The fork is one of the essential elements of the motorcycle. Its role is to connect the front wheel to the ground. Maintaining the motorcycle fork well is a guarantee of the proper functioning of your machine. Fork oil gradually degrades with miles traveled. Your motorcycle then becomes less and less efficient, over time, your comfort suffers. You must therefore change the fork oil so as not to degrade your mount. And, a well-maintained fork is a regularly drained fork. So, do you wonder how to properly drain the fork of the motorcycle? Discover everything in the lines that follow ...
The different types of motorcycle forks
There are four types of forks which are:
- The Classic Fork
It has been the most popular since the 50s. It is distinguished by the existence of two similar parts located on each side of the front wheel.
- The inverted fork
It works in the same way as the classic fork, but with inverted tubes. Its main drawback is its excessive rigidity, which does not always adapt to the wheel.
- The Cartridge Fork
It is distinguished from others by its oil contained inside a cartridge. It is also characterized by the existence of two pistons dedicated to the relaxation and the compression.
- The parallelogram fork
This is the oldest device (having seen the light of day in 1900). It consists of two parts, one mobile and one fixed connected by a third element which ensures its vertical movement.
What material is needed to drain a motorcycle fork?
To drain the oil, you will therefore need:
• A classic toolbox
• A rule
• A measuring cup
• Syringes fitted with a piece of hose
• Cardboard or rubber washers to act as a stopper
It is very important to start by measuring the height of the tube and the adjustment screw. But before starting the disassembly, take marks to ensure the reassembly at the end of the operation. Use a ruler to measure the height of the fork tubes protruding from the upper triple clamp. Are you ready? Let's go step by step ...
How to drain a motorcycle fork?
Step 1: Begin disassembly
Correctly install your motorcycle and begin disassembly. Start with the front part of the machine and then free the thread of the plug by loosening the clamping screw of the upper tee around the tube. Loosen the top caps a quarter turn with the tubes still fitted.
You can finally dismantle the fork tubes one by one and completely loosen the caps, being careful not to lose them.
Step 2: Empty the tubes
You can now empty the tubes into a dedicated container. Maneuver gently as you must ensure that small removable parts do not get lost. It is advisable to do this by blocking the springs and others with a finger, while the used oil is flowing, or to provide another container that will accommodate these small elements.
This being done, you can now reassemble the fork, starting by cleaning the parts and ensuring that they are in their order.
Step 3: pour in new fork oil
In the measuring container, pour new fork oil in accordance with the proportions stated by the manufacturer. Then fill the tubes with new oil. During filling, the most important is not the quantity, but the level. In addition, all the valves must be filled. However, adjustments to the oil level remain to be expected. In this case, it is advisable for greater efficiency to use a syringe.
Finally, reassemble all the parts, start by replacing the spring and the various shims. If you want to harden your suspension at the end of the course, increase the oil level. Then position the tubes in the tees and torque tighten, as much as possible according to the manufacturer's instructions. Check and if necessary adjust the preload to the values recorded during assembly. Tighten all items using a torque wrench.
When to drain a motorcycle fork?
To have a precise answer to this question, it is necessary to first check the model of your fork. But, the ideal is to carry out an oil change every 10 to 20 thousand kilometers. It is rather easy to do the draining yourself. It will not take a long time and will not require large materials.
What you should know is that depending on the model, the oil change will be more or less obvious. The handling will be different if your motorcycle is equipped with a conventional fork, an inverted fork, etc.
The final word
In short, it is very important to drain the fork because it is subjected to high stresses. A fork filled with used oil softens the motorcycle, preventing it from running properly. So, it is important to follow these steps in order to have a motorcycle in perfect condition.
