fork oil change last try

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Jan 24, 2006, at 5:46 AM, Mike Peplinski wrote:

> I can't find the exact measurement but > you're supposed to fill to a specified point below the top of the > fork tube > with the tube extended.

NO! The fork tube is supposed to be compressed and the springs are supposed to be out. The oil is supposed to be 190mm from the top on a 650; 170mm from the top on a 600. We just had a big row about this in the last month. (Although the quicksearch doesn't turn up anything?) -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[nakedwaterskier]

damn...everything has to be just so so on the KLR I never had a bike where just changing the fork oil was such a pain in the arse! Don't 99% of bikes just give you an amount to stick in? Here I invested in a measuring beaker for my forks and it is mostly useless! Maybe I will just ride it all the way dn to Julian to do the fork oil. Jeffrey

[Blake Sobiloff]

On Jan 24, 2006, at 7:38 AM, nakedwaterskier wrote:

> I never had a bike where just changing the fork oil was such a pain in > the arse! Don't 99% of bikes just give you an amount to stick in?

Maybe, but unless you've disassembled the forks and ensured all the oil is out you'll never know exactly how much oil remains and, consequently, how much to add. You can take the sprayer from a spray bottle and cut the pickup tube to the proper length. Spray out any extra oil back into the original container. Cheap and effective. -- Blake Sobiloff http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> San Jose, CA (USA)

[Mike Peplinski]

OOps! I guess I should have gone to the garage. Compress the forks to take the measurement (thanks for the correction Blake). By the way, since I did run out to the garage, the fork oil capacity is 355cc (12 U.S. oz) As long as we're on the subject, along with the recent thread was the debate of fork oil or ATF. While oil is oil and any oil is better than no oil, ATF, which is cheap, may (emphasis on MAY) cause seal swelling. The only reason I find to use ATF is to save a couple bucks. Just as ATF has specific properties, I feel fork oil is specific too. If its just to save a buck why not use motor oil?

>From: Blake Sobiloff >To: Mike Peplinski >CC: nakedwaterskier@..., DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Fork Oil Change Question >Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 07:22:20 -0800 > >On Jan 24, 2006, at 5:46 AM, Mike Peplinski wrote: >>I can't find the exact measurement but >>you're supposed to fill to a specified point below the top of the fork >>tube >>with the tube extended. > >NO! The fork tube is supposed to be compressed and the springs are >supposed to be out. The oil is supposed to be 190mm from the top on a 650; >170mm from the top on a 600. We just had a big row about this in the last >month. (Although the quicksearch doesn't turn up anything?) >-- >Blake Sobiloff >http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> >San Jose, CA (USA) > >

[nakedwaterskier]

Nothing wrong with swelling seals a little ie ATF. In fact, I know one guy who always adds a few drops of Trans X seal sweller to his fork oil when he changes it and it helps the old seals. Old Yamahas call for using motor oil not fork oil in the forks. Jeffrey OOps! I guess I should have gone to the garage. Compress the forks to take the measurement (thanks for the correction Blake). By the way, since I did run out to the garage, the fork oil capacity is 355cc (12 U.S. oz) As long as we're on the subject, along with the recent thread was the debate of fork oil or ATF. While oil is oil and any oil is better than no oil, ATF, which is cheap, may (emphasis on MAY) cause seal swelling. The only reason I find to use ATF is to save a couple bucks. Just as ATF has specific properties, I feel fork oil is specific too. If its just to save a buck why not use motor oil?

[Matt]

Jeff, I don't have the manual handy but it does specify the amount to add for a simple drain and fill and the amount to add when you completely dissasemble, claen and fill. Somebody needs to verify this but IIRC the specs are 355 ml (drain and fill) and 400 ml for the full enchillada. Tip: Jeff, do one fork at a time. This will make it easier to use the weight of the KLR to pump the fork and flush most of that dirty oil out. Matt --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "nakedwaterskier" wrote:

> > damn...everything has to be just so so on the KLR > > I never had a bike where just changing the fork oil was such a pain in > the arse! Don't 99% of bikes just give you an amount to stick in? > Here I invested in a measuring beaker for my forks and it is mostly > useless! > > Maybe I will just ride it all the way dn to Julian to do the fork oil. > > Jeffrey >

[Matt]

Oh yea, one more thing. With the method I described you would remove the caps after draining the oil and pumping the forks. Matt

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Matt" wrote: > Tip: Jeff, do one fork at a time. This will make it easier to use the > weight of the KLR to pump the fork and flush most of that dirty oil out. > > Matt >

[nakedwaterskier]

How about taking out the drain valves, then using the shrader valves and compressed air to get out most of the oil? And then take off caps and add the correct amount of fork oil minus a tad? How much would a tad be? ie net net how much would you add to each? Jeffrey

[Mike Peplinski]

Its really not all that difficult. No special tools or skills required. Just a little patience. There aren't too many opportunities to screw it up. My BMW airhead was very similar. Even though you have a few extra steps, they're easy steps.

>From: "nakedwaterskier" >To: DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com >Subject: [DSN_KLR650] Fork Oil Change Question >Date: Tue, 24 Jan 2006 15:38:57 -0000 > >damn...everything has to be just so so on the KLR > >I never had a bike where just changing the fork oil was such a pain in >the arse! Don't 99% of bikes just give you an amount to stick in? >Here I invested in a measuring beaker for my forks and it is mostly >useless! > >Maybe I will just ride it all the way dn to Julian to do the fork oil. > >Jeffrey > > > > > > >Archive Quicksearch at: >http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/klr650_data_search.html >List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com >List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html >Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >

[jim bush]

Absolutely make sure the forks are COMPRESSED with the springs out. That was my problem that went around last month. Don't trust the manual even if it says Extended. It is a misprint that is floating around out there. I ended up with forks so full that they had no sag and ended up blowing the seals on the first ride.

On Jan 24, 2006, at 7:22 AM, Blake Sobiloff wrote: > On Jan 24, 2006, at 5:46 AM, Mike Peplinski wrote: >> I can't find the exact measurement but >> you're supposed to fill to a specified point below the top of the >> fork tube >> with the tube extended. > > NO! The fork tube is supposed to be compressed and the springs are > supposed to be out. The oil is supposed to be 190mm from the top on a > 650; 170mm from the top on a 600. We just had a big row about this in > the last month. (Although the quicksearch doesn't turn up anything?) > -- > Blake Sobiloff > http://sobiloff.typepad.com/> > San Jose, CA (USA) > > > > > Archive Quicksearch at: http://www.angelfire.com/ut/moab/ > klr650_data_search.html > List sponsored by Dual Sport News at: www.dualsportnews.com > List FAQ courtesy of Chris Krok at: www.bigcee.com/klr650faq.html > Member Map at: http://www.frappr.com/dsnklr650 > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > >