Changing Fork Fluid

[VirginiaJim]

I'm going to document the process with pictures and such but I do have a first question...

Does the spring preload and rebound damping screws need to be in a certain position before the fork is taken apart?

[gPink]

I saw nothing about taking it apart but a mention of a measurement of 13mm between the bottom end of the top plug and rebound damping adjuster. Also a tip to loosen the fork top cap before loosening the fork clamp bolts. Looking forward to the play by play.

[VirginiaJim]

Yep, that's what I saw as well.  Working from Fred's video of it with my spin.

[gPink]

What are you using for tooling? roll your own or store bought?

[VirginiaJim]

I'm going to take a picture of that...more to come.  Patience grasshopper.

Taking off the front wheel..no issues to report.

Bit of a glitch...wife was going to do meat loaf and changed it up to hamburgers.  Had to leave the fork draining which is ok but I had my stomach set to meat loaf and then had to get the grill set up and, of course, start drinking beer.  Not sure how that is going to affect the fluid change..

Second glitch, stepped into the pan of used fork fluid and spilled it into the garage floor and my good jeans.  My wife is going to kill me...

On the plus side, one fork is done and so am I for tonight.  I'll work on the other one tomorrow night.  Glad I had my grandson to help me.

Third glitch, thankfully before I put it back on the bike I tried to adjust the rebound damping adjuster...can't turn it....oh well fun and games....just shoot me.

[Rembrant]

Does the spring preload and rebound damping screws need to be in a certain position before the fork is taken apart?

Second glitch, stepped into the pan of used fork fluid and spilled it into the garage floor and my good jeans.  My wife is going to kill me...

Third glitch, thankfully before I put it back on the bike I tried to adjust the rebound damping adjuster...can't turn it....oh well fun and games....just shoot me.

You're wondering about the position of the spring preload and damping adjusters before disassembly? You're just unscrewing the top cap to change fluid, right? You're not removing the cap from the fork cartridge completely? If you're just changing oil, no, you don't need to adjust anything.

What exactly are "good jeans"? I'm not sure I understand...lol. I just had this discussion yesterday with a friend (his wife was screechin' at him for getting his white t-shirt dirty in the garage). There are no dividers in my closet...lol. My good clothes and my garage clothes are one in the same thing...lol.

You can't turn the rebound adjuster? It must be seized in the fork cap?

If you're only changing oil and not disassembling the fork, you'll be fine. If you actually disassemble the fork, that's where your measurements and adjuster positions become important. I've done well over 20 sets of forks this season, and I see damaged internals fairly often....usually the rebound adjuster rods are bent, or the tips are damaged, or the adjuster is jammed in the fork cap.

Good luck. Looking forward to the play by play review.

Rem

[gPink]

Jeans have three stages in life.   

1) Good jeans. These are the new ones used for weddings, funerals and my 9 to 5 (I wish)
2) What used to be good jeans until the new ones were bought. Stage two jeans are now the casual jeans you change into after work. Suitable for most occasions not requiring good jeans.
3) Stage three jeans have one leg in the grave. Used for the dirtiest work and rarely get washed after their last use.

[Rembrant]

Jeans have three stages in life.   

1) Good jeans. These are the new ones used for weddings, funerals and my 9 to 5 (I wish)
2) What used to be good jeans until the new ones were bought. Stage two jeans are now the casual jeans you change into after work. Suitable for most occasions not requiring good jeans.
3) Stage three jeans have one leg in the grave. Used for the dirtiest work and rarely get washed after their last use.

 

Well, being that you are "in the business", I'm going to take your comments as facts...lol.

Rem

[VirginiaJim]

I just about skipped from stage 1 to stage 3 in the blink of an eye.  The thought did cross my mind about using stage 3 first, however, logic and reasoning escaped me at the time.  The stage 1 jeans were put in the wash but I don't know how well it will take suspension fluid out.  I was able to use 409 on my shoes to clean them up and I sprayed it on the floor/fluid and got that up.

I'm going to have to take the fork apart again and see what I did wrong.  I think I know but I was following Fred's video on the subject and I think I did what he said to do.

[Rembrant]

I'm going to have to take the fork apart again and see what I did wrong.  I think I know but I was following Fred's video on the subject and I think I did what he said to do.

I've never seen Fred's videos, but something you really need to be careful with is the rebound adjuster. If the rebound adjustment is all the way down, and you thread the cartridge piston rod into the fork cap too far, you can damage the rod and jam the adjuster. This is why the measurement for the jam nut is so critical (Usually between 10-12mm on most forks).

To be safe, you can make sure the rebound adjuster is screwed all the way out during reassembly.

[Rhino]

Jeans have three stages in life.   

1) Good jeans. These are the new ones used for weddings, funerals and my 9 to 5 (I wish)
2) What used to be good jeans until the new ones were bought. Stage two jeans are now the casual jeans you change into after work. Suitable for most occasions not requiring good jeans.
3) Stage three jeans have one leg in the grave. Used for the dirtiest work and rarely get washed after their last use.

  Absolute truth right there!

[Rhino]

So Jim, are you saying changing fork fluid is a 2 or 3 six pack job? And yes, I definitely would have started with stage 3 jeans. I put on stage 3 jeans to change out the CCT. It was such an easy job I could have used stage 2 jeans.

[VirginiaJim]

It started out with difficulty level of three beers, however by the end of the evening it went to Vodka Martinis.

[VirginiaJim]

Thanks to Rembrandt for the tip.  The adjuster is now free and hopefully works like it should. 

What's the best method to clean up the forks?  I've got some surface grunge I'd like to remove in order for the fork to slide through the clamps a bit easier.  I don't want to polish them or anything extreme like that.

[Rembrant]

What's the best method to clean up the forks?  I've got some surface grunge I'd like to remove in order for the fork to slide through the clamps a bit easier.  I don't want to polish them or anything extreme like that.

I use green Scotchbrite pads and Spray-9 on them...that takes most of the grunge off of them. If that doesn't work, I might spray a little brake clean on them...I use that cheap Lloyds stuff that's supposedly environmentally friendly;).

Rem

[VirginiaJim]

Worked great, although I used 409.  I also used it on the inside of the clamps.  I'm going to install the right side tonight and remove the left side and start working on it.  I'll update the first post with pics and the steps I used.  The second one shouldn't take so long.  I will have to get another quart of fluid as in my case, two quarts won't be enough.  I must have drained a bit more completely than what they consider a wet refill.

[gPink]

You would have had enough if you hadn't stepped in the drain pan.

[VirginiaJim]

That was what was in there already...bloody mess that was.  I was working on it this morning to fix the stuck adjuster and stepped in another one.  Thank goodness it was dry.

[Rhino]

For Jim the next time he has to change fluids...

[VirginiaJim]

    Well, got the left fork back in and I'm holding off doing the other one until the weekend.  Done something to really  up my left wrist.  I'm hoping to avoid a Dr. visit so I'm going to leave it alone until then.  Good thing it wasn't the right.  I drink beer with the right hand.

In his video, Fred mentions that to be careful when removing the clamp bolts to not let the fork fall out.  The only way that would happen with mine would be using dynamite.  His was tight as well but not as tight as mine.  I had to pry the lower clamp apart and hold it open in order to get it out and when installing I had to drive in a small screwdriver to wedge it open enough to install it back.