Anyone done a fork strip to change the oil? The FSM lists the requirement of several special tools but can it be done without these?
Thanks in advance.

I like to change around annually.

No special tools for just quick oil change.

Suspend front end, pull forks. Don't even need to remove fairings.

Loosen top caps.

Poor out old, measure amount.

Poor in new, matching amount.

Done.

To do simple oil change you only need to loosen the top caps and not remove them.

* Last updated by: piken on 1/31/2017 @ 4:38 PM *

Piken

Do you replace with the factory/stock weight oil or would you recommend a different weight for a 200 lb'er and aggressive riding and an occasional track day?

I'm no suspension expert or even close.

I only change things to fix issues. I'm right at 220lbs geared up.

** below are just some of my ramblings, I'm sure someone better at suspension
would have better answers.

As long as I can set sag, use all travel without bottoming out (check with zip tie)
comp and rebound within limits, no funny tire wear, etc. I'm good.
The front end preforms pretty darn good for me stock.

Rider weight would be more of a spring rate issue. Can you set sag properly? Are you
using the full travel? Are you bottoming out? Changing spring rate would fix those
type of things.

Oil weight / fill height more for tweaking rebound / compression. For instance, if I'm
having trouble matching front and rear rebound and or compression I might try thicker/thinner
oil to help make adjustments. If I felt I needed to slow down the end of travel on hard braking
I might increase the fill height.

I'm sure I missed much more.

I'm currently using stock oil weight and fill height.
Stock oil is/recommended Kawasaki KHL15-10 matching oil via Verdones chart I'm currently using
Motul Very Light 2.5w I've found no reason to change viscosity or fill height.

On my 10 I've tried many different weights and fill heights just to play with it. It's quick
and easy to try different things. If you change oil like once a year you can always change
things around and have fun testing!

Verdones Viscosity Data

* Last updated by: piken on 1/31/2017 @ 8:48 PM *

Thanks. I did wonder about just loosening the top caps to change the oil and now you've confirmed it. I'm just over 250lbs geared up. Never had a bottoming out problem but it's the same oil in there from new (5 years) so due for a change.

Any thoughts on packing the steering head bearings while it's tore down to this point?

Any thoughts on packing the steering head bearings while it's tore down to this point?

Manual says every two years to clean and pack.

I always check front ends for play and tighten the stem nut if needed. but that's usually all I do.

It's a lot more work to pack the stem bearings if all you are wanting to do is a quick fork
oil change.

By 'top caps' you mean where the preload adjusters are at,yes?Also...you say...'loosen' but not remove.Okay...so how do you get the old oil out and new in without removing the top caps?Obviously you need to unscrew the top cap from the fork tube,so what do you mean by 'loosen but don't remove' then?I'm confused.
I'm gonna guess here you mean,unscrew the top cap and pull away from the fork tube,but not take it all the way out...yes?

I did look at the manual procedure...it appeared the spring was under load,so it needed to be controlled with that bench tool.Am I not seeing what's going on there?You're saying the top cap can be safely lifted from the fork tube without any spring force issues?(curious in Montana...and maybe a bit dense upstairs;) )

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 2/1/2017 @ 9:04 PM *

By 'top caps' you mean where the preload adjusters are at,yes?

Yes, the top caps will unscrew from the fork tube and "separate" from the tube.

But the top caps/adjusters will still be connected by the piston rod.

At that point you can separate caps and fork tube enough to pour out the oil,add back new oil
and screw cap back into fork tube.

If you want to take apart further to change seals, measure oil by tube height, etc.
you will need a fork spring compressor like the one from Racetech, etc. or MacGyver something.

Not needed to just do quick oil change.

MacGyer'ing something not recommended, I've got my thumb stuck trying to separate using
home made fork compressor tool. Very painful and almost had to run to emergency room with thumb stuck
in fork. They are under a lot of pressure. But everything is fine just unscrewing the caps to change oil.

Racetech Fork Spring Compressor.

Not needed for quick oil change, but needed to separate forks for further maintenance.

Changing rear springs you can safely go a little redneck using a floor jack.

Since we are talking about suspension.....

I don't do the rear as often as I would like but the oil needs to be
changed in the rear shock too.

I send to a shock guy in Florida.

He dynos the shock
changes oil
tests for bladder leaks,etc
new nitrogen
re-dynos

He'll let you know if he sees any issues or just freshen up the shock and send back.

This shock dyno is from the shock off of my 10, have not sent 14 shock in yet to be done.
He says should be done annually.

The dyno is showing no big issues with the shock, so just service.

* Last updated by: piken on 2/1/2017 @ 9:33 PM *

Okay...yeah...that clears up what I was trying to understand about it...thanks man;)

Might try this method to get most of the oil out...Forkoilchange

Job done. Quite easy really but made much more so with the bike on the Skylift. Got just under 500ml out of each leg and went for Putoline 15w as I wanted to increase the damping from stock.
A set of new front pads and a chain & sprocket kit and it'll be ready for another season.Roll on Summer

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 2/4/2017 @ 3:25 PM *

peg,

Good job. Would love to have one of those Skylifts.

After watching their videos, doesn't quite show it, but how many lever cranks/time to lift bike into the air?

Possible to re-work to use air powered hydrolic pump? Or no big thing? Got pick of 14 up in the air?

Never really timed the Skylift before so just been into the garage and tried it. From 0 to full lift with both axles around 70cm off the floor takes 163 pumps and just under 90 secs. If you set it up to lift just one end of the bike the axle will be around 1m off the floor. Mine has the later hydraulic ram which is supposed to be a bit quicker than the earlier versions. I fitted a foot pedal which make lifting way quicker and easier than the jack handle IMO. I've often thought if an electric pump/ram mod would be possible but not really looked into it in much detail. The BIG plus IMO is the ability to move the bike round easily with the bike in the air. I don't have that much spare room in the garage so it's ideal for me. Certainly not cheap but worth it IMO.
Makes ANY maintenance a breeze.

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 2/9/2017 @ 3:36 PM *

Thanks for posting that Skylift is very cool.

Foot pump for sure. Sounds like it's not that big of
a deal to think about converting to air.

Will probably look into getting one of these, it's at least on the list.

* Last updated by: piken on 2/9/2017 @ 4:10 PM *