Easily measure fork oil

[Guest]

I never thought of it untill my pharmacist recommended it. Ask for an empty liquid medicine bottle. They are marked off by the half ounce and the openning of the 6oz. bottle is the right size to fill your forks without spilling the oil all over the floor.

 

[pickardracing]

Thats what they recommend in the Clymer manual.

 

[Guest]

Great idea! I snagged one of these on ebay (at a much lower price) that makes quick work of measuring, and also while using Progressive springs, where the required oil height is specified, not the volume....the graduated probe can be set via the ring to suck out the excess.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Moto...014QQitemZ330166317396QQrdZ1QQsspagenameZWDVW

Tony.

 

[Jethro]

I just use 1/8" vinyl tubing, measure up from the bottom of the tubing the height of what the oil needs to be and cut a hole in the tubing. Fill the fork with oil, plenty of it. Then put the end in the fork until it hits the bottom and use a brake bleeder pump to suck out the excess. When you start getting nothing but air, the level will be exactly where you cut the hole in the tubing.

 

[tkent02]

I just use 1/8" vinyl tubing, measure up from the bottom of the tubing the height of what the oil needs to be and cut a hole in the tubing. Fill the fork with oil, plenty of it. Then put the end in the fork until it hits the bottom and use a brake bleeder pump to suck out the excess. When you start getting nothing but air, the level will be exactly where you cut the hole in the tubing.

Seems to me your method will leave the level low, as when you remove the tube, the level will drop by the amount equal to the volume the tube displaces while it's in there. It would get them both even though.

 

[BentRod]

i have done forks, but never bothered with any of this..

air is left in the top portions of the fork so that you do not blow the caps out on a hard bump. you need that air pocket to allow a full range of movement... SO

put in your spring.. and add oil. then drop the inner slider all the way down.. excess oil will flow over the sides. once the slider is all the way down, and the oil is all the way to the top of it, then you have the absolute max amount of oil you should be putting in.. take away or leave as is to fine tune stiffness.

 

[Dark Jedi]

i have done forks, but never bothered with any of this..

air is left in the top portions of the fork so that you do not blow the caps out on a hard bump. you need that air pocket to allow a full range of movement... SO

put in your spring.. and add oil. then drop the inner slider all the way down.. excess oil will flow over the sides. once the slider is all the way down, and the oil is all the way to the top of it, then you have the absolute max amount of oil you should be putting in.. take away or leave as is to fine tune stiffness.

Heh, the brute force method. I like it!

 

[82Shafty]

D you guys do this with the forks verticle, or normal riding position?


Manaul says get the forks verticle....ya let me just lift the rear up two to three feet with one arm and balance it while I add fork oil.

 

[Dink]

Of cause you are removing the fork legs to do all this arent you??:-s

Dink

D you guys do this with the forks verticle, or normal riding position?

 

[82Shafty]

when I replace the seals I will.

I wanted to just drain and throw some new (measured) oil in there, pressurize it and finish off the season.

Is it not possible to service the forks on the bike?

 

[Guest]

when I replace the seals I will.

I wanted to just drain and throw some new (measured) oil in there, pressurize it and finish off the season.

Is it not possible to service the forks on the bike?

Sure, you can drain and fill (and add air if you wish) on the bike...if you are using a measured amount of oil, its probably moot if the forks remain vertical or not.

Tony.

 

[Jethro]

Seems to me your method will leave the level low, as when you remove the tube, the level will drop by the amount equal to the volume the tube displaces while it's in there. It would get them both even though.

Yeah, I suppose, but that's how Haynes taught me how to do it years and years ago.

 

[Guest]

Another method is to use a syringe. Go to a farm supply store (everywhere in the Midwest, folks in big cities or on the coasts may be out of luck) and look for veterinary supplies, stuff that farmers do themselves. Buy a big syringe. Use it to measure volumes. Some flexible tubing will be needed.

 

[omaharj]

Another method is to use a syringe. Go to a farm supply store (everywhere in the Midwest, folks in big cities or on the coasts may be out of luck) and look for veterinary supplies, stuff that farmers do themselves. Buy a big syringe. Use it to measure volumes. Some flexible tubing will be needed.

