Hello Rob, mate, that is really kind, I truly appreciate such generous comments and compliments, we just post up the things we do in the garage so that others riders can benefit and learn a few things, nobody knows everything & I even use UA-cam myself to find out things I'm stuck on... bikers are a brotherhood adn without sharing the knowledge and skills that we possess the brotherhood dies... take care & ride safe my friend, Cheers Del
Hi again, the forks are not too fussy in oil grade, its not like oil for the engine. its just a hydraulic damping oil, and the best general all round oil for the job has always been just good old "Dextron oil" otherwise known as 'ATF' (automatic transmission fluid), it lasts ages and stays in grade with hot or cold weather..some shops will sell a dedicated "Motorcycle Fork Oil", but in the bottle, it will be more or less the same as ATF... Hope that helps you brother.. ride safe, Del.
Hi Kris, thank you for your kind comments, im glad the videos can be of help to you buddy, its just to save my fellow riders a few bucks and keep your bike safe at the same time.. thanks for the heads up on the camera videos, ill have a watch for interest, i like anything technical.. take care.. Del.
Hey Dennis. We're in Dorset in the English South Coast....about in the middle by that little island if you look at a map. thanks for watching buddy, i appreciate the support... Del.
youre an absolute gem Del, not a Harley owner but I do a lot of maintenance on my mates sportster and I really value your info and the way you put it across, much appreciated, thanks
Hi Del, Forgot to mention my bike is an FXSTDI 2006 model. I have been searching the internet and cannot find answers to my question. I really like your videos they are a lot of help. Also when I changed the brake fluid, I found one of the pistons was stuck so purchased a can of spray cleaner and cleaned them really good. This freeded up the stuck piston. You have saved me a ton of money. Thanks, Bill
Just a quick note on reinstalling your fork caps Del. Take a little black electrical tape and wrap the fork caps to prevent marring the chrome finish. Then use an inch and three eights 6 point socket and breaker bar to push the spring back down into the fork by holding the socket in one hand and turning the breaker bar with the other. (Breaker Bar in the vertical position BTW). You do great vids Del, keep up the good work my friend! Cheers from Deep East Texas!
cavscout62 Thats right buddy...sadly had to sell my Fatboy to keep roof over head and food on table back in the bad days of the recession...traded down to an XR1200....then had to do the same again the followin year down to a Sportster Iron....and eventually sold that too to protect the family business....now the recession is over and the world is slowly recovering..i know ill never have that bag of money again to afford a Big Twin Harley...yeah i could go hock in dept for years on it...but then its not my bike.. it belongs to the bank...and there we all go again... so the Triumph Scrambler i have is the weapon of choice, its more fun than a truck full of monkeys...and maybe some day, ill get a plain old Dyna, and do it up Outlaw style for just daily use....never say never..i will ALWAYS love Harleys first..
Del, your videos are amazing, I know I thank you on everyone I watch! I am about to lower my 883R with progressive shocks and lowering kit fork springs and this has given me the confidence to tackle it on my own! I have the service manual but the video is much more helpful! It is a 2005 which I bought used, it was in immaculate condition but not ridden much and I am sure the fork oil replacement is overdue!
Glad to hear your getting stuck in yourself and good move getting a manual... the best of luck with it and feel free to drop us a line if you need any help, all the best, Del & Penny
I lowered my '01 xl883c with 10 1/2" fatties and while it looks cool its been a nightmare, rough ride even solo on even the smallest bumps, bottoming up the fender hurting the rear tire, it also chew up all the rear light wires forcing me to do a bypass, so the advise given to me was either changing the fender or going back to longer shocks. Im considering solid rods or going for the functionality of 14" shocks, Im fed up.
saucerfly Don give up buddy, you're just half inch too low and probably a little heavy for that much slam....ive run 11" progressives a few times, im 14 stone, and never had a bottom out issue.. to go below 11" you really need to run struts, or those really hard Burly shocks that are not much softer than struts.... another half inch and crank up the preload and you should be ok unless you're a heavy lad..!!!
Hi mate. yes is cerainly seems im stuck in the garage more than i get out these days, but i enjoy it and thats all that matters.. Thank you kindly for your very generous comments about my videos, i only do them so other people can save a few pennies and keep thier bikes safe and mobile.... With the brake fluid change, you're in luck.. i did a brake hose change last year on my Iron, and that involved new fluid, so ill send you a link in PM... thanks for watching my friend and ride safe.. Del.
I see your point mate, there is a common screw-up often made, (even by dealers) they measure the 79mm with the spring in place...which makes it low on oil... you're right, never say never.. it always pays to get the level right.. thanks for watching mate.. Del.
Ha ha, that video is soooo long overdue.. there are a few on the tube, but i still seem to get asked over and over... even if i had an old fork leg i could do it,,,or a mate with a seal gone id do his and film it....i guess i will get to that one in the end...and it will get plenty of hits im sure... thanks for all your support Symba... take care.. Del.
Thanks for sharing.. When u said fork oil has to be changed every two years, my eyes almost popped out.. Bought a 2001 Harley sportster and never changed it.
ha ha, thats not uncommon, and its not the end of the world... it'll be pretty crappy by now though, and you'll feel the difference when you change it...
Hi mate, well done on getting it this far... the oil will naturally find its lowest level like any liquid and the air will not lock anywhere... if can help to pump the forks up and down a fare few times once youer finished just to settle the oil down...other then that, its fine.. good luck, Del.
Hi Del, Thanks for the quick reply. I think I will drop the wheel as need a new front tire. Also am looking to find a 6 pt. 1 3/8 inch socket for the fork bolt. I have a couple am watching on Ebay. You have save me a ton of money with my front brakes and cleaning the caliper as one of the pistons was a little stuck. Have a nice weekend. Bill
I wasnt being specific when i said its a cup full... it was just a generalisation... some people think there should be half a gallon in there. and in reality its usually around half a pint.. remember the inside void is only just over in inch wide and about two feet long then take away the space the spring and damper rode take up, and a little for air... it doesnt leave much room..even when i rebuilt some forks on a yamaha EXUP, they held about half a pint each.. ride safe mate...Del.
