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Ryan
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IM so confused.

Post by Ryan »

can somene please tell me how to change my fork oil. the manual is confuseing with all the tools you need.. which i dont have cause they are too expensive. Do i just loosen the big nut on top and then tip them over and let them drain?? thanks for any help
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Post by Ryan »

is this right?? and is it bad if i see rust were it is???

http://img125.imagevenue.com/img.php?lo ... rk_oil.jpg
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Post by Colorado Mike »

doesn't look all that bad to me, but all I see that looks rusty is the pre-load spacer. The original oil Kawi puts in is a mixture of fry grease and pond scum. I would recommend you get a bunch of real fork oil, pour out all the factory glop, and pump the forks a lot to drain all you can. put some real fork oil in, pump it through and drain it. Then fill them for real like the book says. Most guys tend to put a little lees oil in than recommended, but that's up to you.
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Post by Colorado Mike »

oh yeah, you might want to make a tool that helps to pump the rod . just get a length of steel rod, like 5/16" or 3/8", and weld a nut on the end that'll thread on to the end of the damper rod. It's metric, seems 10mm x 1.0mm thread pitch, but I don't remember for sure. Anyway the rod will make it easier to pump the forks efficiently, and make it possible to get the spring back on without running through your 4 letter word vocabulary.
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Post by Ryan »

is there any other way of pumping it... i dont have a welder and i dont know anyone who has one.
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Post by Indawoods »

Yeah... grab the rod and pump it!
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Post by Ryan »

good i was hoping someone would say that :grin:
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Post by canyncarvr »

Check this:

http://www.dishers.com/hobbies/Repairs/


I don't see a mention of taking the thing apart...obviously you need to do that to get TO the rod to do any pumping.

re: 'Do I just loosen the big nut on the top...'

That's a bit short of what you need to do. The above 'how to' is quite helpful.

re: '...mixture of fry grease and pond scum.'

Really? So....it's been improved? I thought it was pretty much completely pond scum...with some whale pee thrown in for an 'essence of the sea' effect.

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Post by Ryan »

my dad pick me up some oil and i was wondering if it would work. it is avanced autoparts sae5w30 motor oil. Will this work in the forks and how much do i need to put in.
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Post by dave04kdx »

I really doubt the 5W-30 will work in your forks. I surely wouldn't put that stuff in mine. The forks are designed for a special 5W fork/shock oil. The 5W-30 is automotive engine oil. The additives in that oil could possibily do damage to your fork seals and cause you more problems. Besides that its WAY too heavy for the forks!

The fork oil isn't that expensive. You can do both forks with the right oil for around $15.00 :mrgreen: Just about any bike shop stocks the fork oil.
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Post by Indawoods »

Fork oil is hydraulic oil.... not motor oil.
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Post by Ryan »

ok so how much does the fork stuff cost. Also can i use a SAE5w hydralic oil, and if i can has anyone else ever used it.


Also this has nothing to do with the oringinal thread but does anyone use a hydralic clutch? And if you do is it worth the $250??
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Post by fuzzy »

Just get the right stuff
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Post by Ryan »

im going too, im gonna get some golden spectro fork oil when i got the chance.
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Post by dave04kdx »

>|<>QBB<
fuzzy wrote:Just get the right stuff
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Post by Indawoods »

My 73 yr old stepdad thinks I'm crazy for buying quarts of fork oil... he said "Why in the hell are you paying that much for hydraulic oil? Just go down and buy a gallon for what a quart costs"


Got me thinking.....
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Post by Indawoods »

Fork oil is very similar to hydraulic oil. The requirements for seal protection are the same. Also very important for both is the resistance to foaming.

Be carefull, the classification from SAE like 5wt, 10wt, 15wt is not the same as most of hydraulic oil ; viscosity 5W seems to be about 20 following ISO 3104, perhaps 30. That could be correct for most of forks or suspensions systems.

Here's 5 gallons for $22.95 :shock:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/oilstore/noname1.html
Last edited by Indawoods on 12:13 pm Dec 18 2005, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by KDX220PHIL »

hmmmm.... what about Mobil DTE 25, ever heard of that stuff?

http://www.mobil.com/USA-English/Lubes/ ... DTE_20.asp

If this is any use to you.
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Post by Indawoods »

Proly as much as fork oil though... that Mobil1 stuff is pricey!
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Post by KDX220PHIL »

Hehehe, not pricey for me. Think it is any good. It does run the company about $125/5gal CDN, around $110US. Free to me :supz:
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