Big day in the garage

[Dunnster 1,650]

24  and a bit thousand miles service for Nancy the 700x completed. I needed a new front tyre, brake were near the wear limit and I needed to change my fork oil, plus the valve clearances needed checking and the coolant was due for renewal, so, one job was leading to the other, so...., 

 

New fork oil, old oil was grey and rank, coolant change, valve clearances checked, (all in spec), new brake pads and treated myself to a new Road 5, whilst the wheel was out changing the fork oil. 

 

This bike is a joy to work on. 

[outrunner 4,457]

Glad it all went well for you.

 

Andy.

 

[neojynx 722]

1 hour ago, Dunnster said:

 

 

This bike is a joy to work on. 

It is.  I do all my own work.

 

Compared to my R1150RT. I t allows me to relax a little

 

[Tex 36,817]

That’s gonna ride like a new bike  very satisfying. 

[Dunnster 1,650]

For anyone interested I measured the fork springs ;

.                                                                                          393mm

                                                                                           394mm

Oh and had one of those moments putting the axle through the wheel, in so far and stopped. Backed it out, worried I may have cross threaded it, tried again, got so far jammed again. Took axle out, rolled the wheel away, sat looking at the forks puzzled for a few minutes, then the penny dropped......., calliper side fork leg was the wrong way round.  quick 180 spin and all went back together correctly. 

Thanks Tex hopefully will be a perfect leasure ride in the sun. 

safe ridin folks 

 

[Dunnster 1,650]

I must say, changing the fork oil has made a massive difference to the bike handling. On that basis I think it will be worth changing it every time the valve clearances need inspecting, plus with the forks out of the way, it makes the job easier due to more access available. 

[outrunner 4,457]

What grade of oil did you use in the forks?

 

 

Andy.

[Dunnster 1,650]

Fuchs silkolene Rsf 7.5 

[embee 7,288]

1 hour ago, Dunnster said:

Fuchs silkolene Rsf 7.5 

......…. now carries the "Maintain" label, same stuff...…… in case you find it advertised under that name.

http://www.silkolene.com/motorcycle/suspension-fluids/rsf-7-5/

[Dunnster 1,650]

5 minutes ago, embee said:

......…. now carries the "Maintain" label, same stuff...…… in case you find it advertised under that name.

http://www.silkolene.com/motorcycle/suspension-fluids/rsf-7-5/

Yeah has 'Maintain' on the bottle I used. 

[Grumpy old man 4,670]

Hi

What are the quantities in each leg or the freeboard (not sure if that's the correct term  😊 )measurement. I only have a 2016 manual and my bike is a 15 and I know they changed the suspension

Thanks 

Lloyd 

[Rick 236]

As mentioned above, most bikes could use new fork oil at the same time as valve checks, coolant replacement , etc. so I tend to strip down the front end to make access easy then service valves, coolant, forks, check wheel bearings, brakes as it goes back together.

[embee 7,288]

Agree. Fork oil is probably the most neglected service item of all. 

I reckon it becomes noticeably degraded somewhere after 10k miles, depending on use/age etc, so changing at the 16k miles service mark is ideal. It's nearly always manky grey smelly stuff by then.

I always set the amount by height rather than volume, measured from the top of the stanchion with the spring/spacer removed and the fork upright and fully compressed. It's convenient to hold the fork leg in a vice/workmate etc to do this. I don't know what the level is for the 750 S/X versions, and personally I use a level slightly different to that in the manual for the Integra. The 700 manual says 103mm for the S and 104mm for the X (why they bother with quoting 1mm difference is beyond me ……………..).

Note that the Silkolene Maintain RSF 7.5W is very close in viscosity to the Honda Pro HP 10W and also the Showa SS-8 oils as per the table halfway down here

http://peterverdone.com/wiki/?title=Suspension_Fluid

I don't know exactly what the "Ultra Cushion" oil viscosity is like, but I would guess it's in the 35-37cSt region too. I use the RSF 7.5W, it has a very high VI (desirable).

Edited July 10, 2018 by embee

[Defender 3,834]

1 hour ago, embee said:

Agree. Fork oil is probably the most neglected service item of all. 

I reckon it becomes noticeably degraded somewhere after 10k miles, depending on use/age etc, so changing at the 16k miles service mark is ideal. It's nearly always manky grey smelly stuff by then.

I always set the amount by height rather than volume, measured from the top of the stanchion with the spring/spacer removed and the fork upright and fully compressed. It's convenient to hold the fork leg in a vice/workmate etc to do this. I don't know what the level is for the 750 S/X versions, and personally I use a level slightly different to that in the manual for the Integra. The 700 manual says 103mm for the S and 104mm for the X (why they bother with quoting 1mm difference is beyond me ……………..).

Note that the Silkolene Maintain RSF 7.5W is very close in viscosity to the Honda Pro HP 10W and also the Showa SS-8 oils as per the table halfway down here

http://peterverdone.com/wiki/?title=Suspension_Fluid

I don't know exactly what the "Ultra Cushion" oil viscosity is like, but I would guess it's in the 35-37cSt region too. I use the RSF 7.5W, it has a very high VI (desirable).

Wonderfully detailed and informative as usual Murray.

I did chuckle at the idea of holding the fork leg in a workmate? But I soon realised you meant a Black & Decker Workmate rather than the human type:-|

I have has some 'workmates' that were of less use that a B&D Workmate?

[Dunnster 1,650]

11 hours ago, Grumpy old man said:

Hi

What are the quantities in each leg or the freeboard (not sure if that's the correct term  😊 )measurement. I only have a 2016 manual and my bike is a 15 and I know they changed the suspension

Thanks 

Lloyd 

2012 700x takes 514ml per leg plus/minus 2ml.

I poured in 500 and something ml then sucked out oil until I had 104mm air gap. I used a syringe with a bit of tubing on the end which measures 104mm to the syringe shoulder. Rest the syringe on top of the fork leg and pull up oil until just air is being sucked in means I have the correct air gap. 

[giley 458]

interesting... just looked at my paperwork from mct suspension and he changed it to 170mm air gap with motul 10w oil thats on a 15 750x...that was a few years ago now and is probably due oil change.