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changing fork oil

  • Thread starter Thread starter scottsgs
  • Start date Start date
S

scottsgs

Guest
Hi all,

I want to change my fork oil and put in new Progressive fork springs. Can anyone tell me the trick to doing this with the forks on the bike? I know they need to be perfectly vertical to get a proper read on the oil level. I have so many other projects, I am trying to save myself a little labor.

Scott
 
The "trick" to doing it is to do it properly. :eek:

If you are going to the trouble of changing the oil, why not take the tubes apart, CLEAN them, and have ALL fresh oil in there? Probably won't hurt to replace the seals, unless you have done that rather recently, and it also gives you an opportunity to inspect the Teflon slider bushings.

You may save a little bit of labor this time, but when you have to go back and do it over, it will take you even more time. :o

.
 
The forks don't have to be level, just fill them to the same level - exact quantity of oil is less important than having them equal right to left. Salty Monk (Dan) tought me a good trick - use a spray pump dip tube to pump out extra oil. It's easy to get the forks the same using that technique.
 
there are drain plugs in the bottom of the fork.
be aware that when you pop the caps off the forks the springs will boing out along with any spacers and washers.
you may want to support the bike under the front of the frame.
 
derwood said:
there are drain plugs in the bottom of the fork.
Click to expand...

If you have air forks make sure to release all the air or when you remove the lower drain screws nasty black oil will spray everywhere.

derwood said:
be aware that when you pop the caps off the forks the springs will boing out along with any spacers and washers.
you may want to support the bike under the front of the frame.
Click to expand...

This is a must or your Bike will fall forward off your center stand, tip over, and knock over the bucket you just drained that nasty fork oil into.

:o :o :o

This should help
http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/fork_seal_replacement_by_matchless.pdf
 
Last edited:
I'm looking at doing this also, and would like to know how people get the fork vertical on the bike. Is it really just easier in general to remove the tubes? I realize a lot of people recommend cleaning them and rebuilding, but I'd like to just change the oil for now, and rebuild later (this bike has other things I'd like to spend more time on first).
 
pbdavey said:
I'm looking at doing this also, and would like to know how people get the fork vertical on the bike. Is it really just easier in general to remove the tubes? I realize a lot of people recommend cleaning them and rebuilding, but I'd like to just change the oil for now, and rebuild later (this bike has other things I'd like to spend more time on first).
Click to expand...

Why do you want the forks vertical?
 
I have a Clymer manual that states that, with fork compressed and tubes vertical, the oil level should be evened in this position (at least how I understand the Clymer). This is after the initial fill of oil in each tube is done.
 
Yeah, thats what the Clymer says, but I will bet you money that few here actually do that. If you do some simple math you can account for the non vertical forks, BUT, I simply drained the oil, walked away and let it drain untill it wasnt dripping anymore and then filled per the manuals spec on volume. On the 1100EZ/ED i think it was 7.8oz or something close to that. Now, i only did this because I wasnt pulling the things off to replace seals and what not just yet, that will come later on this season, when i do my cart emulators, but Ive put well over 1000 semi hard cornering miles on the bike and never felt it get squirley (well, it didnt once i remembered to remove and reinstall the fork brace properly..:o)
 
I don't worry about getting the forks vertical, but I do make sure that the fork oil level is the same in both forks -- I dump in some excess, pump the forks a few times to get the bubbles out, and then slurp it out again to the proper level with a hose and syringe dealy. It's marked at the proper level.

If you're careful to place the hose at the midpoint (looking at it from the side) you'll get the oil level exactly the same as if they were vertical. But as long as you place it in the same spot on both fork legs, you're good -- as previously remarked, it's far more important to make sure they're the same. The exact level a few mm either way doesn't matter as long as the levels are the same.

The amount of oil is also mostly irrelevant. Even if you let the forks drain for weeks, there's still a surprising amount of oil and gunk trapped in there.

The problem is that some bike manuals do not have a spec for level, only the volume of oil -- not really good unless you're starting with freshly assembled, dry forks. I guess you could dump in the correct amount for one leg, measure it, then set the other the same.
 
bonanzadave said:
If you have air forks make sure to release all the air or when you remove the lower drain screws nasty black oil will spray everywhere.



This is a must or your Bike will fall forward off your center stand, tip over, and knock over the bucket you just drained that nasty fork oil into.

:o :o :o

This should help
http://www.mtsac.edu/~cliff/storage/gs/fork_seal_replacement_by_matchless.pdf
Click to expand...

haha been there before what a mess, and it seems to go on forever to...

LIke everyone said make sure the levels are the same the exact level isn't as important. If in doubt at just a touch more then requred +/- a mm or 2. it only effects the preload and barely.
 
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