1982 GS1100G 37 mm fork oil weight and volume.

[RichDesmond]

so if I want to see how 20mm higher fork oil level is going to behave you are suggesting I take off the front wheel pull the forks out and ad oil, reassemble. Or if I want less rebound damping say so I go to 10w instead of 15w same drill?
how about when I pull the emulator to ad a turn, or back off 1/2 a turn? gotta take out the spring, going to lose a little oil.
it ads more than 10 minutes, I still don't see the point, I could do the trigonometry instead.

I can see the argument if I was changing seals anyways, ( i would check again after installation for a base line. then again after a good ride because sometimes the oil level drops after complete overhaul) but for playing around ...... for me, no way.
still think its a little ridiculous but then I don't have Sonic Springs...

If I was just changing the level a little I probably wouldn't pull forks off. If doing a full change to change weight, I would. No need to mess with oil at all when adjusting emulator (I use one of those 4 prong grabbers to pull the emulator out, and pulling the spring out slowly doesn't lose enough oil to worry about) so no need to pull forks there either.
Doesn't matter what kind of springs you have.

[derwood]

If I was just changing the level a little I probably wouldn't pull forks off. If doing a full change to change weight, I would. No need to mess with oil at all when adjusting emulator (I use one of those 4 prong grabbers to pull the emulator out, and pulling the spring out slowly doesn't lose enough oil to worry about) so no need to pull forks there either.
Doesn't matter what kind of springs you have.

aH Hah!..... so I'm not on the wrong planet after all

I pull the emulators out with my pully tool as well, but I have my calibrated suction stick (piece of tape) that I recheck oil levels after.
I change oil every couple of years as well, (when I do brake fluid). nice to have drain plugs in the forks, newer bikes don't.

[RichDesmond]

aH Hah!..... so I'm not on the wrong planet after all

I pull the emulators out with my pully tool as well, but I have my calibrated suction stick (piece of tape) that I recheck oil levels after.
I change oil every couple of years as well, (when I do brake fluid). nice to have drain plugs in the forks, newer bikes don't.

Even on bikes that have drain plugs I rarely use them. I do fork oil changes when I put a new front tire on. At that point I have the wheel off (and on some bikes the fender too) so it's just a few more bolts to loosen and the forks are in my hand. Actually faster and easier to do it that way than waiting for it to dribble out of the drain hole.

[Mosquito13]

All great stuff. . . messed with a couple.differnt lengths of spacers and the fresh 15 weight i had on hand. Front end still sucks . So going to order up a set of the 1.0 springs.Thanks again for the link. Seals are still good . in the maunual it talks about flushing the forks . what product to use is not mentioned. Mineral spirits ? Then blow it out. I got the long weekend to mess with it ... Figure 10 days with the 4th before new springs show up and i will get to bolt everything toghere. It looked to be 35 year old fork oil when i did the initial drain.

[RichDesmond]

All great stuff. . . messed with a couple.differnt lengths of spacers and the fresh 15 weight i had on hand. Front end still sucks . So going to order up a set of the 1.0 springs.Thanks again for the link. Seals are still good . in the maunual it talks about flushing the forks . what product to use is not mentioned. Mineral spirits ? Then blow it out. I got the long weekend to mess with it ... Figure 10 days with the 4th before new springs show up and i will get to bolt everything toghere. It looked to be 35 year old fork oil when i did the initial drain.

Some ATF works well to flush. Pump the old oil out (fork leg inverted) put some ATF in, cycle the forks through their travel a few times and pump it out.

[mmattockx]

in the maunual it talks about flushing the forks . what product to use is not mentioned.

I use kerosene, it doesn't damage seals and works great for removing the crud. As Rich says, dump old oil, fill with kerosene and stroke the fork for a bit, then dump out and let drain fully.


Mark

[Mosquito13]

So installed a set of sonic's 1 kg springs . Cut the preloads as to sonic's directions with 1/2" preload , filled forks to 12lb psi and 8.6 oz 10 weight each side. Ride is 100% better.

[mmattockx]

So installed a set of sonic's 1 kg springs . Cut the preloads as to sonic's directions with 1/2" preload , filled forks to 12lb psi and 8.6 oz 10 weight each side. Ride is 100% better.

You don't run any air pressure with the Sonic springs, let it all out.


Mark

[RichDesmond]

Yep, no air, it's not needed.