| Author | Message | ||
     Pmjolly |
I just finished reading the service manual directions for servicing the front forks. I just want to change the fork oil. I am tired of them clicking. I am hoping fresh oil might solve it. It is not the steering head bearing or the brakes clicking. The forks do it only when it gets colder outside. My question is this. Am I going to need to change out seals, or fully disassemble things to just change the oil? Also, do I need to be worried about anything shooting out under spring tension when I begin opening up the tubes? I have replaced springs in a Kawasaki front suspension. It was easy, but it was not fully adjustable like these. Is the recommended Harley fork oil OK, or is there something better out there? Do I need to flush it out somehow before using a different oil? Is there any trick or advice to heed before doing this? Thanks! | ||
| Kicka666 |
You will need the correct tools, spring compressor, dampening rod bleeder, fork oil height tool or a big syringe to set oil heights. New oil wont fix the clicking, make sure you use a good quality synthetic fork oil. | ||
| Froggy |
Check this out, the manual calls for expensive tools like a spring compressor, but you can use a little Macgyver style thinking to get the job done cheaply and easily. http://www.badweatherbikers.com/buell/messages/327 77/153628.html?1178891937 | ||
| Zac4mac |
You can make/build all the tools you need fairly simply. I have made everything but seal drivers and they're just some hack-sawed PVC pipe. Make a compressor out of a ratchet strap and some bicycle inner-tube, run the strap thru the axle holes. I cut an inch or so off the end of the hook, it helps.  Solder some brass tube to a basketball needle(so it breathes) and get adapters to 1/8 NPT pipe thread. You can get 1-2 threads on the damper and pull it up/pump the air out.  A 30-60 CC syringe from a farm supply store, some vinyl tubing, some hard ( brass or CF in my case) tubing and a ring of tubing for a depth marker for oil height. Fill and suck to air - right in each leg.  Something to clamp the fork tube straight up -  Low/No-cost fork kit -  Zack | ||
| Daggar |
Traxxion Dynamics makes an inexpensive spring compressor. It works well. http://www.traxxion.com/ForkSpringCompressorKit.as px | ||
| Timebandit |
Zac, that kit is nice. I didn't know the "mac" was short for MacGuyver.  (Message edited by timebandit on January 07, 2012) | ||
| Pmjolly |
Thanks guys. I'm going to tackle this sometime this winter. It looks fairly easy. | ||
| Zac4mac |
Just a quick note of advice - Break the fork caps loose while they're still in the triple-tree. I marred the fork tube of my Uly getting the cap off, thanks to a dealer tech using an impact wrench to install it. I had it in the clamp pictured above when I started on it. I saw the mark when it slipped under torque so I put it back in the triple to break it loose. Ruined the cap but saved the tube, cap with preload adjuster was 26 bucks... Z | ||
| Stirz007 |
"thanks to a dealer tech using an impact wrench to install it." Common procedure for many H-D forks - you have to hold the upper leg and compress the spring while you screw the top cap on. Most guys chuck up the top cap into an impact wrench, then bear down on the spring until the threads catch.... Not so good for the Buell.... |
