[b.sheets]

Back story:
I live in North Carolina, it's been extremely hot and humid all summer. My bike sits in the garage most of the time and sits out front at work for 12 hours about 3-4 days a week.

in the last 2 weeks I have noticed some squeeky noises when coming to a stop sign/stop light. Today I was messing around at the stop light holding in the front brake and pushing down on the forks testing the "smoothness" of the oil...and to my surprise all I can hear are the springs compressing. It is NOT smooth, it is loud and sounds awful.

obviously my next step is to replace to fork oil with a better type and appropriate amount.... 

my question is: am I crazy? Am I reading this situation correctly?
and how much does humidity and weather play into your fork oil? What weight of oil do you guys reccomend when I replace the oil?

[D the D]

You're not crazy, you hear what you hear.  I had horrible noises until I changed the fork oil to real fork oil.  Wait until you see the factory stuff that comes out!    There's several threads on it.  I tried several and ended up with Torco 15 weight in them.  Works well for me.  Others like everything from 10 to 20 weight fork oil or even ATF type F for the old schoolers.  It's pretty much an individual choice that suits you and your riding  style/location.  BelRay, Torco, Amsoil, or any of the major brands you find on the shelf at your local shop are suitable.

[barenekd]

Fork oil is for forks. The other stuff is for engines and transmissions based on BS from the '50s when there was no Fork Oil. I used 200 ml of 10 wt fork oil in mine, works far better than the gunk that's currently in the forks. You'll be glad you changed!
Bare

[Ducati Scotty]

You've got a C5, it may not be the springs.  It might just be the shrouds rubbing on the fork lowers, makes a terrible racket.

To re-allign them:
-Get a toilet paper tube and cut it in half top to bottom, leaving two long pieces.
-Remove the turn signal.
-Loosen the nut/bolt holding the shroud in place.
-Put the two halves of the TP tube on the front and rear of the fork leg and slide them up into the shroud.  This should get it centered.
-Tighten the bolt and remove the TP tube, replace the turn signal.

Scott

[b.sheets]

scotty, that is awesome. where do you come up with this stuff?
I'm gonna have to try that out. I've got this weekend off...

it gets me thinking though, maybe I should just take the damn shrouds off and put gaitors on there like I want. could do the fork oil at the same time.

[Ducati Scotty]

Forgot to mention, it may also be the shrouds rubbing on the fender.  Check that first, you may just need to move the fender and nothing else.

If just moving the fender doesn't do it, center the shrouds first.  Once you've got the shrouds centered, make sure the fender is set right so they don't rub.

My bike made this noise when I got it.  I noticed the fender rubbing the shrouds and corrected it.  Then when I took my forks apart I saw the need to align the shrouds.  I figured out real quick it was not easy to do by hand, so I got the TP tube.

I did try some slightly undersize diameter springs in the front fork once.  Those did make a horrible grating noise so I went back to stock.

Scott

[mattsz]

Regarding C5- and B5-style fork tubes: the stem must be "dropped" to remove them...

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,16708.0.html

[b.sheets]

hey scotty, can you elaborate on how you use the TP roll to align?
sitting at my desk I'm having a hard time picturing it.
thanks

[D the D]

Fork oil is for forks. The other stuff is for engines and transmissions based on BS from the '50s when there was no Fork Oil....Bare

I agree, but you know that some people get all riled up when you point that out.  Or if you point out that using ATF voids some clutch warranties 'cause motorcycle clutches are designed to run in oil.  ATF is the one size fits all snake oil of choice don't you know.  But, hey, it's their machine.
And by the by folks, another old wive's tale is false: ATF is not highly detergent, it's actually less detergent than motor oil.  But hey, old wives and common myth trumps tech specs and manufacturers recommendations.

[D the D]

Cool one Scotty!  Simple and cheap alignment jig.

[Ducati Scotty]

hey scotty, can you elaborate on how you use the TP roll to align?
sitting at my desk I'm having a hard time picturing it.
thanks

Cut it along its length.  Then turn it 180 degrees and do it again.  You now have two half tubes. 

