Fork tubes

[Geezer]

I installed my Wilbers shock and fork springs this weekend. While I was pouring out the old spoogey fork oil I noticed that the tubes do indeed have some sort of bung near the bottom of each tube. It looks like it has a slotted screw in the middle of it. Anybody know what these are for? Probably just wishful thinking but it looks like it might be a drain plug for changing fork oil.

 

[smitty141]

Is your compression damping adjuster... You can remove it to drain and flush your forks. But it is best to completely take the forks apart for cleaning. smitty

 

[radman]

I honestly thought he was kidding. Still do.

 

[Geezer]

Sorry to say, but I was serious. Guess I should have looked in the owner's manual.

Anyway, I followed the instruction in FJRTECH to remove the tubes and that required me to remove the lower fairings and other plastic pieces. It looks like all I really need to remove are the fork brace, fender, wheel, and calipers. I guess the bars should come off to access the top of the fork legs with a socket. Based on the condition of the fork oil after less than 6 months use I think I'll replace the oil every year.

 

[radman]

Sorry to say, but I was serious. Guess I should have looked in the owner's manual.
Anyway, I followed the instruction in FJRTECH to remove the tubes and that required me to remove the lower fairings and other plastic pieces. It looks like all I really need to remove are the fork brace, fender, wheel, and calipers. I guess the bars should come off to access the top of the fork legs with a socket. Based on the condition of the fork oil after less than 6 months use I think I'll replace the oil every year.

I would have thought you might have played with compression/rebound settings by now. Guess not, eh? On the fluid-I change mine yearly. It's easy enough to do, looks dirty enough to justify the time, and inner components are numerous, fragile, and responsive to fresh oil. IMHO of course.

 

[Toecutter]

On the fluid-I change mine yearly. It's easy enough to do, looks dirty enough to justify the time, and inner components are numerous, fragile, and responsive to fresh oil. IMHO of course.

So do you just drain and refill, or do you consider disassembly "easy enough" to do?

 

[radman]

On the fluid-I change mine yearly.  It's easy enough to do, looks dirty enough to justify the time, and inner components are numerous, fragile, and responsive to fresh oil.  IMHO of course.

So do you just drain and refill, or do you consider disassembly "easy enough" to do?

Not sure I understand the question. I do a drain and refill yearly, yes. I've yet to need to do more than that on Frank, the spring install is easy peasy, no more involved than a fluid change. Were the tubes to need more, I wouldn't hesitate to dig into them, if thats what you're asking.

 

[twowheelnut]

Here's skooter's perverted method of swishing the tranny fluid through the fork to clean out the old oil. Note the look of queer satisfaction on that goober puss... :blink:

And, being the ever helpful dude he is, he even gave Art a 'hand':

 

[skyway]

Here's skooter's perverted method of swishing the tranny fluid through the fork to clean out the old oil.  Note the look of queer satisfaction on that goober puss... :blink:

I never realized that leaded Pepsi was the fluid of choice for fork flushing. Sometimes I worry about that skooter fellow. :dribble:

 

[Scab]

I see...

But, what is the heterosexual way of flushing the tubes?

 

[odot]

Easy....you have a woman do it....and you take pictures.....

 

[snikr]

It looks to me like someone was having WAY too much fun.

 

[Toecutter]

So do you just drain and refill, or do you consider disassembly "easy enough" to do?

Not sure I understand the question. I do a drain and refill yearly, yes. I've yet to need to do more than that on Frank, the spring install is easy peasy, no more involved than a fluid change. Were the tubes to need more, I wouldn't hesitate to dig into them, if thats what you're asking.

I was just wondering if a simple drain and refill would be sufficient to keep things in good shape, or if, in your opinion, periodic maintenance required something more complicated, like Geezer was alluding to doing.

