| Author | Message | ||
     Ksc12c |
I'm doing the 10k service myself. It calls for changing the the fork oil.The service manual wants you to disassemble the fork.I was able to remove the pre-load adjuster and Fork Cap off. Can I just drain the fork oil and add 9oz of fork oil by pouring down the fork? Kevin | ||
| Red_chili |
Whilst we are talking about fork oil... anybody try raising the fork oil level to increase progressive springing? Common practice on dirt scoots. In fact, oil level is far more reliable a measurement than fluid ounces. | ||
| Hughlysses |
Kevin- You need to go a little further. You have to slightly compress the spring and remove a retainer which allows you to remove the spring. This will let pump the forks up and down to flush the old oil out. People have done it with tie down straps or you can buy special tools for the job. Traxxion Dynamics makes a tool that costs ~$30 that works very well, but you really need a second set of hands to do the job using that tool. Traxxion and others make a more-complex tool for ~$100 that'll let you do the job easily by yourself. | ||
| Adrian_8 |
I just did the job last week for the second time since I have owned the bike.. The first time about a year ago I did not compress the spring and remove the adjuster... I dumped out the old , poured in some Kerosene and dumped and drained then poured in 9 oz of oil and pumped then added 9 more oz of oil and pumped the damper rod.....I did it last week and took them apart...at the correct level of 4.45" it actually took 19 oz to get to the 4.45" (each fork).. ... The real tricky part is this...I had to take them back apart because I did not read the SM carefully... When you remove the Rebound and Fork Cap Assembly you must adjust rebound assembly for full "range of motion"..Page 2-51 Left side:if not your rebound adjuster screw will not turn very far and or you can screw up the rebound adjuster assembly... If you do not have a SM I will type the whole thing for you...I used two ratchet straps and two "S" hooks off black truck bungees to compress the forks... very easy... I stood the fork up in a vise on a block of wood protected on both sides by wood and hooked the straps under the vise and the straps into the "S" hooks in the holes of the collar and compressed equally..easy. BUT...if you are not real sure of doing all this...just dump out the old...pour in some cleaner of choice pump and drain, pump some more and drain then add 19oz of type E fork oil...and you are good.. Pumping Tricks: add oil then pump the outside (fork slider) first several times...then the damper rod several times then both together holding the damper rod level with slider...add the second 9oz and do the same.. | ||
| Ksc12c |
Thanks for the response. Yes, I have the SM. The SM (2-1) states 17.75 oz of oil. Does anybody know the weight of the type E Fork Oil? | ||
| Adrian_8 |
You must have a model after 06..my 06 SM says 18oz.. I think it is not worth all the trouble to take the rebound adjuster apart to change the fork oil...I will do the correct amount of oil and go with that the next time as I know it takes 19oz in my forks... | ||
| Xbimmer |
Copied this procedure that I follow that I sent to another BadWebber, might be of use. "Couple of tips, since if you've broken down the fork for a proper oil change you're almost there anyway: 1. The OSM is pretty good but overly complicated as you probably have noticed. 2. I pull the handlebars away first, gives me clearance to the top caps and when I'm done with the forks I can access the center capnut for a steering head bearing retorque while everything's loose. I loosen the top fork clamp bolts and then the top fork caps while the lower fork clamp still has a grip on the fork legs, before fork leg removal. 3. I don't remove the damper assembly from the lower leg, Al @ American Sportbike told me it's not necessary and he's my guru. 4. Removing the lower leg for seal replacement is easy. Slide the dust wiper down the leg, you'll see the stopper ring, it pries away easily. Like the OSM states just a couple of firm "slide action" tugs will pop the leg away from the outer fork tube together with the seal, washer, and bushings. 5. Inspection time. Scrutinize the lower stanchion for ANY abnormalities. When I did mine at 30k +/- my right stanchion, down by the casting where it's pressed in, had developed accumulated crud from the brakes and whatever. While cleaning and changing out tires I'd done a lackluster job of cleaning that part since it was buried behind the lower front fender. A little (I thought minor) pitting had developed about 3/4 " up from the casting, literally three or four pits. I cleaned the stanchion thoroughly when I replaced the seal but didn't really address the pits since I didn't think the fork would compress that low while riding. I used the opportunity to install Fork Skins neoprene sleeves to protect the exposed legs from grit hits, I thought this would protect the seals better than naked forks. 