Author Topic: How to drain fork oil. please.  (Read 3180 times)

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potboiler

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on: September 05, 2013, 05:04:54 pm
Thanks for all the replies to my previous question about softening the bullet ride. Ok, so I will replace the fork oil with 10w oil and then see how much better the front end is before I opt for a full spring replacement. What is the best way to drain the old oil? Is it best to remove the legs, unscrew the top plug and drain them up-side-down, in order to get all the old oil out? Or do you just unscrew the plug on the bottom of the sliders? Is it 200ml or 265ml for the disc-braked AVL with classic frame?


boggy

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Reply #1 on: September 05, 2013, 06:24:49 pm
It's as easy as unscrewing the plug at the bottom.  Unscrew the top, get a pan under the bottom, and unscrew that bolt.  Check out singh5g's awesome video on this exact process and all your questions shall be answered.  He's got a good trick to keep your tire from getting oil on it.  He's got other great vids too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eY8F-J0ej2Q

One tip, if you don't have a measuring cup to dedicate to oil then try this:
-Use a kitchen measuring cup to measure out the amount of oil you are going to put in by using water.  Snidal manual says 265ml. 
-Poor that water into a glass bottle or other clean container you don't care about.
-Draw a line with a Sharpie where the water level is.

Now you have a way to measure out your oil.

A few things to watch out for: The rubber o-rings at the top of the forks could be worn out; They were on mine.  Got replacements at the hardware store.  If your bottom bolt washers get trashed you'll need new ones too or you might get leaks.  I don't know what others use, but I have Yamaha crush washers that I got at a bike shop.  Bare has suggested an aircraft website for washers... check my recent "bouncing front end" thread for the link.

Boggy
« Last Edit: September 05, 2013, 06:33:17 pm by boggy »
2007 AVL
2006 DRZ400SM


potboiler

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Reply #2 on: September 05, 2013, 07:44:21 pm
Thanks Boggy, but my bike is not a G5 but the AVL in a C5 frame so it looks like the forks have to come out and drain them from the top.


boggy

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Reply #3 on: September 05, 2013, 08:12:05 pm
Mine is a 2007 AVL Electra and works as I described above and the same as in singh5g's video.  Check out a pic of my bike.

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=10916.0;attach=17887;image

Forks look just like the ones in your pic:

http://www.enfieldmotorcycles.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=17166.0;attach=19689;image


« Last Edit: September 05, 2013, 08:15:16 pm by boggy »
2007 AVL
2006 DRZ400SM


tooseevee

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Reply #4 on: September 05, 2013, 08:33:58 pm
Thanks Boggy, but my bike is not a G5 but the AVL in a C5 frame so it looks like the forks have to come out and drain them from the top.

         I don't understand. Isn't an Electra a Classic with a disk front brake? Are the forks different also?

         There's a cap on the bottom end of my forks. You undo that cap & the fork oil drains out.

          Please enlighten me, I'm confused.   
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


boggy

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Reply #5 on: September 05, 2013, 09:05:01 pm
My basic understanding is that the AVL came in two different frames.  One was for the Classic which had the same frame as the iron barrels and a front drum brake and the other was more of a "70's style" used on the AVL Electra with a front disc.

I don't know much about the Machismo other than that it looks like it's an AVL "Classic" with a front disc and some different dressings.

Either way, you have it right tooseevee... Unscrew and drain.

2007 AVL
2006 DRZ400SM


potboiler

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Reply #6 on: September 06, 2013, 07:58:33 am
Sorry, Boggy and Tooseevee
You are both correct! I have watched the video and I now know what to do. Yes, my forks are the same as these - I've still got a lot to learn about model differences between these RE's.


tooseevee

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Reply #7 on: September 06, 2013, 01:24:22 pm
      Glad we could help, PotBoiler.

       I couldn't help it after all this fork talk; I went down last night & did mine. I should have done it long ago.

       No problem with the top caps. The cable grommets are in the way & a little fiddley.

