Author Topic: Forking Motor Oil (Read 10955 times)

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #25 on:** November 28, 2014, 01:45:22 PM »

Quote from: dave500 on November 28, 2014, 01:32:48 PM

less oil is fine.

Ever bottomed out a set of road bike forks Dave...?

I would always recommend you Use the correct amount of fork fluid unless you've had the dampers modified or really know your suspensions full capabilities...

dave500 · « **Reply #26 on:** November 28, 2014, 01:48:15 PM »

never bottomed.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #27 on:** November 28, 2014, 01:54:35 PM »

Quote from: dave500 on November 28, 2014, 01:48:15 PM

never bottomed.

I have a couple of times, its like someone hitting your palms with a metal pipe and it jars and hurts like hell, It happened to me on the sunny coast a few years ago and bounced the bars completely out of my hands, made up 2 small spacers for the springs and put new fluid in, that was on a GPX750 Kawasaki..

dave500 · « **Reply #28 on:** November 28, 2014, 02:14:49 PM »

use less oil for a softer ride,not ridiculously less!about 20-30ml less,factory level is for worldwide distribution,you can work out what works for you with trial and error,ideally youll measure the actual level in the tubes not the amount that goes in,so one leg may in fact have more or less than the other,irregularites in the construction on the parts is why its best to measure if you want to be sure,thats getting super fussy though I just measure an amount.

gregripko · « **Reply #29 on:** November 28, 2014, 02:32:03 PM »

How would you measure the liquid in the forks? Straw? Stick? I've always just drained it, pumped the forks, and used a measuring cup to fill back up.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #30 on:** November 28, 2014, 02:39:57 PM »

Quote from: dave500 on November 28, 2014, 02:14:49 PM

use less oil for a softer ride,not ridiculously less!about 20-30ml less,factory level is for worldwide distribution,you can work out what works for you with trial and error,ideally youll measure the actual level in the tubes not the amount that goes in,so one leg may in fact have more or less than the other,irregularites in the construction on the parts is why its best to measure if you want to be sure,thats getting super fussy though I just measure an amount.

Sorry, not nit picking Dave, I just err on the side of caution with advice due to the noob factor, I'd hate to see someone that didn't know better put half as much oil in to soften up his ride and find out the hard way....

{its happened somewhere

} You did see the thread where the guy put NOS energy drink into his GSXR and wondered why it ran like sh1t..? He'd seen NOS used on motorcycles on the internet and wanted to do it to his bike....LMAO

http://www.gixxer.com/forums/showthread.php?t=226570

The #$%* starts flying halfway down page 2 when they realise he put energy drink in his bike........

scunny · « **Reply #31 on:** November 28, 2014, 03:55:09 PM »

Mick, what sort of NOS energy drink will make my bike meaner than hell ?
I've tried a cup of tea and a look around but didn't notice any discernible difference with my butt dyno.

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #32 on:** November 28, 2014, 05:16:44 PM »

Quote from: scunny on November 28, 2014, 03:55:09 PM

Mick, what sort of NOS energy drink will make my bike meaner than hell ?
I've tried a cup of tea and a look around but didn't notice any discernible difference with my butt dyno.

Rum Scunny, you should know better than that....

dave500 · « **Reply #33 on:** November 28, 2014, 06:07:43 PM »

Quote from: gregripko on November 28, 2014, 02:32:03 PM

How would you measure the liquid in the forks? Straw? Stick? I've always just drained it, pumped the forks, and used a measuring cup to fill back up.

yeah thats all you ever need to do,you could slightly over fill the forks,then dangle a tube into them a measured length and suck the excess out to a level the same on both sides,for example on bikes that don't have fork drain plugs!!

how exact are replacement aftermarket tubes?if the wall is thicker or thinner that will affect the oil level,or replacement springs with more or less turns from thicker or thinner wire?used together?

bjbuchanan · « **Reply #34 on:** November 29, 2014, 09:20:46 AM »

Quote from: gregripko on November 28, 2014, 02:32:03 PM

How would you measure the liquid in the forks? Straw? Stick? I've always just drained it, pumped the forks, and used a measuring cup to fill back up.

