fork oil

[04LowShadow]

Is there a drain plug? I remember several of my other bikes had drains on the fork tubes. Dont think I saw any on the shadow.

[kokopellioh]

I've yet to find word one about fork oil in my`07 Aero Owner's Manual.

Either it's late or I'm looking at the wrong place ...

[04LowShadow]

Yeah I didnt look in the owners manual, but in my service manual I have on my PC it gives a break down of the forks. There is a bolt at the bottom where the axle rides the hold the guts of the front shock in place. Not sure it can be used as a drain of the fork oil. Hmmmmm.......

[04LowShadow]

OK to revive this thread, I found the amount of fork oil listed in the service manual but my question is the amount states almost 15.9oz +/- .08. Now is that per fork or 8oz in each?

[adlowe]

Originally Posted by gat803

I'm rather fond of using fork specific oil in forks.

Me too. What's up with that, you and I agreeing on something twice in the same year? Could it be that the Mayans...

Originally Posted by 04LowShadow

Pro Honda Suspension Fluid SS-8
Capacity 15.9 +/- .08 oz

So half a qt per fork tube. And Im guessing the Honda fluid if refering to the fluid being 8wt.

No. Pro Honda SS-8 is 10w. I think they do that to confuse us.

Originally Posted by gat803

I would go with 10 weight fork oil as a factory replacement in low performance Shadow forks.

That's what I've been doing all along. Worked very well when I upgraded the fork springs. (I went with Progressives -- I know they're not on your list of favorites.) When I went with Progressive shocks on the back last year, I noticed a little more front-end dive than I like so I'm going to give 15w fork oil a try for next year. If I don't like it, I'll switch back quickly.

[gat803]

Unless you are doing a total dis-assembly of you fork, the manual stated quantity of oil isn't going to do you much good. There will be some oil left in the tube and if you add the the 15.9 oz (per side) you will have over filled.

I just did the forks on my '08 KLR last night. I didn't do a complete R&R on them because when I pulled the caps, the oil looked like it was brand new. So I just put the bike on the lift and pulled the caps, then lowered it down until the forks bottomed out.

Then I removed the spacer, the washer, and the spring from one side. Using a piece of 3/8" x 96" clear aquaium pump hose I started a siphon going using the same method as you would to siphon gas from a car. The fork oil pulls slowly so I let it drain into a low pan for about an hour.
After all (or most) of the oil had been siphoned from that side of the forks, I replaced the spring and washer, and filled that tube until if was equal in oil level to the other side. In this case the oil just covered the hole in the washer.

Then I did the same thing to the other fork tube. On this bike the oil level is suppposed to be set at 7 1/2" below the top of the tube, but it is often difficult to measure this height. That's why I did the comparison fill with each tube....it was easier to see.

If you have a vacuum pump it's a lot easier. I don't have one so.....You can also use a turkey baster with a proper length hose on the end, but the siphon way works well, though it is time consuming.

Fork oil level is critical, but it can be altered to obtain different handling needs. Inside the forks the air trapped in there when you put the caps on, acts as a spring. The more it's compressed the more it resists. Put in more oil (or more air on air style forks) and this air compresses sooner, effectively giving you a stiffer ride. Fill the forks up to the very top with oil and your forks won't work at all....no air to compress. lol

Anyway, I would pay closer attention to the oil level than I would to the specific volume oil, especially if you leave the forks on the bike. You will use about half a quart on each side. Probably just enough more than half to require you to buy two quarts. lol

Remember, the fork oil level is measured with the fork completely collapsed. And you want both sides reasonably identical.

[gat803]

Originally Posted by adlowe

Me too. What's up with thta, you and I agreeing on something twice in the same year? Could it be that the Mayans...

Probably is the Mayans.

[adlowe]

Originally Posted by gat803

Then I removed the spacer, the washer, and the spring from one side. Using a piece of 3/8" x 96" clear aquaium pump hose I started a siphon going using the same method as you would to siphon gas from a car.

That won't work on mine -- it wouldn't get all the oil. I have to stuff a piece of 1/4" copper tube several (I forget exactly) inches long into the end of the 3/8" tube to get to the bottom of the fork.

That "exactly as you would to siphon gas from a car" is important. If you can't stand the taste of gasoline you will REALLY dislike the taste of fork oil. (Yes, I was taught by an old timer. He was 100 on his last birthday. He's still counting.)