Hi Bil.... im not surprised about that daft design of hiding the drain screw so you have to take the wheel out...Duh.. who though that one up?..lol... best way buddy, just resort to the old method...drop the fork leg out, take the cap off and up-end it...works every time.. good luck. Del.
Ok, I'll try it. great instructions. Some things to be careful of, but it's straight forward. I haven't done this before so I am fully expecting some seriously horrid smelling oil, based on what I am hearing.
Thank I found this older video but I need to do this to my bike . along with new break fluid etc love your video's came in great when I had to replace my starter and do the clutch adjustment
Hi there, you're right, those drain screws were up to 09' i think, and yes you can up-end them, but if you're really lazy like me, you can loosen off the damper rod bolt up under the fork end and pump it out, but TBH if you've taken the wheel out, then its no more hardship to back off two clamp bolts and slip the leg out, plus then you can re-measure it from scratch and not rely on there having been the right amount from the factory (which there sometimes isnt)..let me know if you get stuck, Del
Hi mate, Sadly no, there is no way to check, only if you drain it out like i said, then you may as well put new oil in... it is very cheap and not a hard job...so if the bike is new to you, why not begin with a clean slate and just renew it anyway... Hope that helps.. ride safe. Del.
I take it that if I replace the springs with progressive HD springs I may need to put a different amount of oil in? Book says 3.11 inches (I assume this is clearance of oil from top of forks
Hey Del, I have a softail deuce and am going to change the fluids on my bike. I think I will have to remove the front brake caliper and wheel. The reason for this is the bleeder screws are on the inside of the fork tubes. The wheel is in the way to get to the bleeder screws. With the wheel removed am not sure how to milk out the old fork oil? Thanks for your help. Bill
Del once again thank you for the videos you are a genius. My next question is i drain the oil refill it now when i close it up will there not be air stuck in the forks ? is there a bleed system for the air or it does not matter
I changed the fork oil in my 07 heritage Softail. And the fork setup was similar, but different. I took the top cap off, expected a spring to jump out, but nether side did. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to inspect the springs. If I had your email I would send you a pic. Can't do it here.
hi delboy this is zamiel and im a big fan of your videos and i own a harley sporster 05 custom 1200 and i want to know how is the easy way to change the fork seals thank you.
+zamiel Hi Zamiel, forks seals are not a difficult job, it is a little involved as you need to strip the forks apart, but not difficult to do, and not complex, have a watch through of our fork video and see if you feel confident to take the job on... here's a link: ua-cam.com/video/vrmYJgcGX30/v-deo.html Hope it helps you, good luck with it, Del
Hey mate, great video though! Not sure all Sportsters from 2010 up have the same bolt on forks bottom. My 48 doesn't so I assume I have to pull the frok off the clamps and drain it upside down..right? Thanx!
Love your videos ,they have helped me no end. Wonder if you can do a tutorial on removal of the rear fender . My paint is blistering due to rust and want to remove it for a respray. Cheers keep up the good work.
Hi Jonathan. thanks for your kind complimets...sadly i dont own a Harley at the moment, so cant make a video of that... if you have the proper factory manual, it covers all the bodywork removal in detail....sorry cant help more buddy... Del.
Such a great mate you are Del! Will go ahead by slipping the legs out of the clamps: the "lazy" option is not the best solution IMHO. Just a little doubt abot the kind of fork oil to replace (SAE? Brand?). Anyhow I'll do that in the coming weeks, new progressive springs are yet to come but I don't want to wait any further once the'll reach my garage!! heheheh
Great How To Video! How about a how to video on fork spring replacement preload adjustment for a 2015 Sportster xl883N. And what brand rear shocks do you recommend for same bike? I'm about 210 5-9. I want a bit smoother ride is all. Is that possible on this bike?
Hi there, it's impossible to do videos to order on bikes we don't have, ut in the past I've done many shock upgrades for Sportsters and there are many great products out there, but if you want a really good, budget option then contact TEC Bike Parts, they do some fabulous piggy back shocks that can be fitted to a Sportster, you can order them with stronger springs if you need and even tailored to length for your desired ride height... TEC Bike Parts focus mainly on Triumph products, but their shocks can be fitted to a Sportster (I've done it many times), so here's a link to their site, contact them directly and you'll be amazed at the service and price: www.tecbikeparts.com/
@@Moonfleet41 I realize that it's impossible to make on demand videos but I just made the suggestion because I really like your how to video style without all the hoopla and without loud music blasting. I really want to see you do a preload adjustment on the front fork springs. Thanks again for the great video 👍.
Dell ! My question is does my 2006 Sportster 1200 have the conventional springs in the front shocks to drain the oil via the vacuum pump you used on the soft-tail fork oil change you did rather than using the drain screw where I might spill some oil losing my measurement to replace the exact amount? Tony
Hi Tony, always better, if you can, to use the drain screws because they are at the very bottom and you'll get all of the oil out, just put bone dry drain pan underneath and then just pour that in to a measuring jug (it will be less than a pint), make a note of how much exactly, then put that much new oil back in the fork... easy!
Hi. If the Cubic Millimeters fork oil capacity does match the measure in millimeters from the top of the fork down to the level, which one should I go for it?
That's a world of difference to the oil in a 'modern' fork isn't it? Even on a modest 650 like mine (or indeed in your Bandit) there's more oil than air. The oil/air ratio in the Sportster seems almost the inverse from your explanation (which is of course correct, I'm not doubting you, just surprised that's all). Cheers Del!
Hi great videos and tips My question is about rear brake caliper on sportster I have a jammed piston any videos on removing old piston and installing new piston. Thanks trev
HI Trev....its not in a Harley, but here's a full rebuild video we made in two parts, hope it helps.... Delboy's Garage, Motorcycle Front Brake Caliper rebuild Part 1. With a stuck piston, the most useful trick is to clamp the freely moving pistons in place, then leave only the stuck one free to move...and pump it out using the lever..! never fails mate.. good luck with it, Del.
