1997 flhtcui

Replacing the fork oil on the above bike, (it does have 03-07 lower legs)
I removed the fork leg to replace a seal, and put it back on the bike.
The manual states 287 ml, so I did that on one leg so far and it is full right to the top, so that a small bit spilled over.
That seems like a LOT of oil.
I'm hoping there is air trapped in there and once I pressurize the fork air it will work it's way out.
Anyone have experience with this?

Thanks.

 

7.75 oz/ 229.2 CC on oil change using the bottom side bolt to drain,
8.5oz/251.3 CC if rebuilding the forks, and apart to complete drain and clean instead.


So on that note since you did spill, would pull the drain bolt again to draln down what oils is in the forks,
Bolt 26,


And this time on refilling from the top with forks in triple tree still, only half the amount per forks, get the bike off the lift to nose dive compress the forks a few times to bled out the trapped air in the dampening rod section/transfer inner fluid to out void area in lower section, then put the bike back on lift, to add in the last of the fork oil.

As for fork oil, not sure what weight your using,
but very good combo, is 15wt in the front forks to factory amounts,
And 10W @ 10.5oz per shock in the rear shocks.

The factory oem fluid weighs are 10 weight in forks/7 weights in the shocks, and can end up with suspension dampening a bit too marsh-mellowing isntead.

As for air pressure in shock and forks, its not used to change dampening, but to just set pre sag ride height front and back alone. I run my at about 6lbs for solo on the 97, but if your riding two up, may want to bump to around 10lb without bags max packed, then even more if S/O really likes to pack the bags to the brim for trips.
Note, make sure to use shock pump, since max lbis 25 max for forks,and 35 max for shocks ,and without shock pump and using air compressor instead, way too each to blow the shocks and forks seals with way to much pressure.


Note, should be sticker in the front inside of the right hand side saddle bag, showing the lower max pressures of the 97 suspension.
If missing, let me know and can take photo to post it. to post so you can copy to print is on label maker and post it in the saddle back again (not sure if HD is still selling them, or someone is making repo strickers.

 

Thanks for the reply.

Where did you get those fork oil numbers from?
I got the 287 ml number from the manual that would be 9.7 oz
I am using 15wt this time around.
The half filling and then bouncing sounds like a real good idea, thanks.