[Sexyman]

Double post

 

[hillsy]

If it was me I'd just drain the oil and refill with the quantity and not bother with measuring the height. Seriously, a few MM variation either way in oil height will not matter.

 

[Rolex]

You have USD forks so things are different, there is a bolt running through the system to keep things in place (best description I could think of right now)

The easy way is to get a spring compressor, you need to pull down the white plastic tube in your photos so you can get to the lock nut and cap nut at the same time.

Race Tech Fork Spring Compressor Tool TFSC 01 : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

I would think there would be something on YouTube to help you

I built my own from some PVC pipe, 2 L shaped brackets hooked into the holes in that plastic tube and 2 ratchet straps, while it does work it's not easy and would recommend to proper tool but that will require removing the forks.

If you know how much in volume you want to put in you can use a syringe.

 

[Sexyman]

You have USD forks so things are different, there is a bolt running through the system to keep things in place (best description I could think of right now)

The easy way is to get a spring compressor, you need to pull down the white plastic tube in your photos so you can get to the lock nut and cap nut at the same time.

Race Tech Fork Spring Compressor Tool TFSC 01 : Amazon.com.au: Automotive

I would think there would be something on YouTube to help you

I built my own from some PVC pipe, 2 L shaped brackets hooked into the holes in that plastic tube and 2 ratchet straps, while it does work it's not easy and would recommend to proper tool but that will require removing the forks.

If you know how much in volume you want to put in you can use a syringe.

Ah... See that makes sense. So you press on the white pvc plastic?

Not that it's happening now, but I do need to put in a stronger spring at some point.

So what's the point of the holes? Once you tighten the pre whatever, the nut becomes visible, like, that's what the holes seem to be for.

As for doing by volume. I guess I could take off and shake out, but I was trying to cheat and make it simple. I've torn this bike apart too much the last week and a bit. Was a bit choked noticing the oil from the one shock. Just shy 15k km.

 

[Sexyman]

If it was me I'd just drain the oil and refill with the quantity and not bother with measuring the height. Seriously, a few MM variation either way in oil height will not matter.

I thought about this, but, I don't know how sensitive this new design is, nor how much oil came out. I did see one drip of oil fall, just walking around the bike. If I cared to hang for second drip, then time it out, maybe? But then I don't know when it started and it does leak more with useage or heat. So, end of day. Could have been empty inside. Who knows without dipping. 👍

After talking to mechanic and this whole pita. I would have just cleaned seal and kept riding.

Good knowledge derived from situ for others though.😁

 

[Rolex]

The holes are for the spring compressor tool to hook into.

If you zoom in on my link you will see one rod coming up from underneath to go in one hole and a bolt on the top to screw down into the other hole.

On the end of the tool is a big nut, as that is spun the spring is compressed creating a gap between the plastic tube and the fork cap.

Some conventual forks have a similar set up but getting to the lock nut can be easier with a thin spanner, USD forks are just that much harder again.

 

[Sexyman]

The holes are for the spring compressor tool to hook into.

If you zoom in on my link you will see one rod coming up from underneath to go in one hole and a bolt on the top to screw down into the other hole.

On the end of the tool is a big nut, as that is spun the spring is compressed creating a gap between the plastic tube and the fork cap.

Some conventual forks have a similar set up but getting to the lock nut can be easier with a thin spanner, USD forks are just that much harder again.

So, designed not to be messed with.

Sounds right.👍

So... With the way it works, you want the pretension all the way up, so there's less pressure and the nut to break it off, exposed faster then?

Lemme sleep on it, I think you can break it apart faster, while it's still hooked to triple tree. Providing there was enough weight on the front to necessitate the sliding of the pvc.

Just off top of head, a tool that clamps to handle bar location, then inserts dowels into the plastic holes as they are exposed. Then you release your Jack under the skid plate. Add more pressure if you need. Should do the same idea.

Sure hope the fjr is easier to separate.

 

[hillsy]

Sorry - I just realized you can't drain the old oil out because you have the forks still on the bike. You might have to take the plunge and pull the forks off.