Hi delboy it's baja from sunny Florida my question today is how many grease fittings are their on a 2013 Harley Road Glide and where are they all located.thanks for your time mate!
+John Laureano Hi buddy, I've no clue as to that kind of specification question... I would look that up in a manual... and I mean the big, fat service manual that comes from the dealer... I'm sure it's all there in fine detail!
Hey buddy, nice one. My friend's fork oil is up for changing soon, and he has the 2004 sporty. But, any idea about my TDM 850 4tx 2000? There's no nipple to let the old oil out, or at least I've not been able to locate it. How do I do it? Full dissasembly?
Boris Vezmar Hi Boris, no you can just drop the fork legg out of the yokes, take the cap off, and turn it upside down....if you cant take the legs out, then you can use an oil suction device used for garage oil changes, but you wont get it all out that way..!
Moonfleet41 Thanks for the snappy response! Will take a look at all the work that would be required and decide if I'll do it or maybe let some garade do that one bit for me. Thanks buddy
Its definitely time to change my fork oil on my '01 xl883c with 50k miles still going strong, but recently one of the forks started to leak not oil but black grease (or looks like) upwards from the bottom of the chrome shock, not the drain plug, staining the chrome as it travels up and down but after a month its barely doing it. Probably depleted? Is it busted seal?, is there also solid grease inside?
No mate, there is no grease in a fork leg.. its only oil....what you are seeing it a mixture of dirty leaked fork oil and water emulsion...making it look like sludgy grease... if you're getting a ring around the chrome slider then its leaking and time to pop in some new seals, and at 50k miles the oil is probably horrible too, so flush the leg bottoms out with some paraffin or kerosine before you add the new oil...that will wash out the ols sludge and stop it contaminating the new oil...
Do you have to keep the lower screw oper when you add the oil, and the push the fork down to get the oil down and get the air out? I mean like bleeding. or doesn't need to be bleed out.
No my friend, the air will bubble to the surface of the oil, fill with exactly the same amount that came out, replace caps and plunge up and down a few times and the oil should settle to the bottom, but the screw should always be in once you've finished draining, otherwise your new oil will drain out! Hope that helps, Del
Hi there... sadly at the moment i have no need to replace those on either of our bikes, it is a more detailed task and cannot really be "talked through" like changing the oil can... as soon as i have need to replace a seal, then ill film it in detail.... sorry that is no help to you, so can i suggest for now, to buy a proper Harley Davidson manual from the dealer, they are about £65, but well worth it, and cover all jobs in detail, with diagrams...sorry to not be more help for now. Del.
Nice and direct, smashing, time for a cuppa :-) I dare bet there is a default starting amount of oil for each version of the sportster, and how the handling was setup may change that slightly +/- Clarity of tutorial is what i like about your vids, and you like red oxide lol :o)
Hi Mark...not sure if that would cause your forks to 'wobble'....but its the cheapest and first thing to look at, so swap that old oil for some fresh, then check all the fasteners and the bearings in the headstock to make sure there is no play...and ride it again, see how it feels... let me know how it goes buddy, good luck.. Del.
Mark Watts Hi Mark, rather annoyingly all the Harleys I've ever had cause to work on have not been due for the fastener check at that point, but if you have the standard OE factory manual (the big thick one from the dealer) then it lays out exactly what to check, gives you every single torque value and other checks too... it will really help! Good luck with it mate, Del
Hi. I have a 2011 Nightster and I noticed the front fork rubber booths (Nightster and Iron have that) always remain like half way compressed when im riding. when I get off the bike the fork take its position. Is it normal? I guess without the booths I would never have noticed that... thank you
Sorry. I just noticed my front fork stays half way compressed when im riding. when I get off the bike the suspension goes back to it's normal position. I noticed that because I can clearly see the gaiters are not fully extended when riding. without them I probably wouldn't have notice that detail. Was just wondering if it's normal? Do you understand what I mean now? I'm from Montreal and I speak French so... Thank you
79demented Hi buddy, fully understand now, you simply noticed your forks ride a little lower when under the weight of use... this is quite normal, they will compress about 30-50% of their full travel when just riding along normally, when you get off, naturally, the reduction in weight will allow the springs to unload and, therefore, the forks lift a little... all quite normal!
2 years....HAHAHAHA...the oil in the maggot is probably the 30 y/o stuff from Monsieur Honda! In all seriousness, a great little instructional video mate :)
hi del, is there another way to change the fork oil from the bonneville without removing the entire front end? Because on the bonneville there isn't a bleedscrew at the end of the fork( to make things easy i guess??)! If not when you take the forks out, how can you put them back correctly whithout damage so there in the right position against each other and does this affect alignment? Can this be done myself? Dieter
HI Dieter. Yes you can do all of it yourself my friend, there are two ways to change fork oil.. One way would be to use an oil suction device that garages use, you can buy them from auto shops, and slip the thin flexi tube right to the bottom of the fork by just taking the cap off (do one at a time and support the bike from below to take the weight off them to make it easier to get the caps off and back on again... once you have sucked all the oil out, just refil with the correct amount of new oil... Another way, is just to drop the wheel out, take JUST ONE fork leg out by releasing the clamp bolts...then tip it upside down and drain the oil out....then refill it, replace the spring, spacer tube and cap, refit the fork leg and clamp it back up....then to the other leg.... If you want to realign your forks afterward, then its really easy, check out "Delboy's Garage Fork Alignment"...and it explains it in detail... Hope that helps you my friend.. viel Glück, und lassen Sie mich wissen, wie Sie zu erhalten . Del.