Go to the dollar store and get a pack of spray bottle tops. Cut the stem, measured from the base of the screw on cap, 6". Compress the fork leg (slowly!) and stick the tube in the vertical fork. Spray any excess fluid back in to the bottle. Now you have the perfect matching height with little effort at all. I do this when overhauling forks because it is easier.

You can do it with the front wheel removed and the bike supported carefully with the fork's compressed. It takes some careful work but you don't have to take the front end apart this way

gregripko · « **Reply #35 on:** November 29, 2014, 10:14:07 AM »

Would this method work across all cbs though? I would imagine the forks having different recommended measurements. This is a clever idea though if the measurement of 6" is right.

Fork tube length - 6" = recommended amount ?

*also would have to account for springs taking up volume within the forks

robvangulik · « **Reply #36 on:** November 29, 2014, 01:42:37 PM »

Quote from: dave500 on June 29, 1974, 12:24:46 AM

yeah thats all you ever need to do,you could slightly over fill the forks,then dangle a tube into them a measured length and suck the excess out to a level the same on both sides,for example on bikes that don't have fork drain plugs!!

You're almost right, only unnecessary complicated, do dangle a tube of THE measured length in the (compressed)
forkleg and blow through it while pouring oil in, the moment you hear bubbling you've reached the desired amount.
You can't get it more exact!

bjbuchanan · « **Reply #37 on:** November 29, 2014, 02:23:07 PM »

Quote from: gregripko on November 29, 2014, 10:14:07 AM

Would this method work across all cbs though? I would imagine the forks having different recommended measurements. This is a clever idea though if the measurement of 6" is right.

Fork tube length - 6" = recommended amount ?

*also would have to account for springs taking up volume within the forks

You take the springs out. The fork tubes are totally compressed in to the lowers, bottomed out. 6" is a good baseline across the board, that is what your mL measurements are trying to achieve, a fluid height in the tubes.

robvangulik · « **Reply #38 on:** November 29, 2014, 02:29:03 PM »

Even in my CBR1000f the fluid heigth (or better the room above) is given as 148 mm. which is about 6" almost on the dot.

gregripko · « **Reply #39 on:** December 10, 2014, 11:20:36 AM »

I'll probably use that spray bottle method..... Was pumping out the old fork oil and using a measuring cup to refill the forks a horrible method? What are the downsides of doing this way?

gregripko · « **Reply #40 on:** December 10, 2014, 12:09:46 PM »

Seems like the levels would vary based upon the manuals recommendations

Deltarider · « **Reply #41 on:** December 10, 2014, 01:36:58 PM »

Quote

upon the manuals recommendations

What source is that?

gregripko · « **Reply #42 on:** December 10, 2014, 02:19:43 PM »

CB550 Clymer Manual

750cafe · « **Reply #43 on:** December 10, 2014, 06:47:31 PM »

NEVER put in less oil for a softer ride! Who ever said that is completely WRONG!!! Use a lighter weight oil if you want softer dampening.

Eric

dave500 · « **Reply #44 on:** December 10, 2014, 07:31:37 PM »

use lighter oil and less of it if you want.

goldarrow · « **Reply #45 on:** December 10, 2014, 07:54:42 PM »

45 posts and still trying to decide on fork oil??? Wow.

Stev-o · « **Reply #46 on:** December 10, 2014, 08:58:15 PM »

46. Use freakin ATF!

gregripko · « **Reply #47 on:** December 10, 2014, 10:17:46 PM »

People are pretty passionate about what goes in their forks

Retro Rocket · « **Reply #48 on:** December 10, 2014, 10:25:02 PM »

Quote from: 750cafe on December 10, 2014, 06:47:31 PM

NEVER put in less oil for a softer ride! Who ever said that is completely WRONG!!! Use a lighter weight oil if you want softer dampening.

Eric

I have to agree with Eric here, you'll never get that advice from a good shop....

dave500 · « **Reply #49 on:** December 10, 2014, 11:38:03 PM »

if you've never heard of increasing or decreasing the amount of oil in forks to adjust its ride im dumbfounded mick?its a normal thing to do.

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Author Topic: Forking Motor Oil (Read 10955 times)