 

[Sexyman]

Sorry - I just realized you can't drain the old oil out because you have the forks still on the bike. You might have to take the plunge and pull the forks off.

Yea. Gotta pull to get every drop.

If everything was accurate to begin with(volume correct).

I only got 409ml from the bottom adjuster. Which leaves shy almost 190g of the shippy ship. Which will be the crud. Probably the spacer for all the ship to stay in bottom and not in active, like a fuel tank.

But I didn't want to replace, just top up and ensure I'm within spec. Wasn't expecting such a learning ordeal. 😂

What's weird, there must be quite the cup on the inside, take a look at photo, this is where I drained from.

Hard to say there is half a red cup(shy of half of what I extracted) sitting there when it appears to be the lowest point. Maybe that's the safety point?

But, if you like doing a quick exchange of fluid every once in a while and are lazy, I'd say this is still a decent cheat to doing properly.

 

[PeteW]

Later 1000 bikes you can't. It can be done but there's a clip in there that has to be removed first, quite hard to do, really easy to screw up . Avoid if at all possible.

650's yes, at least until Suzuki update the forks from damper rod to cartridge style.

Draining the oil, my plan was take the front wheel off, put the axle back in, lower the legs one at a time and tilt forward until the top is below the lower and leave to drain. Possibly rinse with something, drain again. Refit fork leg, pour in known volume of oil and call it good. That's not ideal and I haven't done it yet but that's the plan.

 

[Sexyman]

Later 1000 bikes you can't. It can be done but there's a clip in there that has to be removed first, quite hard to do, really easy to screw up . Avoid if at all possible.

650's yes, at least until Suzuki update the forks from damper rod to cartridge style.

Draining the oil, my plan was take the front wheel off, put the axle back in, lower the legs one at a time and tilt forward until the top is below the lower and leave to drain. Possibly rinse with something, drain again. Refit fork leg, pour in known volume of oil and call it good. That's not ideal and I haven't done it yet but that's the plan.

Kerosene seems to be the great cleaner for this stuff.

After doing this, the way you're wanting to do, you would have to work them quite a bit to clean.

Hate to say it, but the best way would be full tear down. The aluminum will head to bottom, you can flush some but not all. Probably would be easier to do flush if plug was in absolute bottom. But clearly it isn't. Or, they didn't put spec in my good shock. In which case, I'm topping 2/3 up. 😆

 

[hillsy]

I just read the service manual around this - it goes to great lengths to say you have to remove all air bubbles from the inner damper rod when you refill the oil so it looks like it's a forks off job. It says to move the damper rod up and down at least 10 times to remove all air.

 

[Sexyman]

I just read the service manual around this - it goes to great lengths to say you have to remove all air bubbles from the inner damper rod when you refill the oil so it looks like it's a forks off job. It says to move the damper rod up and down at least 10 times to remove all air.

Ya, I was betting there's some bs like that where you get air in and it won't come out.

Too late meow. If it's that bad, I'll flip and pump, but, hopefully it works the air out.

I dunno. It would make sense, that installing the forks like this now, that air does eventually bleed out on its own. Otherwise, it's extremely poor engineering. Which sounds right for engineers. 😁

On the other hand, if you're reading this in manual. Good on ya. Because they cut that whole section out for a 1050.

 

[hillsy]

Ya, I was betting there's some bs like that where you get air in and it won't come out.

Too late meow. If it's that bad, I'll flip and pump, but, hopefully it works the air out.

I dunno. It would make sense, that installing the forks like this now, that air does eventually bleed out on its own. Otherwise, it's extremely poor engineering. Which sounds right for engineers. 😁

On the other hand, if you're reading this in manual. Good on ya. Because they cut that whole section out for a 1050.

I'm looking at the DL1000A manual but I suspect the forks would be pretty similar.

 

[Sexyman]

I'm looking at the DL1000A manual but I suspect the forks would be pretty similar.

I'll bet ya they aren't. 👍

Sorry man, been a long day, only one guy recognized the fork system.

Everyone, including me, has been going off old manuals. This is a different beast, that's all.