Moonfleet41 Hi del, Again great advice wich helps a lot! Just watched your video of fork alignment, didn't now it will be that easy! But i reckon that the oil suction way sounds the most easy? Will give that a try, if i looked right a handpump isn't that expensive? Can't thank you enough with al the help you give me already!! But my german is not so good, so i do not really understand the last sentence you wrote? i appreciate it, thanks again the best... Dieter
Hi Delboy, Im Oz from México city, im reaching out to you becase mi front fort is as stiff as a rock, when you push it down it goes just for like probably an inch and a half, ive seen other sportsters and they do have a lot more "travel" on the suspension, riding like that is a pain cause I can feel all the bumps and tiny stones in the road on my front end. ¿Do you have any suggestion? Your videos are great man. Thanks in advance for the help
Hey Ozkar, good to hear from you buddy. Ok, sportster forks dont have much travel anyway.. but it should be smooth and free moving... does it kinda 'stick' down and not want to bounce back up?.. and how long since you changed the fork oil, (it should be changed every two years or so..! Let me know, maybe i can help you get to the bottom of it..? Del.
Thanks for your reply, man that was quick! I changed the fork oil a couple months ago, it goes up and down quick enough, its just that it doesn't "compress" that much and makes the ride a little uncomfortable and stiff in the city streets, it probably compress about two fingers, or an inch and a half
They did it in the shop, they said they used the amount and the oil recommended in the manual, I would have done it myself but they offered it for free when they aligned my spoke rims.
Ah, ok, well if they did the work, then the right thing to do i guess is take the bike over to them and ask them to take a look... When a fork is rock hard, but has just been serviced, it could be they used oil that was way too thick... forks need oil that is no more then about 15 weight (15W) thats tops... 10W is more usually for every day, and there is even 5W for light bikes and scooters... so if they used engine oil by mistake, that would be 40W or maybe even 50W which Harleys use in the engine.... so maybe ask the, to check for you..! Hope that heps you our buddy.. cant do much more from here...good luck with it.. Del.
what if the last owner did not have the correct oil amount in the fork tube ??? now what ??? i think i should install the factory book amount correct ???
Firstly John, you must do what works for you, I'm only suggesting 'what I do'... fork oil level is critical and just a couple of ounces too much, or too little, and you will definitely feel adverse handling... so if your bike handles correctly, then you can bank on the level being right, but just as a word of warning, before you go pouring your 'factory book' amount in, just consider that that is calculated on a bone dry fork, it is the 'total' amount of oil required, and when draining through the bleed screw, you will leave a fair amount inside stuck to the internals... meaning that you'll then 'overfill' your fork and it'll become pretty rigid when you come to ride it. So adding the same amount that you drained out ensures you retain the same handling you had before... but once again mate, this is just what I do, you follow your factory book by all means, just be aware of other variables that may influence things.
Hey this is John from New Smyrna Beach Florida I was wondering if you would be able to share with me the best way to resolve front end speed wobbles on a 2013 Harley Davidson Road Glide
Hi John...A Road Glide..Awesome.. i love them, an the Street Glide.. OK, so front end speed wobble, its usually related to the wheel itself....and best to look at things in sequence, starting with the cheapest and most obvious first....then work back along the list till you find it.. check like this.. 1, Tyre Pressures, 38psi 2, Tyre Condition, (no uneven wear) 3, Wheel Balance, (wheel weight missing) 4, Head Stock Bearings, (check for play) If they are all correct, maybe you could send me some pictures of your tyre tread, i can tell a lot from that..!!
Thank you for the quick response,I love watching your DIY very very educational and they helpe me tremendously, also make me look very good to my friends when they ask a question and I'm able to answer their questions with issues that may be happening with their bikes. I will go through the checklist and make sure that everything is good look out for my reply everybody calls me Baja John
i have a 2006 xl883l and everytime i go over some bad bumps in the road i get a metallic clanging sound from my front . the bike has 1000 miles on it and i doubt the oil has ever been changed. do you think the sound is due to old fork oil? and should i use the standard grade or do you recommend thicker oil in my situation?
+WASSAAB Hi buddy, if the oil in your fokrs has bot been changed for a decade then that is your first job... I've actually done jobs like this and found hardly any in there! If the oil is, for some reason, extremely low, then the clanging sound can be the fork springs rattling around inside the tubes... pull them off, drain them out and re-fill tot he correct level with regular oil... and then see how it goes !
HI , I'm having an issue with the left turn signal, it stopped working. I checked all the bulbs , running lights still work. Is there a way to test the TSM ? The left turn signal switch will cancel out the right. The Bike is a 1999 XLH 883 C , Emergency flashers do not work either. Sam
Hi Sam. Thats sounds like a computer fault...its possibly a disruption in the TSM itself, that, or you have a wiring harness fault...it could be as simple as a chaffed length of loom or a loose plug.. sadly i cant diagnose something like this without the bike in front of me and run running some multimeter checks....all i can suggest is to start by checking all the connections are secure, and the battery is healthy....if you have the Harley manual, it can give you some basic electical fault finding to look at, mayby that will; help. good luck with it, Del.
Yep I checked all connectors , bulbs , even the blinker fluid lol. It was all kinda pointing to a bad TSM , too bad I don't have a spare laying around to swap. It's all good , I try do do all that I can with what I have. Thanks for the response.
Question... I have a 2014 1200C and there is no drains on the forks. Is there a way that you may have come across add drain plugs on either side of the fork tube?
Yes, I am trying to find out if I can add them to the fork tube. I dont have a plaade or lift to do it myself and really dont want to pay someone to tear the whole front end apart for something that can be as easy as a few screws and such.
Sadly not Scott... they are holes in the fork slider casting itself.. it would involve stripping the forks, then drilling and thread tapping the casing at the exact right place... never heard of anyone doing it themselves buddy.. its dont at the factory..
Well damn. I suppose Ill have to buy a lift and try to change in in the car port with one of those big syringes and long tubes. Thank you kind sir. Keep it up. Love your videos man.
Can old fork oil cause forks to sag? I have a 2011 superlow and the front forks I've noticed the pass year has gotten more spongy and drop about half way down just on the weight of the bike.. and also likes to bottom out really easy.. any help with fixing this would be greatly appreciated
Fork sag can only be due to worn out springs... as the fork oil doesn't produce spring resistance, it only produces damping force... if the forks are bouncy, and spongy, then the oil could be worn out, or maybe water logged (condensation), and also you should change fork oil at least every 5yrs, at the most.... so why not change it to at least eliminate that ?!
