Drain holes in forks

mike10 · December 24, 2011, 11:11:31 AM

Has anyone ever drilled and tapped Fork Oil Drain holes in their Forks so they don't have to remove the forks to change the oil?

ojstinson · December 24, 2011, 04:09:59 PM

Sucks don't it, bikes used to come with drain plugs on the forks. I thought about tapping and plugging but I'd probably fu *k it up and have a permanent leak.

sledge · December 24, 2011, 04:21:13 PM

Oh c-mon OJ........howabout showing us some self confidence? Your team put the first man on the moon FFS and here you are sweating about drilling and tapping some pissy little hole in a bit of monkey-metal. Here is my tip...Forget about PTFE tape, helicoils, spot facing and a copper washer is the way frwd..

BTW...Happy xmas

ghostrider_23 · December 24, 2011, 05:38:09 PM

I have an oil change pump I use on boats with a 7/16" hose on it.

Why can't the oil just be sucked out that way

Does all the oil have to come out

sledge · December 24, 2011, 06:03:09 PM

Yep...its dead easy `when` you have a pump and some 7/16 hose

mike10 · December 25, 2011, 11:52:05 AM

|The pump idea sounds a lot easyer than drilling. I put 1 inch spacers in my forks yesterday to firm them up. But they were solid as a rock! No movement at all, so I took them out. They were PVC end caps 1 inch long. I put them under the long metal spacers with a flat washer on top the same size diameter as the metal spacer so the metal wouldn't cut into the PVC. 2005 GS500F Will this modification not work on newer models ?

Suzuki Stevo · December 25, 2011, 12:16:37 PM

Quote from: sledge on December 24, 2011, 06:03:09 PM
Yep...its dead easy `when` you have a pump and some 7/16 hose

Actually if you have enough hose you can just get a siphon going and leave the pump out all together

ghostrider_23 · December 25, 2011, 12:48:00 PM

Still does all the oil have to come out or is it OK to leave some in.

Meaning: Knowing that there is film on the walls of the inside of the forks and most likely a small amount that the hose will not be able to reach, will that small amount be fine

Suzuki Stevo · December 25, 2011, 01:12:51 PM

Quote from: ghostrider_23 on December 25, 2011, 12:48:00 PM
Still does all the oil have to come out or is it OK to leave some in.

Meaning: Knowing that there is film on the walls of the inside of the forks and most likely a small amount that the hose will not be able to reach, will that small amount be fine

In the past, after draining, I have dumped some ATF down the tubes, cycled them and then pumped/drained the ATF out, and that was a litttle on the anal side. Your forks will love you...even if you leave a little old oil in

ghostrider_23 · December 25, 2011, 01:21:09 PM

Cool thanks. I will be changing out my fork springs with either sonic or progressive when I switch handle bars over to clip-ons. I have to undo the fork caps so while in there I might as well change out the springs and oil. Bike is a 2009 new with only 1500 miles on it so the oil should not be too bad.

Which springs should I go with?

Suzuki Stevo · December 25, 2011, 01:30:22 PM

Quote from: ghostrider_23 on December 25, 2011, 01:21:09 PM
Cool thanks. I will be changing out my fork springs with either sonic or progressive when I switch handle bars over to clip-ons. I have to undo the fork caps so while in there I might as well change out the springs and oil. Bike is a 2009 new with only 1500 miles on it so the oil should not be too bad.

Which springs should I go with?

Ya know, personally I owned an 07" and I didn't have any issues with the spring rate, I weigh 200 Lbs

I guess I didn't ride it hard enough to expose any weakness in the suspension?

ghostrider_23 · December 25, 2011, 01:51:24 PM

WOW, I am only 181Lbs. and everytime I brake the fork dive right down. Everyone talks about changing the springs, maybe I should start with the oil and see how it goes.

Maybe a 15 weight

Suzuki Stevo · December 25, 2011, 02:14:31 PM

Quote from: ghostrider_23 on December 25, 2011, 01:51:24 PM
WOW, I am only 181Lbs. and everytime I brake the fork dive right down. Everyone talks about changing the springs, maybe I should start with the oil and see how it goes.

Maybe a 15 weight

Smooth is fast, maybe I have a lighter touch?

mike10 · December 25, 2011, 02:36:08 PM

I'm a fatty more than 200 embarrassed ! To say how much. But I only bottomed out my suspension once playing motorcycle racer with my friends at Lake Berriesa Ca. Going fast around a corner and hit a dip in the road. I mostly just commute with the bike. Hard breaking doe's make the front dive.

ojstinson · December 25, 2011, 04:29:21 PM

OOps, how'd this happen?

ojstinson · December 25, 2011, 04:54:59 PM

Quote from: sledge on December 24, 2011, 04:21:13 PM
Oh c-mon OJ........howabout showing us some self confidence? Your team put the first man on the moon FFS and here you are sweating about drilling and tapping some pissy little hole in a bit of monkey-metal. Here is my tip...Forget about PTFE tape, helicoils, spot facing and a copper washer is the way frwd..

BTW...Happy xmas

Well said Sledge my man, but I'm not convinced, guess it's back to the old vacuum pump and fill trick.

Merry Christmas!

BaltimoreGS · December 25, 2011, 05:32:07 PM

Quote from: ghostrider_23 on December 25, 2011, 01:51:24 PM
WOW, I am only 181Lbs. and everytime I brake the fork dive right down. Everyone talks about changing the springs, maybe I should start with the oil and see how it goes.

Maybe a 15 weight

230lbs and no problems with the stock suspension on my '01. My '89 is a bit squishy but that is mainly due to wear.

-Jessie

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Drain holes in forks