changing fork oil

[Dr. Jay]

Hi All,

The service manual for my 87 FJ says "remove the cap bolt assembly. Use use the Damper Rod Holder (YM - 01388) " There is no picture of the tool or mention of how it is to be used.  Do I really need it or can I do the disassembly without it? Alternatively, if it is necessary is it something that can be easily made by me without welding equipment? I really would like to change the oil for this weekends riding but am afraid to dive in and hit a snag after starting the job. I've searched all the maintenance threads and have not found any description of how to do this seemingly simple routine maintenance job. I could sure use some help from someone who knows how to do it from start to finish.

Thanks In Advance!

Dr. Jay

[mz_rider]

Hi All,

The service manual for my 87 FJ says "remove the cap bolt assembly. Use use the Damper Rod Holder (YM - 01388) " There is no picture of the tool or mention of how it is to be used.  Do I really need it or can I do the disassembly without it? Alternatively, if it is necessary is it something that can be easily made by me without welding equipment? I really would like to change the oil for this weekends riding but am afraid to dive in and hit a snag after starting the job. I've searched all the maintenance threads and have not found any description of how to do this seemingly simple routine maintenance job. I could sure use some help from someone who knows how to do it from start to finish.

Thanks In Advance!

Dr. Jay

Jay,

The tool is used to dismantle the forks. It is not needed if you are only changing the oil. The tool is a 27mm hex on the end of a bar to hold the damper whilst the screw on the end of the fork is loosened. I made one from a large bolt attached to a socket extension.

Stuart

[hpras]

You can also use a 27mm wrench and your rear axle nut.  It's 27mm.  Just have to put the preload up to full soft, drop the nut in, enough should stick out to grab with the wrench.  Worked for me.

[Dr. Jay]

Thanks Guys!

I am going to jump on it today as soon as I get off work.  Also, as I found in another thread, it looks like I'll be using Chrysler ATF instead of trying to track down 10 W fork oil. Since I have owned the bike since 1993 and have never changed the fork oil, it will be interesting to see what is in there and what effect changing it has.

Dr. Jay

[mz_rider]

Thanks Guys!

I am going to jump on it today as soon as I get off work.  Also, as I found in another thread, it looks like I'll be using Chrysler ATF instead of trying to track down 10 W fork oil. Since I have owned the bike since 1993 and have never changed the fork oil, it will be interesting to see what is in there and what effect changing it has.

Dr. Jay

Jay,

17 year old fork oil? - should look like runny, brown yogurt! No blown seals in that time?

Stuart

[pdxfj]

Might as well change the fork seals while you're at it.

The olecseals won't hold up to the pressure of the new oil and you'll blow one or both.

Don't use any seals with the name of Leak Proof.  Randy sells a kit with new seals and wipers and is a great guy to work with.

[andyb]

More the opposite.. The oil is gone because the seals are probably expired years ago.

You'll also need likely to sand the upper tubes nice and smooth (go along them, not around them btw, even though it's more difficult).

The big mod that I'd do while I was in there would be to install some form of fork protection, the little rock guard sort of things.

For oil, I want to say I went up to 15w, but found an equivalent in 10w30, and it worked great

[pdxfj]

My experience with the same situation of not servicing the forks for a very long period of time then changing just the fork oil and nothing else results in the seals not holding.

Last time I ran into it was a few years ago on a bike that had very little maintenance done to it since it was new.  The fork seals were not leaking, but what came out of them wasn't anything I would call oil anymore.  It had broken down into some really nasty smelly stuff.  I advised the owner of the bike that new seals needed to be installed otherwise they might not make it to the rally.  Original 15+ year old seals were kept in place and fresh oil was put into the forks.  Sure enough the right seal gave up half way to the rally and blew oil all over the faring, bike and him.  By the time he got home from the rally the left side had started leaking.

If the forks have truly never been serviced in that amount of time, then he'll want to also get new bushings and springs.

Good point on sanding the upper tubes, I forgot to mention that.  Get some fine wet/dry sand paper.  I use some light machine oil or WD40 to wet the sand paper then lightly sand the rough edges off nicks in the tubes.