 

[Ignacio]

Here's skooter's perverted method of swishing the tranny fluid through the fork to clean out the old oil. Note the look of queer satisfaction on that goober puss... :blink:

You know, between Skooter's self-infatuation and George having his birth canal cleaned after birthing an R1 recently....I'm very, very queasy. uke:

........I can't even deal with the Art's expression..... :russian:

 

[smitty141]

You guy's are scaring me!!!!!!!!! :bad: smitty

 

[radman]

So do you just drain and refill, or do you consider disassembly "easy enough" to do?

Not sure I understand the question. I do a drain and refill yearly, yes. I've yet to need to do more than that on Frank, the spring install is easy peasy, no more involved than a fluid change. Were the tubes to need more, I wouldn't hesitate to dig into them, if thats what you're asking.

I was just wondering if a simple drain and refill would be sufficient to keep things in good shape, or if, in your opinion, periodic maintenance required something more complicated, like Geezer was alluding to doing.

Drain and refill is all thats required. In fact, it will negate for the most part the need to ever have to do anything else. I've seen bikes with as few as 20,000 miles with junked forks from lack of cleanliness and fluid changing, and bikes with 100,000 miles with the original seals and bushings that were taken care of. It boils down to the "pay me now, or pay me later" mantra that applies so well to any component of any machine.

 

[Geezer]

Radman, when you say 'drain and refill' I assume you're talking about taking the tubes off the bike. Yes, it is pretty easy but still would be nice if there were a way to drain and refill without doing that.

If I have the procedure right, you need to measure the new fliud level with the springs out and the fork fully compressed, so changing the fluid would be the same as for a spring replacement.

Again, not difficult, but more work than it should be. I do enjoy working on the bike and really felt like I had a good weekend after spending it installing the Wilbers and a couple of other things, but it is time consuming. I'll probably do it as part of my winter maintenance routine once a year regardless of mileage.

I was satisfied with the front end and never needed to adjust rebound from factory settings. The only reason I went for the new springs is that my rear shock was starting to show signs of wear and, with the group buy, I figured it was a good deal to do the forks at the same time.

 

[radman]

Jestal mentioned simply removing the entire compression valve assembly as a way of draining the forks. Not something I've tried, but it's one possible way of simplifying the process. When I pull the tubes though, I pretty much do a complete front end once-over. Head bearings, brakes, wheel bearings, axle are all cleaned, lubed, adjusted, checked, as well as the fork fluid being changed, so it's not just a one item job for me. This disclipline has served me well over the years though, I recommend it.

 

[jestal]

You could change the fork oil with the forks in the bike....

The oil level measurement is called out with the springs out and the fork collapsed but that is just the factory reference fill that is called out that way because it is easier to measure the oil level with the forks collapsed (closer to the oil) and the springs out (nothing to get in the way of measuring the oil level).

If you assume the level is OK now, just take the one fork cap off as rad suggested before and let the other fork leg hold the bike up for the moment. Take the cap off the damper rod by removing the jam nut to get some clearance. Use a small diameter piece of stiff nylon tubing and a turkey baster to "sense" the oil level with the fork extended. Slide the tube down the fork tube beside the spring while squeezing the turkey baster until you hear bubbling. Mark the tubing with tape or Sharpie. Drain the fork oil. Refill. Work the fork to remove air. Reset to the previously established level by inserting the tubing to the same level and suck excess oil out with the turkey baster. Repeat on the other side.

Or...drain the fork oil into a container as describe below. Measure how much came out. Pour in the same amount of new oil into the fork tube by removing the upper cap. Carry on.

You can easily drain the fork oil with the forks on the bike by unscrewing the bung you mentioned. It has two flats on it to grip it with an open end wrench. Unscrew it and it is just a plug. The adjustment screw comes out with the fitting and removing it has no effect on any internals. Just unscrew it and the oil will pour out and will REALLY pour out if you pump the fork down. Be ready for a gusher....like...hold a plastic bottle over the fitting when unscrewing it as the oil will spurt out. If you do this realize that there is a ferrous washer under the fitting that will likely fall out of the hole the fitting is screwed into.. Watch for it and account for it and reinstall it. It is just a friendly thrust face for the fitting to bottom against so that there is not an aluminum to aluminum mating causing galling.