threads could strip. This ever happened? Anyone got the drift mojo sell for this? If I can get hold of some dimensions I think I will make one when I get back to uni, but for the time being the forks are desperate for their first service and I need to make a decision on how to do it!

I just did this for the first time too. I used a 10mm socket and damaged the thread. After repairing that, I covered the bolt with an old toothbrush handle and whacked it with a claw hammer. Elegant, I know.

Slacken the end nuts off about 2 turns, leave your socket on the nut and give it a sharp tap with a hammer. That will un-seat the rods from the lowers. You are basically breaking the seal of the crush washer.
Then unscrew the nuts fully. Then you may need to push the lowers onto the rods a little, as there is a flat on the rod end that mates into a seat on the lower to stop the rods turning. Then screw the old crushed plastic base stud washers off the rods, Lift the lowers off…..

Having cocked this up on my own forks, I can offer the following advice.

1. Buy a dead blow hammer. Don’t use a rubber mallet, a carefully aimed claw or lump hammer is viable alternative.

2. Make sure the forks are totally decompressed before starting. Otherwise, you’re fighting a losing battle.

3. Screw the bottom nut on until it’s just proud of the damper rod end / air spring. You only need about 1mm clearance between the nut and the fork lowers, you’re just breaking the seal.

4. Hit it once, firmly. One solid whack with the proper hammer is far more effective than many nervous, puny thumps.

I actually bought a couple of spare nuts and some ordinary M8 FT nuts to minimise further thread damage. Of course, I suspect now the reason the legs were unwilling to come out is because the fork was shipped from the factory with no oil, but I digress.

Even with the official Fox tool you run the risk of damaging the threads. Doesn’t really matter how many turns of the thread are engaged (the first thread bears in excess of 60% of the load) so you’re really trying to give a controlled whack that’s most importantly delivered vertically.