change fork oil using drain plugs??

[ruddiger]

hi all,

i had a fork seal leak and a good bit of the oil on 1 side came out, i got the seal back in and its not leaking anymore but i need to fill up the oil again,

i was told by a friend i can get a tool that can be used to fill up the oil using the drain/bleed plug hole.

anybody know of such a tool or another way i can fill the oil without removing the forks?

cheers in advance

[blensen]

You won't need to remove the forks to fill them. You can drain the old oil using the drain screw on each fork and add new oil by removing the caps on the tops. Getting the level right will be slightly more difficult with the forks on the bike. Just make sure they're straight up and down and then fill to 4" from the top.

[haro504]

are those caps under pressure from the spring and the weight of the bike id be careful taking them off

[delvryboy]

Technically, you should be able to do one side at a time. However, I would support the front end.

I could be wrong(more than likely), but isn't the oil level suppossed to be measured without the spring and fully compressed?

[thatkid]

are those caps under pressure from the spring and the weight of the bike

Yes

I could be wrong(more than likely), but isn't the oil level suppossed to be measured without the spring and fully compressed?

You are correct Sir

Filling with oil when the inner fork is not fully bottomed, will created too much pressure on the newly replaced oil seals, causing them to fail.

"More haste less speed"

[blensen]

Sorry for the bad advice! I just did my fork seals too (forks off the bike) so I should have remembered the part about the fork being fully compressed. Anyway, it's not a tough job to remove the forks. If you have the tools and a way to keep the front end off the ground it shouldn't take more than an hour or so.

[ruddiger]

cheers guys,
bit confused now!

so do i remove the caps and then raise the front end off the ground or do i have to have them compressed?

also if i take the caps off will i need a special tool to get them back on?

[DonTZ125]

Get the weight off the front end, or you risk embedding the fork cap in your forehead (or over your neighbour's garden fence). The caps will go back on by hand, tighten with hand tools, so long as the springs aren't compressed.

[ruddiger]

Get the weight off the front end, or you risk embedding the fork cap in your forehead .

heh....that make sense!!

nice cheers man, ill try sort it this eve so.

is it pretty straight forward?...drain oil, lift front end, take caps off, fill with right amount of oil, replace caps...sorted?
never messed with the forks feally!

[DonTZ125]

Sometimes, it really isn't hard...

[ruddiger]

SORTED,
cheers guys that was pretty easy

thanks for the help

[yamaha_george]

SORTED,
cheers guys that was pretty easy

thanks for the help

Ahhh. Another satisfied customer :-}

[ragedigital]

is it pretty straight forward?...drain oil, lift front end, take caps off, fill with right amount of oil, replace caps...sorted?

1. Lift Frond End (It is best to have the forks off the bike to ensure proper measurement of oil.)
2. Remove Fork Caps. (Be sure to wear eye protection.)
3. Drain Oil
4. Remove Pre-load tube(s) and Spring(s)
5. Compress Fork(s)
6. Replace Oil Drain Plug(s)
7. Fill with Fork Oil (10WT recommended by Yamaha Manual) to 4" below top of inner fork tube (forks compressed / springs removed).
8. Re-install springs, Pre-load tubes and caps.

[yamaha_george]

is it pretty straight forward?...drain oil, lift front end, take caps off, fill with right amount of oil, replace caps...sorted?

1. Lift Frond End (It is best to have the forks off the bike to ensure proper measurement of oil.)
2. Remove Fork Caps. (Be sure to wear eye protection.)
3. Drain Oil
4. Remove Pre-load tube(s) and Spring(s)
5. Compress Fork(s)
6. Replace Oil Drain Plug(s)
7. Fill with Fork Oil (10WT recommended by Yamaha Manual) to 4" below top of inner fork tube (forks compressed / springs removed).
8. Re-install springs, Pre-load tubes and caps.

Not bad Rage you ever thought of starting a web site to help bikers?

you did miss one or two thing though according to the yammy manuals of old, flush the forks before replacing the drain caps, you would not believe how sludge filled old fork oil can be also be sure to use a new gasket fibre washer likely to be a bit compressed after up to what 21 years ?

[ragedigital]

Not bad Rage you ever thought of starting a web site to help bikers?

That's just not my thing... ...