Got mine from a vet for $4.75,great deal. While it measures to 200ml I go off the "height from the top" method. Magic marker line on the tubing (make sure it's straight )and draw out the excess. Couldn't be easier or more exact.:-D

 

[Steveb64]

when I replace the seals I will.

I wanted to just drain and throw some new (measured) oil in there, pressurize it and finish off the season.

Is it not possible to service the forks on the bike?

Yes! It is!

The problems with just measuring a volume of oil and dumping it in are :

1. No guarantee that ALL the old oil is out. Any left in will affect the handling.

2. There are often manufacturing differences between the lower fork legs (you know - bozo at factory has had a heavy weekend, at work Monday, leans a bit hard on machine, cuts a bit too much out...). Measuring the oil height, and setting it level between fork legs (and it CAN be done in bike - just not as accurately), will ensure that you have the same SIZE air space at the top when the fork legs are fully compressed. This affects the SPRING rating - more oil, less air, means more spring 'rebound' effect. More air gap, softer springing. Different air gap sizes - spring rate becomes different between fork legs, causing flex and instability - particularly after hitting a big bump, where the forks get fully compressed.

If you're dong the forks in bike, be aware that the oil height will read higher than it really is, due to the slant of the fork tube. Easy solution is to measure oil height 1 cm (or 0.5") or so higher than spec.

Treat your bike - pull the forks, drain the oil, flush out with some kerosine to clean all the old scunge out of the fork legs (work the legs up and down a few times), drain again, then fill, measure, and reassemble.

Trouble getting forks out - if you have a garage with exposed beams/rafters, buy a couple of nylon webbing type M/C tiedowns, hook them over the rafters - one on each side of the bike, other end attached to solid mount point on front of bike (handlebars are OK, as long as you don't need to remove them to remove the forks - otherwise use a mount on the frame). Make sure tops of tiedowns are angled AWAY from the bike - makes it more stable. Front wheel can be lifted by tightening tiedown straps a bit at a time, alternating sides - or get a beefy mate to give it a bit of a lift while you tighten the straps, or use a car jack to lift it a little, then tighten, then lift a little more, tighten...

 

[the_journeyman]

I don't have exposed beams, but I was going to go to a hardware store & get me a couple hefty U-bolts. Drill through the celiing (just plywood) and mount the U-bolts to a beam, then use the u-bolts to hook the straps to ~

JM

 

[ScottMc1100L]

...Treat your bike - pull the forks, drain the oil, flush out with some kerosine to clean all the old scunge out of the fork legs (work the legs up and down a few times), drain again, then fill, measure, and reassemble.
...

Has anyone here done a write-up on this with pictures? I'm willing to bet my forks need servicing! I need to replace my lower triple anyways due to a broken stop. I'd love to through them at the same time, but am a little reluctant to try it alone.

 

[emjay]

... I'd love to through them at the same time, but am a little reluctant to try it alone.

If you had a bike with a pitted fork tube that you didn't notice, then you too would've had numerous opportunities to practice redoing your forks.

I've got a setup that works pretty well. I use a bike jack that's ok, though I'd prefer a lift, and tie downs to eyehooks hanging from rafters. I built a stand to work on my forks styled after a croquet set stand and use a syringe with a tube to add/remove oil and an old dipstick with a mark to measure.

Next time I do forks, need to on my recently acquired 550, I'll try to remember to take and post some pics.

 

[Guest]

I don't have exposed beams, but I was going to go to a hardware store & get me a couple hefty U-bolts. Drill through the celiing (just plywood) and mount the U-bolts to a beam, then use the u-bolts to hook the straps to ~

JM

I've been thinking of making a tripod for that kind of work. 3, 8' 2x4s, 3' of 1/2" threaded rod, some bolts and washers. Drill 1/2" holes in the 2x4s, and in a bunch of short pieces to use as spacers. Use spacers to keep one 2x4 in the middle, the others on the ends. Use light weight chain at the bottom to limit how far the legs can spread. Put the middle leg in front of the front, wheel, the other two legs on each side of the bike. Attach the straps, or cable-operated come-alongs, to the side legs. When done, fold it up and lean it against a wall.

Heck, make two. Lift the entire bike for maintenance.