Originally Posted by gat803

If you have a vacuum pump it's a lot easier. I don't have one so.....You can also use a turkey baster with a proper length hose on the end, but the siphon way works well, though it is time consuming.

I had a LOT of trouble with a turkey baster. No, not that it got my wife angry; I bought my own. But it does not generate enough suction to empty the bottom of the forks on my bike. Or even come close. The vacuum pump works MUCH better -- but the siphon works so well that you don't really need it. Unless you're in a hurry.

[04LowShadow]

Originally Posted by adlowe

Me too. What's up with that, you and I agreeing on something twice in the same year? Could it be that the Mayans...



No. Pro Honda SS-8 is 10w. I think they do that to confuse us.





That's what I've been doing all along. Worked very well when I upgraded the fork springs. (I went with Progressives -- I know they're not on your list of favorites.) When I went with Progressive shocks on the back last year, I noticed a little more front-end dive than I like so I'm going to give 15w fork oil a try for next year. If I don't like it, I'll switch back quickly.

I picked up a Qt of Bel Ray 10w fork oil.

Originally Posted by gat803

Unless you are doing a total dis-assembly of you fork, the manual stated quantity of oil isn't going to do you much good. There will be some oil left in the tube and if you add the the 15.9 oz (per side) you will have over filled.

I just did the forks on my '08 KLR last night. I didn't do a complete R&R on them because when I pulled the caps, the oil looked like it was brand new. So I just put the bike on the lift and pulled the caps, then lowered it down until the forks bottomed out.

Then I removed the spacer, the washer, and the spring from one side. Using a piece of 3/8" x 96" clear aquaium pump hose I started a siphon going using the same method as you would to siphon gas from a car. The fork oil pulls slowly so I let it drain into a low pan for about an hour.
After all (or most) of the oil had been siphoned from that side of the forks, I replaced the spring and washer, and filled that tube until if was equal in oil level to the other side. In this case the oil just covered the hole in the washer.

Then I did the same thing to the other fork tube. On this bike the oil level is suppposed to be set at 7 1/2" below the top of the tube, but it is often difficult to measure this height. That's why I did the comparison fill with each tube....it was easier to see.

If you have a vacuum pump it's a lot easier. I don't have one so.....You can also use a turkey baster with a proper length hose on the end, but the siphon way works well, though it is time consuming.

Fork oil level is critical, but it can be altered to obtain different handling needs. Inside the forks the air trapped in there when you put the caps on, acts as a spring. The more it's compressed the more it resists. Put in more oil (or more air on air style forks) and this air compresses sooner, effectively giving you a stiffer ride. Fill the forks up to the very top with oil and your forks won't work at all....no air to compress. lol

Anyway, I would pay closer attention to the oil level than I would to the specific volume oil, especially if you leave the forks on the bike. You will use about half a quart on each side. Probably just enough more than half to require you to buy two quarts. lol

Remember, the fork oil level is measured with the fork completely collapsed. And you want both sides reasonably identical.

Thanks for the info, The manual states a little over 4" of oil/ 15.9oz +/- .08oz.
I will more than likely replace what I remove. Simpler that way since I dont want to mess with R/R of the forks.

[gat803]

Originally Posted by adlowe

That won't work on mine -- it wouldn't get all the oil. I have to stuff a piece of 1/4" copper tube several (I forget exactly) inches long into the end of the 3/8" tube to get to the bottom of the fork.

That "exactly as you would to siphon gas from a car" is important. If you can't stand the taste of gasoline you will REALLY dislike the taste of fork oil. (Yes, I was taught by an old timer. He was 100 on his last birthday. He's still counting.)



I had a LOT of trouble with a turkey baster. No, not that it got my wife angry; I bought my own. But it does not generate enough suction to empty the bottom of the forks on my bike. Or even come close. The vacuum pump works MUCH better -- but the siphon works so well that you don't really need it. Unless you're in a hurry.

Yeah, the Shadow forks are a little different than the Kwaker set. I could get all the way to the bottom on these.

The taste of gas/oil is nasty and it stays with you for a while. That's why I like the small diameter clear tubing....you can see where the level is. One of the tricks to not tasting what you're siphoning is to keep the mouth end of the hose high until the oil level inside the tubing is within a couple inches of the end. That way you can better control how much (if any) you drink. Get the oil to the right height and then cover the end with your thumb before you remove it from your mouth.

Remember, the outlet of the tubing needs to be lower than the inlet or it won't work.