        Some giant with a 24" breaker bar put my caps on, but I won. I had to "tap" the ratchet handle a bit. I guess they take "crush washer" seriously in Chennai.

        The stuff that came out looked like a high quality oil & was clean & clear. I was surprised. Very little came out of the left fork which made me wish I'd done this long ago. No apparent signs of leakage.

         I struck a middle ground of 236 ml. (8 oz.) with the replacement oil; some say 200, some 265. I used a petroleum based 15 wt. hydraulic oil I had "laying around". I'll have a baseline now of viscosity to see if I want to go thicker or lighter after I ride a while.   

        It seems like I'll have to notice "some" difference with one side being virtually empty. Maybe not.

        I didn't use the dowel dipstick thru the fill hole. I'm sure there's enough in them now because no way did I get 2 cups (16 oz.) OUT of them.
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


boggy

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Reply #8 on: September 06, 2013, 05:11:22 pm
Sorry, Boggy and Tooseevee
You are both correct

No apology needed - It's great that you are figuring this stuff out and I'm happy to help.  It's good to get as much info as possible before starting these jobs.

Tooseevee, I have clubman bars on my AVL and had to rotate my bars up to get the cables out of the way of the top caps.  And one of the caps was really tough to extract. 

I wonder why you were so low on one side...  Maybe a really subtle leak at the drain?  Your forks aren't weeping at all from any other point are they?  The fork seal replacement was a pain in the butt.
2007 AVL
2006 DRZ400SM


barenekd

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Reply #9 on: September 06, 2013, 06:54:00 pm
The C5 forks are 200 ml, the G5 forks are 265. I think the B5 are 200. The AVLs came with two different frames. The easiest way to tell them apart is look for the hot dog warmers, the tool kit and relay containers. They are oval case under and to the rear of the side cases. These are what morphed into the G5 frame. Close, but not exactly the same. Some accessories will fit both, some won't. These frames had the longer forks, hence more oil.
Since the B5 frame was actually the forerunner to the C5 frame, I'm ASSuming they have the C5 forks.
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tooseevee

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Reply #10 on: September 06, 2013, 07:45:40 pm

Tooseevee, I have clubman bars on my AVL and had to rotate my bars up to get the cables out of the way of the top caps.  And one of the caps was really tough to extract. 

I wonder why you were so low on one side...  Maybe a really subtle leak at the drain?  Your forks aren't weeping at all from any other point are they?  The fork seal replacement was a pain in the butt.

         Those grommets are perfectly placed to be a perfect PITA  :)

         The oil on that side had to go somewhere, but usually where there's a leak it's cruddy from road dirt. Didn't notice the cap was oily-dirty so who knows?

         I rode a while this morning - maybe 12 or 15 miles, town & back roads - didn't notice any difference. I probably don't know the difference. I'm not what you'd call a nuanced Brit bike rider being more used to riding tractors. It might dive a hair more on front braking than before.
« Last Edit: September 06, 2013, 07:51:11 pm by tooseevee »
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.


tooseevee

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Reply #11 on: September 06, 2013, 08:04:25 pm
The C5 forks are 200 ml, the G5 forks are 265. I think the B5 are 200. The AVLs came with two different frames. The easiest way to tell them apart is look for the hot dog warmers, the tool kit and relay containers.
Bare

          Mine is the classic Classic frame; no hot dog warmers, no disk brake. I'm SO glad I lucked out when I found this bike (it was a brand new '08 I found in 2010). I've found over the years of looking at a lot of bikes & then seeing the new UCEs that I much prefer this bike. The engine & transmission have that 1950's vintage look that to me was lost forever in the UCE. AND it has a carburetor.
RI USA '08 Black AVL Classic.9.8:1 ACEhead/manifold/canister. TM32/Open bottle/hot tube removed. Pertronix Coil. Fed mandates removed. Gr.TCI. Bobber seat. Battery in right side case. Decomp&all doodads removed. '30s Lucas taillight/7" visored headlight. Much blackout & wire/electrical upgrades.