Fork Oil Question Again...

[Beast]

Ok chaps another question on this subject i know...

Usually use 10w and im happy with it.

Anyone used Castrols fork oil?
They also do a Fully Synthetic version.
So what would be better... the norm or F/S?

Cheers.

[coledog]

Depends on your weight and rideing style as to which grade of oil to use, syn. or mineral also depends on how often you change oil and wether you do a lot of track days if you give the front end a bit of a pizling go for syn.

[Alfa156V6]

Can you replace the oil with the forks in position and can you change the springs at the same time or do you have to dismantle the front of the bike.

What oil would be best for an 18 stone rider. Cheers

[tony.mon]

To measure oil level the fork has to be compressed (fully closed) with the spring removed, so although it might be possible to put a block under the front wheel and let the bike drop as you remove the springs it sounds dangerous and difficult to do it this way.
(the block is so that the underside of the bike doesn't get too close to the ground when the forks are fully compressed- you'll never get a jack under it to lift it back up again).

You'll need help lifting it back up afterwards so that you can compress the spring and refit the top cap as well. Although you can jack the bike up so that the front wheel is off the ground it's not stable like that, and pushing the cap down could well end in tears with the bike on its side.

It's easier to remove one leg at a time- that way you won't have to re-align the steering centrally.

Shaun Pallister's site has some info on wht he did to set up his racer-
http://www.vtwo.demon.co.uk/firestorm/firestorm.htm under "modifications" which might help.

There's as many ideas of what to do as there are people with differing riding styles, usage patterns and weights, but the general consensus seems to be replace the standard fork springs, and then play with different weights of oil and levels until you're
1. happy with it ,
2. bored, or
3. run out of money.

If money isn't a problem, try the replacement front end game (fireblade ones are an easy conversion).

Oh, and you can get all of the grades of oil from Opie Oils at a forum discount- just see the sticky.

I've got some 7.5 wt to go in as an experiment- starting with 140mm level.
It'll either be better, worse, or the same

[firestarter1977]

i have 7.5wt oil in mine , 140mm air gap

but i have ktech linear fork springs with the internal spacer cut down and i have ground the rebound taper.

simply fitting the springs without cutting the spacer would mean you couldnt get the correct static sag settings

my compression damper is set to the first line ( think thats about 1 turn in ) to achieve the static sag. really i should have cut the spacer down a little more but it rides great and it has never bottomed on me !

as tony mon says do one leg at a time, you need to remove so you can drain the old oil out and leave upside down for half an hour

hth


regards mark

[Pete.L]

I always found undoing the top bolts on the triple clamp or clipon and then just loosening the top of the fork is the best way to start. Once the fork is out is a bugger to try and get the top cap out.

Pete.l