Fork noise

[KitKat]

I have never noticed this before but.....

I took of my seat and gas tank and carbs the other day to do some work.

When i was pushing the bike around, whenever i was pushing on the forks, they would compress, and a sloshy kind of liquidy sound occured.

is this normal...im just not sure,

Thanks

[Guy]

Might be due an oil change if it hasn't been done in a while. The oil loses it's viscosity after a while and gets contaminated with water.

[KitKat]

I have never changed the oil in forks before,

how do you do that, anyone know of a guide?

and is it hard, does it require taking off the forks?

Thanks

[kinnet]

just drain 'em and fill'em back up.
It's not difficult. I've done it... 3 times now.

[KitKat]

ok thanks,

ill check bikecliff's site for a guide hopefully he'll have one

Thanks

[kinnet]

there's a small bolt at the bottom of the forks to drain the oil from there...
then you fill them from the top.
make sure you measure the fluid, you don't want to over fill.
it can make a mess, so have an oil pan ready. and make sure you thoroughly drain them before you fill them back up.

[TheCafeKid]

Look at you go!

Some things to add..

You want to remove the air (if they have an air valve) from the fork FIRST, or that oil will go EVERYWHERE. Once you remove the air (works just like a tire) then remove the top cap to help put some air pressure behind the oil, THEN remove the drain plug (its actually a phillips head screw) Let them drain for SEVERAL hours, because having any oil in there will screw up your measurement.

[kinnet]

Look at you go!

Some things to add..

You want to remove the air (if they have an air valve) from the fork FIRST, or that oil will go EVERYWHERE. Once you remove the air (works just like a tire) then remove the top cap to help put some air pressure behind the oil, THEN remove the drain plug (its actually a phillips head screw) Let them drain for SEVERAL hours, because having any oil in there will screw up your measurement.

I do believe it is a bolt on Grif... But, I digress.

Ahem... Wanted to add that I've been wrong before. lol

[mriddle]

Yea .. it is a bolt on the GS300L too ..

And no air in those little puppies either.

[TheCafeKid]

Yea .. it is a bolt on the GS300L too ..

And no air in those little puppies either.

Oh there IS air in them...it may not be adjustable, but there IS air. As such, again, remove the TOP covers FIRST, or you WILL have a mess on your hands, and god knows what else.

[TheCafeKid]

I do believe it is a bolt on Grif... But, I digress.

Ahem... Wanted to add that I've been wrong before. lol

You may be right, but A LOT of them are little phillips head screws. Ive seen both...

[mriddle]

Fork oil 15 weight ..

The amount you want is measured with the spring removed and the inner tube compressed completely .. 186 mm or 7.3 inches from the top of the tube held vertically.


Should be just over 5 ounces per fork leg.

[TheCafeKid]

Fork oil 15 weight ..

The amount you want is measured with the spring removed and the inner tube compressed completely .. 186 mm or 7.3 inches from the top of the tube held vertically.


Should be just over 5 ounces per fork leg.

ORRRRR you assure they're drained completely, and then fill them with the correct fluid oz or ml measurement in your manual. THAT way you dont have to remove the forks from the bike, OR the springs...


Some of the pefection Nazi's on here might throw a fit over it, but i do it this way, i ride the p1ss out of my bikes, ive never had a problem. Ever. You just need to make SURE that its drained completely, and it will take time.. ALSO, i wanted to add, probably even MORE important than the level itself, is that you are carefull that you get BOTH forks exactly the same. The margin for error according to the manual, is 0.1oz. The damage supposedly caused would include bending the axle from overstress, and UP TO breakage, which, if you didnt know, would probably KILL you... so, dont play around

[mriddle]

I'm not sure if you can drain them completely without removing them .. maybe so. 5.17 ounces is the goal

[TheCafeKid]

I'm not sure if you can drain them completely without removing them .. maybe so. 5.17 ounces is the goal

You can. Just takes patience....its a virtue.. Actually you probably cant drain them COMPLETELY, so i should take that back. The only way to do that would be to completely disassemble them and clean them out. that stuff clings EVERYWHERE. But drain it, make sure it drips no more, you could even blow some canned air down in there to make sure I suppose. but, as I said, Ive done it this way many times and have no problems. Ive done it the other way too, but only when ive had to replace seals, since they have to come off any way.