Fork oil change question

[JZH]

The main problem with Race-Tech and the ST1300 is that their heaviest spring is 1.0kg/mm, whilst Sonic has springs rated 1.1 and 1.2.

Not all cartridge forks are adjustable. My old VFR750FL had cartridge forks with exactly the same amount of adjustment as the ST1300: none!

Ciao,

 

[ChucksKLRST]

Fork Springs Tapered End UP or DOWN?

Hey money bags, but you retired Army guys are rollin' in dough!

Sonic Springs

I'm still planning to come down, if I can. Donna has four more weeks to go before she can put full weight on her new knee, and I've got a church ride July 1st....

Just got my Sonic Springs. It took only one day to receive them from the time I placed the order. Great service. Also got my new tires and fork oil measure tool. I plan on changing fork oil and tires about the middle of July. Still need to run off some more rubber on the old tires. Getting ready for WESTOC.

But I have a question. The Service manual for my 03 say to put the springs in with the tapered ends up. What say the list, as I have also heard to install with the tapered ends down.

 

[MountainTourer]

Mine were installed tapered ends down.

Later year versions of the service manual were changed to say tapered ends down (near cartridge).

 

[MountainTourer]

Should be interesting to see how your 03 was assembled from the factory. I\'m betting tapered end down.

JMO, but the smaller diameter of the tapered end of the spring seems more consistent with the smaller diameter seat on the cartridge, and the larger diameter non-tapered end of the spring seems to match up with the large diameter washer which fits between the spring and the preload collar.

 

[dond]

I was always taught a tapered spring was installed with the tighter coils to the stationary side. On a fork spring that would be taper/tighter wound up.
The shop manual is correct.
This is just more evidence confirming the absolute superiority of the 03 model.

Paul

: :

 

[Killtimer]

The shop manual is correct.
This is just more evidence confirming the absolute superiority of the 03 model.
Paul

Which manual Paul? I've got two manuals and the later one says taper down.

 

[Killtimer]

The 03 manual, Date of issue June 2002. These are the original, uncluttered by useless information about inferior models. Paul

Ahhhhh, I see. Like the ignition timing change for starters.

 

[Actionfigurejoe]

Why no drain screws at the bottom of the forks??

 

[Happy Rob]

St 1300. I had fork oil leak. I plan to ride it for another couple of months before I replace fork seals. I made a tool from old 35 mm film. Cleaned the leaking fork and no more leak.... Is there any way to put more fork oil in till I get around to replacing the seals? Ie pull top bolt and pour some 10 weight fork oil in from top? Just to get me through. I want to ride, not repair right now.

 

[Catmandu2]

St 1300. I had fork oil leak.

How bad was the leak ?? Did you loose a lot of fluid,,, or did you notice the leak quickly ?? Tip,,, if the lower fork and caliper are covered with fluid,, it was not a small leak. I caught one of mine,,, just starting to seep,,, and after giving it the treatment with a homemade (pop bottle) tool,,, it stopped. I didn't lose enough to worry about. rebuild is on the list of winter repairs and upgrades,,,, CAt'

 

[Happy Rob]

I think I had a significant leak.. oil on caliper. Can I top it up somehow till I do the repair properly?
Ideally I would like to remove both top bolts.. Observe the level of oil in the one that didn't leak and fill the other to same level... Sounds simple but the logical tiny voice in my head tells me there's is not possible.

 

[Willsmotorcycle]

St 1300. I had fork oil leak. I plan to ride it for another couple of months before I replace fork seals. I made a tool from old 35 mm film. Cleaned the leaking fork and no more leak.... Is there any way to put more fork oil in till I get around to replacing the seals? Ie pull top bolt and pour some 10 weight fork oil in from top? Just to get me through. I want to ride, not repair right now.

I remember an old saying about things you can do and things you should do. This may fall into the latter.

Of course you can put more in, you should pull it and fill it correctly, depending on the mileage since the last time, maybe doing both is in order. It will take about an hour to do each one: Pull, drain, clean, refill, instal. You will be surprised how much tighter the front feels.

Or, you can just pour in some oil that may or may not be the same as what’s in there, maybe even to the right level.

 

[Bmacleod]

I think I had a significant leak.. oil on caliper. Can I top it up somehow till I do the repair properly?
Ideally I would like to remove both top bolts.. Observe the level of oil in the one that didn't leak and fill the other to same level... Sounds simple but the logical tiny voice in my head tells me there's is not possible.

Like others have said it is certainly not recommended, but following your logic that you just want to do a temporary fill until the winter, it's certainly possible. There are a couple of things you would have to keep in mind. You would want to loosen the top fork Crown pinch bolts before you removed the fork caps. Also you would need to support the bike with a floor jack, under the front of the engine before you remove those caps because once you remove the caps the forks will collapse, possibly causing the bike to fall off the center stand. Once the forks are collapsed and the bike is resting on the front end you could measure the side that didn't leak and simply match it up to the other side. You would need to Jack the bike back up to put the caps back on. Taking precautions to support the bike, I would say it sounds fairly simple. I would also suggest that you put a tie down strap on the center stand to make sure that it doesn't fold when the front end is let down.
Buy enough fluid to do a full change come winter and just take a little from that. I don't imagine it's going to take very much to bring the level up to where you want it