 

[Bazooka Joe]

Ya, I was betting there's some bs like that where you get air in and it won't come out.

Too late meow. If it's that bad, I'll flip and pump, but, hopefully it works the air out.

I dunno. It would make sense, that installing the forks like this now, that air does eventually bleed out on its own. Otherwise, it's extremely poor engineering. Which sounds right for engineers. 😁

On the other hand, if you're reading this in manual. Good on ya. Because they cut that whole section out for a 1050.

Not poor engineering, at least in the disassembly of this suspension system. Rather, it is a case of poor understanding of the mechanics involved. Your statement- "which sounds right for engineers", is sort of ironic, considering that you are now searching for answers and here is a Mechanical Engineer providing you with some answers.
I have not been inside of a 1050 fork, but I can state the stock dampening internals of the 14+ DL1000 forks are not very modern componentry.

So to help you out....
-The fork fluid level is set by fluid height on this style fork, not volume. Showa and KYB SSS dirt bike twin chamber forks are set by volume.
-If you want to completely change the fluid, you will need to remove the cartridge. Special tool required to remove the cartridge.
-The spring can be removed if you have a strong assistant and a tool to hold the white plastic tube while the white plastic tube is pushed away from the fork cap. KT sells such a tool.
- If you switch to stiffer springs, you will need either a fork compressor or an even stronger assistant.

The word of the day- "Some special tools are required."

 

[Sexyman]

Well, the Suzuki mechanic that looked up this on his Suzuki system, says there's two ways. You're right, height is what I wanted, but he said the volume is supposed to end up being 597ml. This would be, because it's simpler for all the shocks to get volume during manufacturing, rather than inspecting height. As for bubbles, if they're designing to make easier, would make sense that they bleed out. I pumped them one at a time after filling, no sucking air sounds. I'm hoping, it cleared them when I was testing out last night. Suspension seems really good. I had come across two posts where, 50ml was subtracted. I split it and put 25ml less.

I didn't want to change fluid, just ensue the leaky fork was topped up.

After trying to tear this thing apart, I think this style shock is made simpler in some respects, as there is nothing to do on the bottom of the shock. Which is why I think it was designed to bleed out during use. It would be stupid not to have it bleed out during normal use. Also, if it didn't bleed out during normal use, what happens if your oil aerates for some reason? A smarter/simpler design would address both those issues.

15-32 on diagram might be where that missing fluid is.

https://www.bike-parts-suz.com/parts/img_big

So far, seems better than before. 👍

Sure wished I found this yesterday.

getting air out of suzuki fork cartridge - Google Search

If this shock is like that one, it's purged the way I did it, not upside down.

 

[Sexyman]

Omg. So, my seats from laam haven't arrived. Decided to do the forks on fjr today out of frustration(weirdly calming, working on stuff), parts are from race tech, I got part numbers for both stroms and fjr, but only ordered fjr and 04 strom because I was going to have sasquatch guy do 2020 strom.

The 2020 strom is same spring number as 04, didn't realize when I ordered. Fml.

Guess I really am tearing apart new strom forks(tool to separate came in today, do not buy, it's literally 20 bucks of square tubing put together, had I seen in person, I would have laughed at 350 dollar price tag, I'm kicking myself for buying).

Anyways, completing new strom front, that's half the battle, then just gotta do rear shock for weight and bike is completely set.

Still.

Insanely funny that the spring is the exact same for a 16 year old bike. 👍

Pics tomorrow, hopefully.✌

Good job Suzuki, advancement... Snail pace. 😂

 

[Sexyman]

Might bail on forks, see tomorrow. Working on fjr forks have been a pita, clips seriously do not want to come out, also both are different, plus documention is like new Suzuki books, no data.

But here's pics of that expensive, not welded together well, at all tool, not even straight. Either buddy was incredibly inexperienced or drunk putting this together. I still think you can use triple tree to do the work that this tool does. Save the money, don't buy this.

 

[murrayjestin]

you don't even need to remove the cap. Just pull the oring over the top and install the new one the same way.
Speed Test