change fork oil question
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 613
Likes: 33
From: East Alton, IL
change fork oil question
I have a 97 1200 that I bought in July 08 and have been thinking that the front forks seem a little spongey (if that is a word). It occured to me that since it's 12 years old with 18k miles it wouldn't hurt to just change the fork oil. It doesn't seem to be leaking unless it's all leaked out so I wasn't thinking about replacing the seals.
Can anyone point me to the instructions or at least a how to drain and how to re-fill the fork oil. Also I live in the St. Louis area so a suggestion as to which weight oil would be helpful. Average riding temp is between 30 and 90 degrees F.
Please don't point to a page in the maintenance manual. If I had one I wouldn't be posting the question here.
Thank you in advance.
Can anyone point me to the instructions or at least a how to drain and how to re-fill the fork oil. Also I live in the St. Louis area so a suggestion as to which weight oil would be helpful. Average riding temp is between 30 and 90 degrees F.
Please don't point to a page in the maintenance manual. If I had one I wouldn't be posting the question here.
Thank you in advance.
Extreme HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 10,471
Likes: 1
From: Heart of Missouri
Buy the DVD for your bike from fixmyhog.com they have an ad on this forum, it will show you step by step how to do it. Just take the dvd and a tv out to the garage with you and have fun wrenching your own bike. Shows you have to do all of the maintainance on you ride
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 38
From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
Sorry man but it's too involved to get into. Since your going to open them you may as well rebuild them. You can get diffenent spring rates for the from progessive or elsewhere, BUT the first thing you need to do is get the manual. 
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 531
Likes: 1
From: S.C.
Check your lower forks - just above the axle on part facing the rear of the bike there may be a small phillips head screw. If you have this, a drain screw, changing your fork oil is easy. Lift the bike on a jack until the front wheel is off the floor and secure the bike. Unscrew the fork cap on the top of your forks - watch out as this is under pressure from your fork springs (wear safety goggles and put you hand over the cap when unscrewing). Unscrew the small phillips head screw to drain your forks. When empty put the screw back in with a new metal washer, put new fork oil in (SE fork oil seems to be preferred by many) 9 oz (wet fork) and 10.2 oz.(dry fork) - since you're just draining the old oil use 9 oz ad your fork is still "wet" and put the fork cap back on using a new rubber washer (sorry, don't have torque value but S/B around 22 ft lbs). That's about it.
If you don't have the drain screw I'd suggest buying the manual as you'll have to remove the forks and invert them to drain.
If you don't have the drain screw I'd suggest buying the manual as you'll have to remove the forks and invert them to drain.
Last edited by EVO80; Jan 18, 2009 at 04:23 PM.
Thread Starter
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Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 613
Likes: 33
From: East Alton, IL
Thank you evo80! That's what I was looking for. I have been wrenching on cars, trucks, and bikes for about 30 years and I thought the procedure was the same or similiar to other bikes I've owned. Mainly I was looking for just that, an outline and what weight/brand oil and how much.
I guess the first two guys didn't read my last sentence specifically not to refer to a manual, I guess I forgot about the DVD so RDKingRider can be excused.
For future reference if someone should search this forum for some real help, not how stupid they are for not buying the manual, here is a step by step. In case you want to take the long involved process along with an expolded view of a typical motocycle fork assembly (1200s).
http://www.sportster.org/tech/1200sforks/
Please don't point to a page in the maintenance manual. If I had one I wouldn't be posting the question here.
For future reference if someone should search this forum for some real help, not how stupid they are for not buying the manual, here is a step by step. In case you want to take the long involved process along with an expolded view of a typical motocycle fork assembly (1200s).
http://www.sportster.org/tech/1200sforks/
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 7,604
Likes: 38
From: Landrum, SC , elevation 986'
I read your question pretty good. Just because you said not to say get a manual doesn't mean it's not the best suggestion you should do before wrenching on your bike. Never said you were stupid for not getting one, but you decide.
Road Master
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 1,083
Likes: 5
From: Berwick, Pa
Thank you evo80! That's what I was looking for. I have been wrenching on cars, trucks, and bikes for about 30 years and I thought the procedure was the same or similiar to other bikes I've owned. Mainly I was looking for just that, an outline and what weight/brand oil and how much.
I guess the first two guys didn't read my last sentence specifically not to refer to a manual, I guess I forgot about the DVD so RDKingRider can be excused.
For future reference if someone should search this forum for some real help, not how stupid they are for not buying the manual, here is a step by step. In case you want to take the long involved process along with an expolded view of a typical motocycle fork assembly (1200s).
http://www.sportster.org/tech/1200sforks/
I guess the first two guys didn't read my last sentence specifically not to refer to a manual, I guess I forgot about the DVD so RDKingRider can be excused.
For future reference if someone should search this forum for some real help, not how stupid they are for not buying the manual, here is a step by step. In case you want to take the long involved process along with an expolded view of a typical motocycle fork assembly (1200s).
http://www.sportster.org/tech/1200sforks/
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Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
I guess the first two guys didn't read my last sentence specifically not to refer to a manual, I guess I forgot about the DVD so RDKingRider can be excused.
For future reference if someone should search this forum for some real help, not how stupid they are for not buying the manual, here is a step by step. In case you want to take the long involved process along with an expolded view of a typical motocycle fork assembly (1200s).
http://www.sportster.org/tech/1200sforks/
I'm sure many members will make note of this and refrain from responding to any further requests you have for information. (To many rules to follow)
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 282
Likes: 42
From: Pennsylvania
Check your lower forks - just above the axle on part facing the rear of the bike there may be a small phillips head screw. If you have this, a drain screw, changing your fork oil is easy. Lift the bike on a jack until the front wheel is off the floor and secure the bike. Unscrew the fork cap on the top of your forks - watch out as this is under pressure from your fork springs (wear safety goggles and put you hand over the cap when unscrewing). Unscrew the small phillips head screw to drain your forks. When empty put the screw back in with a new metal washer, put new fork oil in (SE fork oil seems to be preferred by many) 9 oz (wet fork) and 10.2 oz.(dry fork) - since you're just draining the old oil use 9 oz ad your fork is still "wet" and put the fork cap back on using a new rubber washer (sorry, don't have torque value but S/B around 22 ft lbs). That's about it.
If you don't have the drain screw I'd suggest buying the manual as you'll have to remove the forks and invert them to drain.
If you don't have the drain screw I'd suggest buying the manual as you'll have to remove the forks and invert them to drain.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 812
Likes: 8
From: Cowtown, USA
I like his approach. I too get tired of always being told to get a manual(which I have). Usually when I ask questions about a maintenance procedure I'm asking for tips. I mean the manual tells you to remove the gas tank to take off the carb. Tells you to remove the exhaust to change a belt, things like that are unnecessary and take time. The other guys have pretty much said everything so I don't have anything to add. I get what you were after.