Red Oxide is second only to Matt Black.... and that is the colour of the darkside... all hail the matt black... Also, dont get too intense of the whole business of fork oil tuning..its only relavant on sports bikes where the rest of the entire bike is set up perfectly... buggering about trying to improve handling by varying fork oils is like trying to make your granny faster to the shops by using Nike trainers or Addidas....Harleys handle badly full stop, you can polish a turd..!
Hi Daniel... you can use any multigrade fork oil obviously... you can also use "Automatic Transmission Fluid" (which is oil).....but NEVER use Brake fluid.. thats a totally different product and not for your forks... Hope that helps.. Del.
Moonfleet41 OK thank you one more question can you tell me how much oil goes in stock 39mm tubes wet I ordered tubes with sliders offline and they were sent to me drained
Hi Dan, sorry i dont have that specification info to memory, the best i can suggest is to just check the manual as its all in the spec sheets, and if you dont have one.. then the XL Forums have lots of PDF's for this kind of thing..! sorry cant be more helps.. good luck with it buddy..
+Kent Sextro , or, if you want to try cleaning the seals instead, it's much simpler and doesn't require removing the seal. Just takes a simple home made tool. Check you tube for that, it usually works and the leak stops
Right, it saves a ton of time to just clean the seals. I wish I had the link to one of the videos on how to do it, but you should be able to find one fairly easily. It's just a simple homemade tool, made from a plastic milk jug, or even a plastic soda bottle. I tried it on my bike, and it worked great. Changing the oil however is a mess, but pretty easy overall.
you can't do an adjustment on these sportsters as I found out on the forks unless you buy aftermarket fork caps that has the preload adjusters on them.
Pre-load is NOT damping... buying pre-load caps won't do anything for the oil damping..... all that does is winds the internal spring up a little tighter, thus, pre-loading it... and it's for when you are carrying heavier weight, or pushing harder through bends...... Damping is the oil valving inside the fork and very few Harleys ever had it,... the XR1200, some of the big TourGlides, and I believe the early model FXRS, with 90% of Harleys the forks are a set menu - you get what you are given.... If your forks are wallowing, you could change to thicker fork oil, which would have the same effect as increasing compression damping, but it would also increase rebound damping too... which can have a negative effect on bumpy roads....
It's not a bleeder screw my friend, it's just a screw in a hole and the hole is flush with the fork leg, but it's easy to just put a bowl under the bottom of the fork leg and it drains in just fine
No, not quite right, the spring suspends the bike off the ground, the oil damping prevents dive as it slows down the amount of compression - as long as the fork is not bottoming out, then it isn't the spring,,, and putting a stiffer spring in it won't stop it diving... it will still dive, just not quite as far, but to slow down and smooth out the dive a heavier weight fork oil (thicker) will take more time to force through the holes of the damper, meaning it will slow down the forks... try not to confuse 'damping' with 'spring rate'
Hello Rob, mate, that is really kind, I truly appreciate such generous comments and compliments, we just post up the things we do in the garage so that others riders can benefit and learn a few things, nobody knows everything & I even use UA-cam myself to find out things I'm stuck on... bikers are a brotherhood adn without sharing the knowledge and skills that we possess the brotherhood dies... take care & ride safe my friend, Cheers Del
Hi again, the forks are not too fussy in oil grade, its not like oil for the engine. its just a hydraulic damping oil, and the best general all round oil for the job has always been just good old "Dextron oil" otherwise known as 'ATF' (automatic transmission fluid), it lasts ages and stays in grade with hot or cold weather..some shops will sell a dedicated "Motorcycle Fork Oil", but in the bottle, it will be more or less the same as ATF... Hope that helps you brother.. ride safe, Del.
Hi Kris, thank you for your kind comments, im glad the videos can be of help to you buddy, its just to save my fellow riders a few bucks and keep your bike safe at the same time.. thanks for the heads up on the camera videos, ill have a watch for interest, i like anything technical.. take care.. Del.
Hey Dennis. We're in Dorset in the English South Coast....about in the middle by that little island if you look at a map. thanks for watching buddy, i appreciate the support... Del.
youre an absolute gem Del, not a Harley owner but I do a lot of maintenance on my mates sportster and I really value your info and the way you put it across, much appreciated, thanks
Hi Del, Forgot to mention my bike is an FXSTDI 2006 model. I have been searching the internet and cannot find answers to my question. I really like your videos they are a lot of help. Also when I changed the brake fluid, I found one of the pistons was stuck so purchased a can of spray cleaner and cleaned them really good. This freeded up the stuck piston. You have saved me a ton of money. Thanks, Bill
Just a quick note on reinstalling your fork caps Del. Take a little black electrical tape and wrap the fork caps to prevent marring the chrome finish. Then use an inch and three eights 6 point socket and breaker bar to push the spring back down into the fork by holding the socket in one hand and turning the breaker bar with the other. (Breaker Bar in the vertical position BTW). You do great vids Del, keep up the good work my friend! Cheers from Deep East Texas!
Wise words well said buddy.. thanks for the input.. and great to hear from you all the way from Texas... happy holidays mate.... Del.
Back At you on the Holiday Wishes my friend! Do I understand that you no longer own/ride a Harley?
cavscout62
Thats right buddy...sadly had to sell my Fatboy to keep roof over head and food on table back in the bad days of the recession...traded down to an XR1200....then had to do the same again the followin year down to a Sportster Iron....and eventually sold that too to protect the family business....now the recession is over and the world is slowly recovering..i know ill never have that bag of money again to afford a Big Twin Harley...yeah i could go hock in dept for years on it...but then its not my bike.. it belongs to the bank...and there we all go again... so the Triumph Scrambler i have is the weapon of choice, its more fun than a truck full of monkeys...and maybe some day, ill get a plain old Dyna, and do it up Outlaw style for just daily use....never say never..i will ALWAYS love Harleys first..
Hi again Del. I’m about to do my Dyna forks and this, by far, best video out there! Hope you and Penny are ok.
