Draining front fork oil and filling with heavier weight... How to? Advise?

[nidyanazo]

Hey guys I want to increase my damping in my front fork, so can you explain how to drain and fill the forks? What's the best weight oil to use?

Thanks!

PS

I already have the progress of shocks in the back

 

[naughtyG]

Normal fork oil is 10W, for a bit heavier usually you go to 15W. You also safely use ATF - it's very much the same stuff.

To drain is easy:
- put bike on center stand, then jack up under motor so front wheel is in the air
- remove brake calipers, tie them aside
- remove front wheel
- remove fork brace and front fender
- loosen the triple trees, slide the fork tubes out
- make sure to let any air pressure out or you'll get a lot of mess
- remove the fork caps (watch out for the spring tension)
- upside down to drain the oil (spacers, washers and fork springs will fall out)

Then to refill, fill up with new oil (see picture for amount), then add the spring, washer, spacer and put it all back together.

Make sure to do one fork tube at a time, and download the service manual from www.vmaxoutlaw.com - it makes life a lot easier!

If you want MUCH better damping though, instead of changing the oil, invest in a pair of Ricor Intiminators - they make a world of difference. You simply drop them under the springs, shorten the spacers slightly and refill with 10W. www.ricorshocks.com

 

[dannymax]

The oil can be removed by pulling the forks, removing the plastic covers and top bolts and tipping them upside down....the fork spring will come out also so be ready for them.

I don't care for this method as it doesn't get all the graphite type sludge out from the bottoms, only complete dis-assembly and cleaning will do that.

 

[Fire-medic]

I suggest using an old-fashioned speed-handle to re-tighten the fork caps. Reverse-thread the caps until you feel the starter thread "drop" to indicate that you have correct and proper thread alignment, to eliminate any-chance of cross-threading the caps, and then while bearing-down on the offset handle, tighten-away! By-far the easiest way I know to do the cap replacement. Just be-sure that you position the speed-handle at the same angle as the downtube/slider ass'y. so you don't 'cock-sideways' the cap while tightening it.

I have straight-wound Race-Tech springs and RICOR's. A good combo.