Fork oil change going disastrously wrong
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 89
From: Missouri
Fork oil change going disastrously wrong
Oh boy I got myself in a pickle. I tried to change the fork oil. I had already gotten to the point where the the headlights and the nacelle is off. Then I drained the fork oil. All's good to this point till I went to refill the fluid. I tried my MityVac to fill the fluid,no good. Tried a small medical syringe,no good. All I've been able to do is put more fluid on my garage floor than in the forks. I mean the hole is very small. Any suggestions to fill the fork,instead of art work on the floor?
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 89
From: Missouri
That what I was doing,filling from the top.
I had already put the drain plug back in before I tried refilling.
VERY TEMPTING.......but I was trying to refill without taking the front end apart any further. However that isn't working very well. What size is that nut?
I had already put the drain plug back in before I tried refilling.
VERY TEMPTING.......but I was trying to refill without taking the front end apart any further. However that isn't working very well. What size is that nut?
Last edited by Ozark Joe; Jan 2, 2017 at 09:15 PM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 89
From: Missouri
Yes but what it says and applying what it says is 2 different things.Sometimes it's vague.
The whole front end is from a Road King I suspect.
Tried that. Kinda hard to apply techniques to a Frankenstein.
The whole front end is from a Road King I suspect.
Tried that. Kinda hard to apply techniques to a Frankenstein.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 27,097
Likes: 4,676
From: Frozelandia, Minnysota
If your setup has the small threaded plug in the top fork cap and you're filling through that, you might be getting an air bubble acting like a stopper in there. Try pushing the forks down a bit (compressing), put a little fluid in, let the forks up to suck the fluid in, push the forks down, repeat. Can take a lot of patience. Helps to have a second person pushing on the forks - hold the brake while pushing forward, awkward to do by yourself.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 89
From: Missouri
If your setup has the small threaded plug in the top fork cap and you're filling through that, you might be getting an air bubble acting like a stopper in there. Try pushing the forks down a bit (compressing), put a little fluid in, let the forks up to suck the fluid in, push the forks down, repeat. Can take a lot of patience. Helps to have a second person pushing on the forks - hold the brake while pushing forward, awkward to do by yourself.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 100,455
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From: Centennial, CO
If your setup has the small threaded plug in the top fork cap and you're filling through that, you might be getting an air bubble acting like a stopper in there. Try pushing the forks down a bit (compressing), put a little fluid in, let the forks up to suck the fluid in, push the forks down, repeat. Can take a lot of patience. Helps to have a second person pushing on the forks - hold the brake while pushing forward, awkward to do by yourself.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
As misfitjason said, you could take the retaining cap off, and it would be wide open to pour the oil in. Then you'd have the fun of compressing the spring and trying to get the caps started on again. That's not always so bad, but not all forks are the same.
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Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 1,482
Likes: 89
From: Missouri
Good point,but not sure what size that cap is.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
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From: SW Ohio
Depending on how many miles are on the forks you might be half *ssing the job. If there are 40k miles on those forks I'd take them apart and change the bushings and seals. Then I'd measure the fork oil volume (from the top) as opposed to putting in X amount of ounces. For less than a hundred fifty bucks you could do the job AND throw in a set of Progressive springs.
I've learned how to make a job go fast; skip the shortcuts.
I've learned how to make a job go fast; skip the shortcuts.