Thanks buddy, and good luck with it, hope it goes well.
Best video about fork oil change I've seen so far. Quick, simple and exact! Cheers mate! ;)
Del, your videos are amazing, I know I thank you on everyone I watch! I am about to lower my 883R with progressive shocks and lowering kit fork springs and this has given me the confidence to tackle it on my own! I have the service manual but the video is much more helpful! It is a 2005 which I bought used, it was in immaculate condition but not ridden much and I am sure the fork oil replacement is overdue!
Glad to hear your getting stuck in yourself and good move getting a manual... the best of luck with it and feel free to drop us a line if you need any help, all the best, Del & Penny
I lowered my '01 xl883c with 10 1/2" fatties and while it looks cool its been a nightmare, rough ride even solo on even the smallest bumps, bottoming up the fender hurting the rear tire, it also chew up all the rear light wires forcing me to do a bypass, so the advise given to me was either changing the fender or going back to longer shocks. Im considering solid rods or going for the functionality of 14" shocks, Im fed up.
saucerfly
Don give up buddy, you're just half inch too low and probably a little heavy for that much slam....ive run 11" progressives a few times, im 14 stone, and never had a bottom out issue.. to go below 11" you really need to run struts, or those really hard Burly shocks that are not much softer than struts.... another half inch and crank up the preload and you should be ok unless you're a heavy lad..!!!
As ever - clear and easy approach.. an easy job, but just wanted to say great stuff ! keep up the good work !
why thank you Sir!
credit where credit is due mate, ride safe..looking forward to seeing your video on how you fix pontoons to your bike so it can float !!
You always do a very thorough "bang up" job in all your videos! Thanks for all your help. That's what you do. You really help! Thanks!
Hi mate. yes is cerainly seems im stuck in the garage more than i get out these days, but i enjoy it and thats all that matters.. Thank you kindly for your very generous comments about my videos, i only do them so other people can save a few pennies and keep thier bikes safe and mobile.... With the brake fluid change, you're in luck.. i did a brake hose change last year on my Iron, and that involved new fluid, so ill send you a link in PM... thanks for watching my friend and ride safe.. Del.
I see your point mate, there is a common screw-up often made, (even by dealers) they measure the 79mm with the spring in place...which makes it low on oil... you're right, never say never.. it always pays to get the level right.. thanks for watching mate.. Del.
Ha ha, that video is soooo long overdue.. there are a few on the tube, but i still seem to get asked over and over... even if i had an old fork leg i could do it,,,or a mate with a seal gone id do his and film it....i guess i will get to that one in the end...and it will get plenty of hits im sure... thanks for all your support Symba... take care.. Del.
Thanks mate, you are most welcome, glad you find them helpful! Cheers Del
Great video do ya have one on replacing front sliders on sporsters
Thanks for sharing.. When u said fork oil has to be changed every two years, my eyes almost popped out.. Bought a 2001 Harley sportster and never changed it.
ha ha, thats not uncommon, and its not the end of the world... it'll be pretty crappy by now though, and you'll feel the difference when you change it...
Moonfleet41 thank you brother i didnt know either really appreciate it!!!!!
Thanks for watching mate... Del.
Strange how life is. Rode my sister in law's brand new Triumph the other day, now I'm watching a British guy tell me how to fix my American bike 😂.
Hi mate, well done on getting it this far... the oil will naturally find its lowest level like any liquid and the air will not lock anywhere... if can help to pump the forks up and down a fare few times once youer finished just to settle the oil down...other then that, its fine.. good luck, Del.
Hi Del, Thanks for the quick reply. I think I will drop the wheel as need a new front tire. Also am looking to find a 6 pt. 1 3/8 inch socket for the fork bolt. I have a couple am watching on Ebay. You have save me a ton of money with my front brakes and cleaning the caliper as one of the pistons was a little stuck. Have a nice weekend.
Bill
I wasnt being specific when i said its a cup full... it was just a generalisation... some people think there should be half a gallon in there. and in reality its usually around half a pint.. remember the inside void is only just over in inch wide and about two feet long then take away the space the spring and damper rode take up, and a little for air... it doesnt leave much room..even when i rebuilt some forks on a yamaha EXUP, they held about half a pint each.. ride safe mate...Del.
Hi Bil.... im not surprised about that daft design of hiding the drain screw so you have to take the wheel out...Duh.. who though that one up?..lol... best way buddy, just resort to the old method...drop the fork leg out, take the cap off and up-end it...works every time.. good luck. Del.
Thanks DelBoy..You are a blessing
You're most welcome Kenny..
Helped me get my mushy forks refilled on my 1984 kz550, damn thing was dangerous before. Cheers mate!
Thanks Bry, great to know the videos can work on a generic basis and so glad to hear you got it all sorted... cheers!
Ok, I'll try it. great instructions. Some things to be careful of, but it's straight forward. I haven't done this before so I am fully expecting some seriously horrid smelling oil, based on what I am hearing.
Thank I found this older video but I need to do this to my bike . along with new break fluid etc
love your video's came in great when I had to replace my starter and do the clutch adjustment
Hey Tex, alweays good to hear from you sir.. im glad the video can help...
Thanks mate, im glad it helped....cheers, Del.
Hi there, you're right, those drain screws were up to 09' i think, and yes you can up-end them, but if you're really lazy like me, you can loosen off the damper rod bolt up under the fork end and pump it out, but TBH if you've taken the wheel out, then its no more hardship to back off two clamp bolts and slip the leg out, plus then you can re-measure it from scratch and not rely on there having been the right amount from the factory (which there sometimes isnt)..let me know if you get stuck, Del
Nice video. Short and to the point. Now, lets ride!
You're right, but its never a bad idea to drain it out and bung in some fresh, and use Dextron ATF as well for an even better dodge..!
Hi mate, Sadly no, there is no way to check, only if you drain it out like i said, then you may as well put new oil in... it is very cheap and not a hard job...so if the bike is new to you, why not begin with a clean slate and just renew it anyway... Hope that helps.. ride safe. Del.
