can someone give me instruction as how to change fork oil, seals, bushings & guides on my 09 Street glide?
#22
If you haven't already,clean bike up spotless,ride ,check.ride some more ,check some more.pin point the leak.The wind has blown that oil every where,its hard to tell where its coming from.Its most likely a fork seal leaking,that stuff on the rag looks just like 25 + thousand mile fork oil,dark stinky crap.Fairing(inner) removal is a big ,intimidating job but will have to be done to replace fork seals.Bubbas1 has a good post on here about inner fairing removal in the touring section.
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jrb522 (06-26-2017)
#23
#24
That's a lot of oil leaking all over. Some may be the steering neck, I have that problem continuously on my bike no matter what I do. A thorough cleaning on that lower tree and all other surfaces, then ride and see what happens. Although if you look up, using a flashlight, under the left fork cover, or "bell", and can see that oil running from way up that fork housing then you probably have a fork seal leaking. When those lowers were installed my bet is someone used an incorrect tool to install the seals, causing them to be damaged.
To do an overhaul of the forks requires a good bench vice and a special fork clamp to hold the fork tube or you wont be able to get the top fork nut on. Its a bitch to get that nut on, period, and requires a lot of force. I have to use an arbor press to push the nut down to get it to start on the threads due to so much spring tension. You also need a proper slide seal driver to install the seals and long necked allen socket to get into the bottom of the lower to remove the retaining bolt. There is also a special way you measure the fluid level to determine the amount for each tube. You do not need to remove the inner fairing, just the outer and the cap where the ignition switch is. But its also easy to misalign the ignition tumblers unless you have the tool that slides into the ignition switch once the handle is removed.
If you dont have a good vice, the proper tools, a good bike jack and some know how it may be best to take it to someone who does. The chance of screwing something up is rather high trying to shadetree it.
ETA: here is a photo of some of the tools needed. The wrench/allen wrench combo can be used to remove the lower retaining bolt, but the long necked one next to it is better. Even better with a 3/8 drive impact attached so it doesn't just spin. The fork clamp I made myself and the aluminum tube is the seal driver.
To do an overhaul of the forks requires a good bench vice and a special fork clamp to hold the fork tube or you wont be able to get the top fork nut on. Its a bitch to get that nut on, period, and requires a lot of force. I have to use an arbor press to push the nut down to get it to start on the threads due to so much spring tension. You also need a proper slide seal driver to install the seals and long necked allen socket to get into the bottom of the lower to remove the retaining bolt. There is also a special way you measure the fluid level to determine the amount for each tube. You do not need to remove the inner fairing, just the outer and the cap where the ignition switch is. But its also easy to misalign the ignition tumblers unless you have the tool that slides into the ignition switch once the handle is removed.
If you dont have a good vice, the proper tools, a good bike jack and some know how it may be best to take it to someone who does. The chance of screwing something up is rather high trying to shadetree it.
ETA: here is a photo of some of the tools needed. The wrench/allen wrench combo can be used to remove the lower retaining bolt, but the long necked one next to it is better. Even better with a 3/8 drive impact attached so it doesn't just spin. The fork clamp I made myself and the aluminum tube is the seal driver.
Last edited by Guntoter; 06-26-2017 at 12:40 PM.
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)
#25
I love the pictures. lol.
You probably have two things going on.
1) oil separation from the grease inside your neck. It will drain down and cover the left fork/brake/etc and end up all over because wind.
If it was actual brake fluid leaking, you'd have paint coming off all over the places. Just the same... wash that crap off man.
If it was fork oil it would have a red tint like you indicated.
2) leaking stator plug. Primary oil ends up all over the engine case and primary.
You probably have two things going on.
1) oil separation from the grease inside your neck. It will drain down and cover the left fork/brake/etc and end up all over because wind.
If it was actual brake fluid leaking, you'd have paint coming off all over the places. Just the same... wash that crap off man.
If it was fork oil it would have a red tint like you indicated.
2) leaking stator plug. Primary oil ends up all over the engine case and primary.
Last edited by lp; 06-26-2017 at 02:46 PM.
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)
#26
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)
#28
To do an overhaul of the forks requires a good bench vice and a special fork clamp to hold the fork tube or you wont be able to get the top fork nut on. Its a bitch to get that nut on, period, and requires a lot of force. I have to use an arbor press to push the nut down to get it to start on the threads due to so much spring tension.
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)
#29
Probably cost it's weight in gold..
An easy way to get the forks caps started is to install the cap without the spring. While pulling on the cap and unscrewing, you mark the position where the cap comes loose with a sharpie.. Use that as the starting position and 1/2 a turn with a wrench and rag on the cap and it will stay..
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)
#30
Yes,do both forks while its apart.But first clean bike up make sure where its leaking.Theres alot of oil on that bike,as max headflow says"multiple leaks"may be happening there.I changed my fork oil at around 29,000 miles and it was not red tint,it was dark nasty stuff.It very well maybe red new.I don't know, Have never seen harley fork oil when its new.screaming eagle heavy(10 wt)is semi clear with a tan or brown tint to it.
Last edited by 1340hog; 06-27-2017 at 06:13 AM.
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jrb522 (06-27-2017)