Fork oil fluid level

[racerrad8]

the seal is slid down the OD of the tube after fork assembly.  Just a thought.

Ed, you stole my final point of this attempt to change fork oil without disassembly.

Randy- RPM

[faser41]

Next time I wanna buy randy's tool for the measurement method. I didn't trust mine completely but ended up putting just a skosh over 14oz. per leg. I'm gonna be doing the conversion here soon anyway (thanks to some of you here), and I figured eh? Can't be any worse, I only got less than 20 oz. total of the old fluid and drained them both completely.

[yamaha fj rider]

I have just never bought one of the fork oil level tools. I think they are a great idea. What I have done for years is to use paper. I cut it into strips about three quarters of an inch wide and as long as needed. Then add oil, checking it with the strip untill it just touches the strip. With the top of the the strip even with the top of the fork tube. I think that I can get both sides within about one mm of each other. If you overfill a fork with oil and need to remove a small amount just use a straw. Insert the straw into the fork oil cover the end and remove, repeat as necessary. Hope this helps.

Kurt

[Bones]

I use a tape measure, just pull out to the desired length insert into fork leg and add oil a bit at a time until it just touches the metal tip on the end.

[Arnie]

Go to the local chemist (pharmacy) or rural feed store and purchase a 10 or 20cc disposable syringe.
put an O-ring around the barrel of the syringe, and a short tube on the tip where the needle is supposed to go.
Now, set distance of the O-ring to the tip of the added tube to the level you want the fork oil to be.
Fill the fork leg approx the height you want
Place the syringe in the fork with the O-ring resting on the lip of the fork tube.
If the tip of the tube is not in the fork oil, add some more oil.
Withdraw the plunger to suck excess oil from the fork discarding the excess if necessary.
Repeat for the other fork leg.

This will be the equal of any commercial fork oil setting device in accuracy and cost you less than $1

If you like and use this, send tips to Marsh to help maintain the site.

Arnie
 

[yamaha fj rider]

I have been thinking about the question. Changing/checking the oil with the forks still on the bike. Something to ask is, how often do you need to do this? Lets say every other year. How much time and effort will this save? Lastly the steering head bearings need to be repacked. When servicing the forks, is when I chose to do this. You will still from time to time need to do this, that requires removal of the forks.

Kurt

[faser41]

I have been thinking about the question. Changing/checking the oil with the forks still on the bike. Something to ask is, how often do you need to do this? Lets say every other year. How much time and effort will this save? Lastly the steering head bearings need to be repacked. When servicing the forks, is when I chose to do this. You will still from time to time need to do this, that requires removal of the forks.

Kurt

I would agree on "every other year" on the fork oil but my thing is I don't check for fluid level I just like to change the oil, and sometimes upgrade the spring depending upon my static and rider sag. It has been my experience that the proper spring rate and a dialed in rebound and compression gives me all the confidence in the world on the road and I can notice the difference in geometry the minute I sit on one bike to the next. As I am sure we all can. Good point also on the head bearings, this is something I have always been lazy about and should not be. Duly noted! Cheers!

[racerrad8]

So, I pulled my forks down to install the RPM fork valves on my 92 today. I took a video of the spring pressure of the top caps with the new RPM springs & valves installed.

The stock springs, with the preload set to the softest setting had zero preload so I did not take a video of that.

As you can see I easily install the cap with just two fingers.

Randy - RPM
Fork top cap pre-load

[faser41]

Thanks again Randy for all the help---brake pads are the bomb, now before I even get 300 miles on this bike it will have the following: new fork oil, new brake pads and fluid, new battery, new left hand mirror, carb sync. and valve adjustment, new chain and sprockets, new spark plugs and air filter...