I take it that if I replace the springs with progressive HD springs I may need to put a different amount of oil in? Book says 3.11 inches (I assume this is clearance of oil from top of forks
Can I do this process , like you explained; on my FXR4 also ?
Please advise- Thanks in advance.
Great videos. Mitch from Melbourne
Thanks Mitch. Glad you enjoyed it mate!
Excellent video and instruction! Thanks so much
very informative. thanks for posting!
hi. harley recoments type E. What is the equivalent ? its ok if I put W20 for more stiffness ?thanks
Hey Del, I have a softail deuce and am going to change the fluids on my bike. I think I will have to remove the front brake caliper and wheel. The reason for this is the bleeder screws are on the inside of the fork tubes. The wheel is in the way to get to the bleeder screws. With the wheel removed am not sure how to milk out the old fork oil? Thanks for your help.
Bill
Del once again thank you for the videos you are a genius. My next question is i drain the oil refill it now when i close it up will there not be air stuck in the forks ? is there a bleed system for the air or it does not matter
I changed the fork oil in my 07 heritage Softail. And the fork setup was similar, but different. I took the top cap off, expected a spring to jump out, but nether side did. I was a little disappointed because I wanted to inspect the springs. If I had your email I would send you a pic. Can't do it here.
hi delboy this is zamiel and im a big fan of your videos and i own a harley sporster 05 custom 1200 and i want to know how is the easy way to change the fork seals thank you.
+zamiel Hi Zamiel, forks seals are not a difficult job, it is a little involved as you need to strip the forks apart, but not difficult to do, and not complex, have a watch through of our fork video and see if you feel confident to take the job on... here's a link: ua-cam.com/video/vrmYJgcGX30/v-deo.html
Hope it helps you, good luck with it, Del
Question;
I have project bike(bobber) I don’t know the quantity, I don’t know which bike are front fork is from no manual? Any ideas how? Please 🙏🏻
I looked on UA-cam for a fork oil change for a 72 Harley FLH Shovelhead but can't find one.
Hey mate, great video though!
Not sure all Sportsters from 2010 up have the same bolt on forks bottom. My 48 doesn't so I assume I have to pull the frok off the clamps and drain it upside down..right?
Thanx!
Great work Del Boy.
I have a 2000 softtail with the same style forks, thanks! For the video!
How do you change a Sportster Sport 2001 or similar? Its different from regular Sportster thanks. Keep up the how to video great and straight.
Which is exactly why i said that...!!! do one side, then the other...!
Love your videos ,they have helped me no end. Wonder if you can do a tutorial on removal of the rear fender . My paint is blistering due to rust and want to remove it for a respray. Cheers keep up the good work.
Hi Jonathan. thanks for your kind complimets...sadly i dont own a Harley at the moment, so cant make a video of that... if you have the proper factory manual, it covers all the bodywork removal in detail....sorry cant help more buddy... Del.
hey - do you have any tips for changing spark plug wires? I'm thinking of upgrading my plugs, wires and possibly the coil on my 2006 883c
Such a great mate you are Del!
Will go ahead by slipping the legs out of the clamps: the "lazy" option is not the best solution IMHO.
Just a little doubt abot the kind of fork oil to replace (SAE? Brand?).
Anyhow I'll do that in the coming weeks, new progressive springs are yet to come but I don't want to wait any further once the'll reach my garage!! heheheh
Great How To Video! How about a how to video on fork spring replacement preload adjustment for a 2015 Sportster xl883N. And what brand rear shocks do you recommend for same bike? I'm about 210 5-9. I want a bit smoother ride is all. Is that possible on this bike?
Hi there, it's impossible to do videos to order on bikes we don't have, ut in the past I've done many shock upgrades for Sportsters and there are many great products out there, but if you want a really good, budget option then contact TEC Bike Parts, they do some fabulous piggy back shocks that can be fitted to a Sportster, you can order them with stronger springs if you need and even tailored to length for your desired ride height... TEC Bike Parts focus mainly on Triumph products, but their shocks can be fitted to a Sportster (I've done it many times), so here's a link to their site, contact them directly and you'll be amazed at the service and price: www.tecbikeparts.com/
@@Moonfleet41 I realize that it's impossible to make on demand videos but I just made the suggestion because I really like your how to video style without all the hoopla and without loud music blasting. I really want to see you do a preload adjustment on the front fork springs. Thanks again for the great video 👍.
Dell ! My question is does my 2006 Sportster 1200 have the conventional springs in the front shocks to drain the oil via the vacuum pump you used on the soft-tail fork oil change you did rather than using the drain screw where I might spill some oil losing my measurement to replace the exact amount? Tony
Hi Tony, always better, if you can, to use the drain screws because they are at the very bottom and you'll get all of the oil out, just put bone dry drain pan underneath and then just pour that in to a measuring jug (it will be less than a pint), make a note of how much exactly, then put that much new oil back in the fork... easy!
Hi.
If the Cubic Millimeters fork oil capacity does match the measure in millimeters from the top of the fork down to the level, which one should I go for it?
That's a world of difference to the oil in a 'modern' fork isn't it? Even on a modest 650 like mine (or indeed in your Bandit) there's more oil than air. The oil/air ratio in the Sportster seems almost the inverse from your explanation (which is of course correct, I'm not doubting you, just surprised that's all).
Cheers Del!
Kind man, cool tutorial. Thanks
Great video as normal, just wondered how you would stop the bike toppling when on a lift and pushing the fork cap back in place ?
Thanks mate, why not strap the bike to the lift with ratchet straps.. same as you should really do when ever you put a bike on a lift to work on it.!
мотоцикл можно подвесить под раскладной лестницей, это простая и устойчивая конструкция
i bought a bike model 2000 and i don't know when was the last time the fork oil was changed, is there a way you can tell if it needs changing ?
Excellent, as always.
Thanks Del !!
Hi great videos and tips
My question is about rear brake caliper on sportster I have a jammed piston any videos on removing old piston and installing new piston. Thanks trev
HI Trev....its not in a Harley, but here's a full rebuild video we made in two parts, hope it helps.... Delboy's Garage, Motorcycle Front Brake Caliper rebuild Part 1.
