You will need to remove the caps to refill the fork tubes with oil. Determine if the fork legs have oil drain plugs near the bottom of the legs. If they do, you are in luck and will be able to change the oil without removing the fork legs.
Does fork oil need to be changed?
Refreshing your fork oil should be part of your yearly motorcycle maintenance schedule. ... The oil in your fork loses lubricity, gets dirty, and should be changed every 10,000 miles or once a year .
Is it hard to change fork oil?
Changing the oil on a set of conventional forks is fairly easy, with no special tools needed . USD forks are a little trickier and will need a spring compressor tool and maybe a pin spanner to remove the top plug depending on the model. Check your service manual for specifics.
How do you refill fork oil?
You will need to remove the caps to refill the fork tubes with oil. ... If they do, you are in luck and will be able to change the oil without removing the fork legs. Put old newspapers on the floor under the front end. Place a drain pan under the fork legs and remove the drain plugs, one side at a time.
What happens if you ride with no fork oil?
With no oil in the forks your bike will slowly start to rust , starting from the forks themselves. It’s just like cancer.
How often should I change my fork oil?
The oil in your fork loses lubricity, gets dirty, and should be changed every 10,000 miles or once a year .
How much does it cost to change fork oil?
For this I usually get about $150-$250 with them on the bike, less if they are off. In all actuality if it was a set of forks that I had recently serviced and I could guarantee the oil level and type was right I would charge about $50 on the bike to just to swap springs.
What does adding more fork oil do?
Adding oil to your forks reduces the air volume . Since air is compressible, a smaller airspace is harder to compress than a larger airspace, which results in a stiffer fork.
Can you change fork seals without disassembly?
You can’t replace the seals without disassembly (you wouldn’t even want to). The seal you see on the outside is a dust seal. The one leaking is on the inside and the bushings get replaced at the same time.
Will Fork oil damage paint?
The oil will not harm your paint if it gets on it .
When should you replace fork seals?
Once both the forks are clean, take your bike out for a quick spin. If you notice oil or grime around the forks at the end of your ride , there’s a good chance that the fork seals need to be replaced. To prevent any further damage, you should get the seals replaced.
When should I change my fork oil seals?
Fork seals should be replaced after 40 hours of riding or two years if you don’t ride very often . Even if you regularly clean the seals, they wear out eventually and leak no matter what you do to keep a tight seal.
How often should you change dirt bike fork oil?
Suspension tuners recommend fork oil be changed around 20 hours for maximum performance. But unless your a sensitive rider, or pretty serious racer, once a season is usually plenty fine.
What happens if you don’t replace fork seals?
This is a small circular ring that attaches to the bottom of the fork tube to keep the oil inside of the tube while you’re riding. Without this fork seal properly secured, your fork will leak that oil down the fork tube, and potentially onto your brake rotor and brake pads .
How hard is it to change fork seals?
Fortunately, fork-seal replacement is generally uncomplicated . As always, the task is easier if you get your tools and supplies ready. You’ll need whatever tools are necessary to remove the fork tubes from the bike, plus a hex socket to fit the socket-head bolt securing damping rod or cartridge.
