Easy fork oil change
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 266
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
Easy fork oil change
I read a post on how to do it without taking the whole front of the bike off, so it got my attention as my bike is over due for a change. I had to get some clear hose and a small valve to plug off the drain hole, and the rest of what I used came with the mighty vac pump kit. Actually I borrowed my buddys pump. I don't know why Harley makes such a production of doing it as it took me 10 minutes to drain and fill each leg.What I did was remove the air valve in the left handgrip, drain the old oil,hook up the pump with a short piece of hose, pump all the vacuum you can get, I got between 10-11 lbs, with the hose and valve setup in the lower leg, fill a container with 8 oz's of fork oil,put hose end in oil, open valve and watch it get sucked in, replace drain plug. Hardly lost a drop putting the plug in. Not sure if I would run out of vacuum, I had my wife working the pump until all the oil was sucked in. Hope this helps someone do a job they've been puttin off.,,
Thread Starter
|
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,923
Likes: 266
From: Deep in the heart of New Jersey
It's not just them, the indy I use for tires wanted $200 to do it. He gave me a song and dance about having to remove the fork tubes, and measuring out the fluid so it's so many inches from the top of forks. The manual says to remove the fork caps and dump in 8 ozs of fluid. That's after you take the whole dash apart, and the outer fairing off.,
Club Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 3,193
Likes: 7
From: North Atlanta Area, GA
I read a post on how to do it without taking the whole front of the bike off, so it got my attention as my bike is over due for a change. I had to get some clear hose and a small valve to plug off the drain hole, and the rest of what I used came with the mighty vac pump kit. Actually I borrowed my buddys pump. I don't know why Harley makes such a production of doing it as it took me 10 minutes to drain and fill each leg.What I did was remove the air valve in the left handgrip, drain the old oil,hook up the pump with a short piece of hose, pump all the vacuum you can get, I got between 10-11 lbs, with the hose and valve setup in the lower leg, fill a container with 8 oz's of fork oil,put hose end in oil, open valve and watch it get sucked in, replace drain plug. Hardly lost a drop putting the plug in. Not sure if I would run out of vacuum, I had my wife working the pump until all the oil was sucked in. Hope this helps someone do a job they've been puttin off.,,
Road Master
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 817
Likes: 1
From: N.E. Ohio
I know the dealer buy me uses an electric vacum pump. I have used my Mighty vac from HF a few times. I always get new crush washers. This winter I am going to try to change the oil in my rear air shocks.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 795
Likes: 1
From: Richmond, VA
Trending Topics
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 20
From: Eagle River WI
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
10 Things Harley-Davidson Needs to Fix in 2026
Verdad Gallardo
Novice
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
Change the brake fluid the same way. It will push the air bubbles up and out the reservoir much quicker than the old way of trying to push the air down out of the blender valve. After all the air bubbles naturally want to rise...