OVERLOOKED Maintenance
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 13,402
Likes: 941
From: Illinois
Good point Gump. Even dealers miss many things at the scheduled intervals. That' why I take my service manual and go item by item through the list. That way I know it was done and done correctly.
Banned
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,719
Likes: 1
HighGear, HD forks aint too bad, drainingand filling, it's when you gotta put that plug back in that'll make you feel like a monkey stuffin a cork in an elephant's ***. Have yer cam handy, it'll make for good laffs at the next party! 
kpolak, yes you can do it on the bike. At least on mine you can. Raise front wheel off the floor. Take caps off of fork tubes, put drain pan under and remove plug. Some people pour the fluid in the top, (might make it easier/less messy since the plug will be in).
Some, like me, squeeze it up from the bottom plug hole. I used a brake bleeder attached to the top, and pulled it up from bottom with the suction, hoping there wouldn't be any air trapped in there. Messy job puttin the plug back in tho, and ya gotta be quick or you lose fluid! That's where the scene resembling the monkey and elephant comes in...
kpolak, yes you can do it on the bike. At least on mine you can. Raise front wheel off the floor. Take caps off of fork tubes, put drain pan under and remove plug. Some people pour the fluid in the top, (might make it easier/less messy since the plug will be in).
Some, like me, squeeze it up from the bottom plug hole. I used a brake bleeder attached to the top, and pulled it up from bottom with the suction, hoping there wouldn't be any air trapped in there. Messy job puttin the plug back in tho, and ya gotta be quick or you lose fluid! That's where the scene resembling the monkey and elephant comes in...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,334
Likes: 0
Kinda spooked me from trying any heavy street bikes , mine's way over due better start
eatin my Wheaties
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,389
Likes: 26
From: Windham,Maine
No doubt good info Gump,at lot of riders will be more aware,at least those that want to.Brings back memories of my old rides when oils were crude and hardly ever changed.Actually they were constantly dumping it on the ground so a fresh supply was always added.My very early bikes had no filtering,of course those bikes could have 80/90 in all holes.
While we're on the subject, don't forget to check all critical fasteners every couple of rides this spring. Loc-tite can loosen up and 30 minutes checking now saves a whole lot of headache and money later.
Check you tires, belt and SPOKES as well (for those of us who have spokes)
One last thing, check the adjustments in your throttle cable and clutch.
Check you tires, belt and SPOKES as well (for those of us who have spokes)
One last thing, check the adjustments in your throttle cable and clutch.
Last edited by stupid_rope; Jan 27, 2010 at 05:48 AM.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 3,909
Likes: 6
From: Livingston, Texas
Lord knows, we get way more than enough "ALL 3 Holes" and What oil, threads.
Seems MOST on here, are amply aware, and as you know, opinions vary widely.
There are two other 'fluid' items, that NEED regular maintenance, just NOT daily, weekly or monthly, or before riding.
With 'winter' here, GOOD time, for both.
1. Brake Fluid - most manuf. recommend changing it out, at least every 2 years. We, INCLUDING ME, got rather complacent about this, when the MoCo switched us to DOT 5.
Now that they have gone to 4, we need to get 'back into the routine'.
DOT 3 and 4, are Hygroscopic, meaning, they have an affinity(absorb) for water.
DOT 5, does not (silicone based)
The fluid you see in the master cyl. MAY look just fine. But if you have 3 or 4, it's got H2O in it. The more humidity where you live, the worse.
This is bad, for 2 reasons.
Rust, self explanatory.
And BOILING. Yes, the h2o will 'boil' under the extreme pressure in the system, even at room temp. Can you say, SPONGY brakes when you MASH on them hardest in an EMERGENCY?? (Steam is compressible)
2. Forks and Fork Oil. Prob'ly the MOST overlooked. Great article in this or last months "The Horse".
This is that "frog in the water, on the stove" thing. Such a gradual change, we don't realize it.
Dust and impurities will follow the tube as it travels in and out past the seal.
Also, just by changing the 'weight' (5w, 10w,15w, etc), you can change the handling.
For the "average" guy, just changing it, and putting in the same weight, will bring it back close to 'new' characteristics.
IF you have a mind to, try different weights. Not difficult. JUST remember to pay attention to the manual. There are dry, and wet, amounts of oil. If you are just changing it, use the 'wet' #. Pull it all apart, clean it, reassemble, use the "dry" #.
But change it out. You WILL notice how far from 'new' you've gone !!!!!
Those of you, who LOVE to carve canyons, prob'ly know this, already.
IF you ever messed around with the old forks, they came from Japan, with FISH OIL in 'em. Open one of them critters up, on a 15 yr old scoot. CLEAR a shop out FASTER than runnin' outta beer !!!!!!!!!
THIS IS, a lot o' work. SO, chit can the front brake, change to a girder, springer, or a Kiwi. REALLY cuts down on the 'time' to accomplish 'said' maintenance. Bwahahahahaha
.
Seems MOST on here, are amply aware, and as you know, opinions vary widely.
There are two other 'fluid' items, that NEED regular maintenance, just NOT daily, weekly or monthly, or before riding.
With 'winter' here, GOOD time, for both.
1. Brake Fluid - most manuf. recommend changing it out, at least every 2 years. We, INCLUDING ME, got rather complacent about this, when the MoCo switched us to DOT 5.
Now that they have gone to 4, we need to get 'back into the routine'.
DOT 3 and 4, are Hygroscopic, meaning, they have an affinity(absorb) for water.
DOT 5, does not (silicone based)
The fluid you see in the master cyl. MAY look just fine. But if you have 3 or 4, it's got H2O in it. The more humidity where you live, the worse.
This is bad, for 2 reasons.
Rust, self explanatory.
And BOILING. Yes, the h2o will 'boil' under the extreme pressure in the system, even at room temp. Can you say, SPONGY brakes when you MASH on them hardest in an EMERGENCY?? (Steam is compressible)
2. Forks and Fork Oil. Prob'ly the MOST overlooked. Great article in this or last months "The Horse".
This is that "frog in the water, on the stove" thing. Such a gradual change, we don't realize it.
Dust and impurities will follow the tube as it travels in and out past the seal.
Also, just by changing the 'weight' (5w, 10w,15w, etc), you can change the handling.
For the "average" guy, just changing it, and putting in the same weight, will bring it back close to 'new' characteristics.
IF you have a mind to, try different weights. Not difficult. JUST remember to pay attention to the manual. There are dry, and wet, amounts of oil. If you are just changing it, use the 'wet' #. Pull it all apart, clean it, reassemble, use the "dry" #.
But change it out. You WILL notice how far from 'new' you've gone !!!!!
Those of you, who LOVE to carve canyons, prob'ly know this, already.
IF you ever messed around with the old forks, they came from Japan, with FISH OIL in 'em. Open one of them critters up, on a 15 yr old scoot. CLEAR a shop out FASTER than runnin' outta beer !!!!!!!!!
THIS IS, a lot o' work. SO, chit can the front brake, change to a girder, springer, or a Kiwi. REALLY cuts down on the 'time' to accomplish 'said' maintenance. Bwahahahahaha
.
