Estimated time : 1 h 30

Difficulty :

 

Required supply : fork oil

Required tools : wrench and sockets, torque wrench

Check list : fork oil.pdf

 

Time after time, kilometers after kilometers, fork oil looses its properties. That can of course deteriorate dynamic behaviour of the bike, but it can too damage inner parts of fork if you wait really too long. That's why it's required to change for oil every 12 000 kms.

On some bikes, there is a screw on the bottom of the fork to drain oil. If so, you don't have to do the first steps. Either, you'll have to remove fork. Anyway, keep a look on your service manual to adapt the procedure to the particularities of your bike.

Anyway, first step is to unlock the cap bolt before you remove the fork tube....after, it will be too late.

Then, you have to lift the bike, as explicated on the dedicated page . Remove the wheel, the fender, brake calipers before you remove fork by untightening the upper and lower bracket bolts.

Finish loosening cap bolt (beware of spring push), and loosen the damper cartidge rod.

Now you can remove spring and spacer.

Turn upside down fork and drain used oil. You should pump on tube and cartidge rod to make sure that all oil is gone.

Then, full the fork : pour oil in tube, pump on the cartidge to bleed air. Then, check oil level (height is given in your service manual), for example using a ruler, a vernier caliper, or why not your oil gauge. Level is in most cases with tube full down, and without spring.