Adding Oil to Forks??

[Yusiro]

Hello Again all,

After riding my bike (1982 xs400 heritage special) for a few hundred miles, I have come to the conclusion that my forks are far to soft. Using the zip-tie test, they are traveling up about 2/3 of the way up the fork (coming up to around 4 inches below the top), and I can easily push them in that far sitting on the bike and pushing my weight forward.

The forks are the ONE thing I actually paid a shop to do on my bike, so needless to say I'm a little annoyed. I mentioned it to them but they wanted to charge me another 200$ to fix it... won't be going back there!

Is there any way that I can add fork oil without taking the whole thing apart? The seals are all good and new so I don't want to start ripping things apart.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, I want to take the girlfriend on a little trip on the weekend and would be more comfortable if the fork issue was solved.

Thanks very much in advance!

 

[HoughMade]

With the front wheel off the ground, take the rubber caps on the forks off. Then press the center of the steel cap below down with a large screwdriver or anything you can use to press it down. When pressed down far enough, a snap ring will be exposed that fits in a groove machined inside the fork leg. I used a pick and pried the snap ring out. With that out, slowly let the pressure off of the fork cap and the spring will push up. Take the spring out. Remove the drain screw from the fork lower and drain the fork oil.

Replace the fork oil. Yamaha suggests 20w oil or 10w30 oil- motor oil is fine. If you want it stiffer, use a slightly thicker oil. I am a slightly thicker person, so i use a slightly thicker oil- 15w40, same as the engine. Use 142cc (4.8 oz).

 

[Yusiro]

Thanks very much Houghmade. Clear and to the point.

SO glad I won't have to go back to the shop. I assume it will be very obvious where I should be pouring the oil back into.

Thanks again!

 

[HoughMade]

Pour it right in where you took the spring out right before you put the spring back in.

 

[drewpy]

i use 20w fork oil, the engine oil was too soft for me, i also followed the Minton mods (xs650 mods) for fork oil and meaured the height from the oil to the top of the fork.

I must admit it does handle very well

 

[MechNewb]

i use 20w fork oil, the engine oil was too soft for me, i also followed the Minton mods (xs650 mods) for fork oil and meaured the height from the oil to the top of the fork.

I must admit it does handle very well

Did you follow the other Minton Mods? Like drilling out the damper rod? Or just replacing the fork oil with heavier oil at a higher level was enough? I just purchased a bike and the front forks are quite soft so Im trying to get a handle on the best way of fixing this problem. Thanks.

 

[drewpy]

first yiu need o ensure the springs are not sagged.

I didn't drill any of mine (bottled it)

just progressive springs and 20w oil.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Im reading this thread cause I know I need to have this done on my bike how difficult is this to do for someone whos never done this before?Is there no other way but to take the forks apart?

 

[Specdog]

If you want to change your fork oil there are no short cuts here. Do it exactly like HoughMade said. The hardest part is removing the circlip, you'll wish you had three hands though. If you can't get the clip out, then just stop and declare failure, no damage done.

 

[Lou Ranger]

Hello Again all, ... Is there any way that I can add fork oil without taking the whole thing apart? ...

Since you recently had a shop redo the forks, there should be no reason that the spring clips and other bits won't come out of the top of the forks.

However, you can change the fork oil the MacGiver way if you are too scared to disassemble - or if the bits are totally seized at the top of the forks.

With a nearly empty gas tank, ride out to the edge of town where they used to lynch outlaws and drain the old oil out of the forks. Then, throw your lasso over the hanging branch and tie one end to the front of your bike. Elevate the front end until the drain holes are above the fork tops. Pour the requisite amount of HD fork oil in through each drain hole then replace the drain plugs.

 

[Scorpio1963]

HAHA Very funny Lou,I live out on the edge of town I could do this LOLSeriously though theres no shortcut our bikes arent like Harleys.The have end caps ontop of the forks that can be removed for easy oil adding.Guess the Japs werent as smart or maybe they were?Theye wasnt expecting a sight like this one to come along.

 

[Lou Ranger]

It is funny - at least the mental picture one conjures up is funny. But don't think I am kidding - I did it successfully with my sr250.

There was almost no oil in the forks when I got it and the top ends of the forks were completely seized - nothing was going to come out and no oil was going to go in.

Once the forks had a full complement of oil in them via the drain holes, the bike handled like a dream - huge improvement. They will present someone with a problem some day in the future when it comes time to change the fork seals, but until then changing just the oil each season will still be easy.

 

[Scorpio1963]

I dont have a tree thats big enough to do this but I bet and engine hoist that I have access to will work just as good.

 

[Scorpio1963]

So on this diagram what has to be taken apart to add the oil?I hope I dont have to take everything out the tree to do this?Looks intimidating.

 

[HoughMade]

Just support the front so the wheel is off the ground and remove the cap on top and the drain screw at the bottom (for, ya know, draining). Everything else stays in place.

 

[Lou Ranger]

On my old sr250 I could get the plastic cap off and that was it. Parts #1, #2 and #3 were completely seized in place and would not be dislodged.
Rather than resort to any non-recommended or untested crazy ideas like hammer and chisel or torching, I poured the new oil in through the holes the old oil came out of.
Not text book, but I'd like to think MacGiver would be proud.
The drain holes are not numbered or labelled on your diagram but they are shown at the bottom.
One more thing I forgot to mention earlier. If you battery is liquid filled, take it out before you hoist the front end. Don't need that kind of spill.

 

[Scorpio1963]

If you battery is liquid filled, take it out before you hoist the front end. Don't need that kind of spill.

Good point<I`ll probaly attempt this over the weekend ,I`ll post an update.

 

[Hishman]

Could someone point me in the right direction on the "minton mods"? I'm new to motorcycles and have no idea what you guys are talking about with this fork information.

 

[Scorpio1963]

Hishman this topic has to do with how your bike rides and if the forks are to soft or not.Not only will your bike not take bumps very well it will sag in the front when you ride and can cause your front end to become unstable.Not to mention 30 plus year old oil breaks down and needs to be changed to fresh.

 

[Scorpio1963]

I found this link to write up on how to do this for anyone else who needs to know.
http://www.fmbikes.com/2012/02/fork-seal-job-for-the-xs400/