Once you loosen the bolt you'll see that the shroud flops around loosely.  Place one half of the TP roll on the front of the lower fork slider and slide it up.  It will wedge between the fork slider and the shroud.  Do the same on the rear.  You now have two bits of cardboard keeping the front and rear gaps equal.  Tighten the bolt and it will stay that way.

Scott

[Desi Bike]

I looked through Hitchcocks entire catalogue, and several india based suppliers as well. I can not.find this fancy alignment tool you refer to Scott.  Must be a dealer only tool.. Arrrgh. I hate this dealer only crap.... Lololololo..
 
Thanks for the video ghg. Now I know how those mystery lifters work.... If I only knew hebrew I could have read about them too....

[Ducati Scotty]

If you go sit and think for a good long while, you'll find one at the end

Scott

[mattsz]

Scott: Hah! 

b.sheets: I see you didn't chime in on this discussion when I was having it, so you might not have seen it.  It may be useful for you:

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php/topic,15676.0/all.html

It's my fender alignment thread which turned into a fork tube alignment thread.  In a nutshell: my fork tubes were misaligned and rubbing on both my fender and the forks; the fork tubes are easily aligned using cardboard as shims or spacers (pre-formed radiused cardboard works best, therefore the toilet paper roll or paper towel roll suggestion); the fork tubes cannot be removed without dropping the steering stem, so if you do it, don't lose the ball bearings!

[b.sheets]

hey matt thanks, man I wish it wasn't that hard to remove the covers.... I really want to ditch them but I think that job is a little out of my league.
I'm glad you chimed in because I almost ordered gaitors for no reason.
that job can wait for a later date.

[mattsz]

Ok, I know a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but let me be clear on the experience I had:  to remove and replace the covers without damaging them requires the stem lowering.  I almost got them off without messing with the stem, but just couldn't quite finagle it.

If you want to remove the covers and aren't worried about breaking them, I'm guessing it's a pretty easy job.  I don't remember exactly, but I think a few strategic swipes with a dremel-like cutoff wheel or even a careful hacksaw application would free them.  Not sure about all this, but if your goal is simply to ditch them, b.sheets, you might want to consider a "destructive procedure". 

Once they're off, I don't know how easy it would be to fit gaiters; forks off, I imagine, but at least you won't have to mess with the steering...

[b.sheets]

I just used the T.P. roll method. it sounds much better. thanks guys.

matt, I'm glad you posted this. I've got a dremel in the toolbox that loves to destroy things!... I may have to reconsider ditching the gaiters and go ahead with my plan. I really appreciate your help.

anyone else have experience with the fork covers? If I can cut them off I definitely will.

[Ducati Scotty]

I'm pretty sure that if you no longer wanted them you could remove them destructively.  You'd still have to remove the fork legs from the nacelle to get the gaiters on but you wouldn't have to remove the steering stem.

I'd be interested to see how a C5 looks with gaiters on it.

Scott

[Craig McClure]

IN DEFENSE OF ATF in forks.  Pete Snidals Bullet Manual Recommends ATF. I have successfully used SYNTHETIC AMSOIL ATF in my forks over the years. It is a Hydraulic type oil after all, & Synthetic = Permanent. I used to spend to much on other brands of fork oil, even tried AMSOIL SHOCK TREARMENT brand but the ATF has worked as well as any in my bikes. I also believe synthetic to be easier on fork seals.

[D the D]

Not designed to reduce "Stiction".  Not a true hydraulic fluid designed to work with O-ring seals on sliding parts.  There's a reason it isn't put in forks by any manufacturer in the world.  But it's your bike.

[Craig McClure]

Don't take my word, Pete Snydal an Enfield authority recommends it also, in his Manuals. It is inexpensive, Synthetic Slippery, I contend as good as any, & beats the crap out of the Enfield factory 10w Nasty Oil. Works Perfectly For Me.

[no bs]

Don't take my word, Pete Snydal an Enfield authority recommends it also, in his Manuals. It is inexpensive, Synthetic Slippery, I contend as good as any, & beats the crap out of the Enfield factory 10w Nasty Oil. Works Perfectly For Me.

i also