6. Imagine my surprise when within 5k the right side started bleeding through the Fork Skin. That's another advantage to the sleeves IMO, the leaking oil doesn't flow down onto your brake rotor and wheel, the sleeve soaks it up and it weeps out at the ends. I think it was about 40k when I finally got around to redoing the right side since it was time for the oil change anyway. I called Al and told him about the pitting and where it was on the fork, he told me that unless I was bottoming the fork on a regular basis (wheelies/stoppies, definitely not me) minor pits shouldn't matter. He suggested taking a really close look at the seal after removal and look for something, and even offered to do it for me if I sent it to him! I did look hard, and there are two incredibly small cuts, in line with each other, on the two sealing lips. I figured I messed up the fix the last time and would take more care this time. Also I decided to address the previously skimmed-over pitting issue. I hijacked my wife's manicure kit and used her buffing set to knock down and polish out the pits. Couldn't believe how well that worked!  When reassembling the fork it dawned on me how the seal probably got damaged when I did the prior replacement. You need to collapse the assembled fork sections to add and measure the oil. I probably effectively cut the new seal then, when the fork was un-springloaded and bottomed, all the way to the casting where it normally wouldn't go. 7. The Motion Pro tool isn't cheap as you know and when you use it maybe you'll think you could have improvised another way, like I thought, but hey we own one now don't we? I slip a piece of paper towel in between the tool halves and the stanchion tube to avoid scratching. It's worth very penny, couple of firm slides and the seal is seated. 8. Once you get into it you may find as I did that it's far easier than you expect. I've got some pics somewhere on a CD of the order of the components on the stanchion if you would like them. Just think, as installed onto and from the top of the lower leg: Dust Seal, Stopper Ring, Oil Seal (careful about which side faces "down"), Seal Spacer, Slide Bushing (smaller, snaps into fork lower stanchion), Guide Bushing (bigger, just oil it up and slide it down over the smaller one. I put the splits 180 deg from each other.). When you're ready to drive the seal into the Outer Tube to reassemble the fork you'll need to pull the Dust Seal and Stopper Ring down, the Motion Pro tool drives directly against the seal itself." This was a seal replacement sequence that I summed up for him. If you're in there you might as well do it all. The right fork seals are especially abused and from what I gather are the first to blow. They're cheap and easy to replace. Would suck to do the oil change then have a seal blow right after. JMHO!  | ||
| Adrian_8 |
My left leg was leaking which was part of the reason I changed the fork oil...I ordered new seals but I fixed the old seal with an old dirt bike trick...I pulled the dust seal down and then slid a 35mm film negative under the seal and gradually worked it all the way around...did this twice...I could feel some grundge under the seal but it got washed out with the oil as the film was working between the seal and the fork tube. I cut the fork skins off of my 450 KTM ..as we feel it just holds sand and grit and it gradually turns into sand paper against the chrome slider...the plastic rock protectors do a good job of preventing nicks.. | ||
| Xbimmer |
...I ordered new seals but I fixed the old seal with an old dirt bike trick...I pulled the dust seal down and then slid a 35mm film negative under the seal and gradually worked it all the way around...did this twice...I could feel some grundge under the seal but it got washed out with the oil as the film was working between the seal and the fork tube. That's EXACTLY what Al at American Sport Bike suggested I do. He told me sometimes the Teflon from the bushings flakes off and gets trapped in there. BadWeB has lots of gurus! | ||
| Ksc12c |
Thanks guys for the great info. Kevin | ||
| Adrian_8 |
One last thing...when you put your axle thru the forks the left fork should 'float" on the axle. Check it first, stick axle thru without the wheel and see how easy it spins/slides in the fork...if not lightly sand it, clean it and then grease it. Now put axle thru wheel and tighten axle..then let bike down from lift and hold the front brake and pump the bike hard at least 10 times ....this sets the spacing on the fork tubes...if the fork is too far in or out it will cause the fork seals to drag and possible cause premature leakage. This pumping action without the pinch bolts tight gets the forks parallel. After the pumping tighten the pinch bolts with bike straight up and down you might need a helper to tighten or pump... |
