Help! fork oil

Chat for Falco Owners.

Moderators: Aladinsaneuk, MartDude, D-Rider, Moderators

Post Reply
Message
Author
User avatar
ReggieGasket
Clubman Racer
Clubman Racer
Posts: 393
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:14 am
Location: East Riding of Yorks

Help! fork oil

#1 Post by ReggieGasket » Tue May 04, 2010 5:57 pm

Hi, is there an easy way to change the fork oil with paddock stands? I can't find any way to jack the bike under the engine. I found instructions on chaning the oil on the internet fromt the USA which said you could drain the oil through the rebound damping plug. That OK?

http://home.comcast.net/~sl_mille/fork.html

Thanks for any help!

User avatar
Falco9
Aprilia Admin
Posts: 1154
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm
Location: Wakefield. West Yorkshire

#2 Post by Falco9 » Tue May 04, 2010 7:37 pm

You cannot change the fork oil on paddock stands unless you have the front one that lifts under the headstock and allows the forks to be dropped

They need to be dropped to change the oil I'm afraid. Can you support the headstock from the garage roof beams at all? I did it that way using ratchet straps and although it looked a bit dodgy it was absolutely fine

F9 :smt006

EDIT. Just looked at the link you posted and to be honest I hadn't thought you would be able to do it that way. I'd have thought that a lot of oil would be still be held above the cartridge, but I may (probably will be) be wrong
I've spent 50% of my life riding motorcycles, the rest I've wasted!

User avatar
ReggieGasket
Clubman Racer
Clubman Racer
Posts: 393
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:14 am
Location: East Riding of Yorks

#3 Post by ReggieGasket » Wed May 05, 2010 6:28 am

Yes, the guy on the link suspended the bike like that. I think it's the only way. I think my garage might fall down, but my father has an RSJ beam. Thanks.

User avatar
anzacinexile
SuperSport Racer
SuperSport Racer
Posts: 441
Joined: Mon Jan 15, 2007 11:00 pm
Location: UK South Coast

#4 Post by anzacinexile » Wed May 05, 2010 7:29 am

If you invest in an Abba stand (or similar), the swing arm pivots are pretty close to the point of balance. A simple car jack under the oil tank is perfectly ok as there is very little weight at that point. Just dont try the same with a paddock stand though :smt002

User avatar
Falco9
Aprilia Admin
Posts: 1154
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm
Location: Wakefield. West Yorkshire

#5 Post by Falco9 » Wed May 05, 2010 8:09 am

anzacinexile wrote:If you invest in an Abba stand (or similar), the swing arm pivots are pretty close to the point of balance. A simple car jack under the oil tank is perfectly ok as there is very little weight at that point. Just dont try the same with a paddock stand though :smt002
I wouldn't have thought there was enough room to drop the forks even using an Abba stand is there? (again I could be wrong)

F9 :smt006
I've spent 50% of my life riding motorcycles, the rest I've wasted!

User avatar
D-Rider
Admin
Admin
Posts: 15560
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 1:09 pm
Location: Coventry

#6 Post by D-Rider » Wed May 05, 2010 8:13 am

anzacinexile wrote:If you invest in an Abba stand (or similar), the swing arm pivots are pretty close to the point of balance. A simple car jack under the oil tank is perfectly ok as there is very little weight at that point. Just dont try the same with a paddock stand though :smt002
When I swapped my forks over I did just this - Ulti-pro stand (similar to Abba) at the swing arm pivot and trolley jack underneath the engine somewhere.
Falco9 wrote:
I wouldn't have thought there was enough room to drop the forks even using an Abba stand is there? (again I could be wrong)

F9 :smt006
Plenty of room - wheel out and then you've half the wheel diameter between the forks and the ground.
“Scientists investigate that which already is. Engineers create that which has never been.”
-- Albert Einstein

User avatar
Falco9
Aprilia Admin
Posts: 1154
Joined: Wed Jan 03, 2007 9:24 pm
Location: Wakefield. West Yorkshire

#7 Post by Falco9 » Wed May 05, 2010 8:17 am

D-Rider wrote: Plenty of room - wheel out and then you've half the wheel diameter between the forks and the ground.
I stand corrected :smt018

F9 :smt006
I've spent 50% of my life riding motorcycles, the rest I've wasted!

User avatar
ReggieGasket
Clubman Racer
Clubman Racer
Posts: 393
Joined: Mon Aug 10, 2009 10:14 am
Location: East Riding of Yorks

#8 Post by ReggieGasket » Fri May 07, 2010 7:37 am

Thanks everyone. The guy on the link doesn't actually drop the forks out all the way. I may as well as am changing the wheels.

Post Reply