With a stuck piston, the most useful trick is to clamp the freely moving pistons in place, then leave only the stuck one free to move...and pump it out using the lever..! never fails mate.. good luck with it, Del.
hey dell checked olut some more of your videos much appreciation from snowy northeast ohio usa, just curious what area is your posts from thanx dennis
Hi delboy it's baja from sunny Florida my question today is how many grease fittings are their on a 2013 Harley Road Glide and where are they all located.thanks for your time mate!
+John Laureano Hi buddy, I've no clue as to that kind of specification question... I would look that up in a manual... and I mean the big, fat service manual that comes from the dealer... I'm sure it's all there in fine detail!
Hey buddy, nice one. My friend's fork oil is up for changing soon, and he has the 2004 sporty.
But, any idea about my TDM 850 4tx 2000? There's no nipple to let the old oil out, or at least I've not been able to locate it. How do I do it? Full dissasembly?
Boris Vezmar Hi Boris, no you can just drop the fork legg out of the yokes, take the cap off, and turn it upside down....if you cant take the legs out, then you can use an oil suction device used for garage oil changes, but you wont get it all out that way..!
Moonfleet41 Thanks for the snappy response! Will take a look at all the work that would be required and decide if I'll do it or maybe let some garade do that one bit for me. Thanks buddy
Is it the same process for a 2000 fatboy. Love ur vids mate. John frm the sunshine state.
Its definitely time to change my fork oil on my '01 xl883c with 50k miles still going strong, but recently one of the forks started to leak not oil but black grease (or looks like) upwards from the bottom of the chrome shock, not the drain plug, staining the chrome as it travels up and down but after a month its barely doing it. Probably depleted? Is it busted seal?, is there also solid grease inside?
No mate, there is no grease in a fork leg.. its only oil....what you are seeing it a mixture of dirty leaked fork oil and water emulsion...making it look like sludgy grease... if you're getting a ring around the chrome slider then its leaking and time to pop in some new seals, and at 50k miles the oil is probably horrible too, so flush the leg bottoms out with some paraffin or kerosine before you add the new oil...that will wash out the ols sludge and stop it contaminating the new oil...
Do you have to keep the lower screw oper when you add the oil, and the push the fork down to get the oil down and get the air out? I mean like bleeding. or doesn't need to be bleed out.
No my friend, the air will bubble to the surface of the oil, fill with exactly the same amount that came out, replace caps and plunge up and down a few times and the oil should settle to the bottom, but the screw should always be in once you've finished draining, otherwise your new oil will drain out! Hope that helps, Del
Hi there... sadly at the moment i have no need to replace those on either of our bikes, it is a more detailed task and cannot really be "talked through" like changing the oil can... as soon as i have need to replace a seal, then ill film it in detail.... sorry that is no help to you, so can i suggest for now, to buy a proper Harley Davidson manual from the dealer, they are about £65, but well worth it, and cover all jobs in detail, with diagrams...sorry to not be more help for now. Del.
Thx Del very useful!!!
Very good video, very well explained, that's how to get subscribers!
Xavier Cebeira Thanks mate...glad you like it.. !
Nice and direct, smashing, time for a cuppa :-)
I dare bet there is a default starting amount of oil for each version of the sportster, and how the handling was setup may change that slightly +/-
Clarity of tutorial is what i like about your vids, and you like red oxide lol :o)
Great explanation! thanks!
Brilliant 👏
Del, just a quick question, would the worn out fluid (2 yrs old) be a cause a fork wobble, with the front suspension feeling very spongy?
Hi Mark...not sure if that would cause your forks to 'wobble'....but its the cheapest and first thing to look at, so swap that old oil for some fresh, then check all the fasteners and the bearings in the headstock to make sure there is no play...and ride it again, see how it feels... let me know how it goes buddy, good luck.. Del.
Thanks Del,
do you have a video for checking fasteners and bearings for a 1200 Custom?
Mark Watts Hi Mark, rather annoyingly all the Harleys I've ever had cause to work on have not been due for the fastener check at that point, but if you have the standard OE factory manual (the big thick one from the dealer) then it lays out exactly what to check, gives you every single torque value and other checks too... it will really help! Good luck with it mate, Del
Hi. I have a 2011 Nightster and I noticed the front fork rubber booths (Nightster and Iron have that) always remain like half way compressed when im riding. when I get off the bike the fork take its position. Is it normal? I guess without the booths I would never have noticed that...
thank you
Not quite sure what you're asking mate, are your gaiters sticking halfway down or something?? Could you please be a bit more specific?
Sorry. I just noticed my front fork stays half way compressed when im riding. when I get off the bike the suspension goes back to it's normal position. I noticed that because I can clearly see the gaiters are not fully extended when riding. without them I probably wouldn't have notice that detail. Was just wondering if it's normal? Do you understand what I mean now? I'm from Montreal and I speak French so...
Thank you
79demented Hi buddy, fully understand now, you simply noticed your forks ride a little lower when under the weight of use... this is quite normal, they will compress about 30-50% of their full travel when just riding along normally, when you get off, naturally, the reduction in weight will allow the springs to unload and, therefore, the forks lift a little... all quite normal!
Ok good. thank you. Good job by the way. I like to watch your ''Sportsta'' maintenance videos.
The way you talk and explain things is just like gordon ramsey
just without the swearing aye?!
How about fork seals? Need one on my sportster...
2 years....HAHAHAHA...the oil in the maggot is probably the 30 y/o stuff from Monsieur Honda! In all seriousness, a great little instructional video mate :)
Perfect, thank you!
hi del,
is there another way to change the fork oil from the bonneville without removing the entire front end? Because on the bonneville there isn't a bleedscrew at the end of the fork( to make things easy i guess??)!
If not when you take the forks out, how can you put them back correctly whithout damage so there in the right position against each other and does this affect alignment?
Can this be done myself?
Dieter
HI Dieter.
Yes you can do all of it yourself my friend, there are two ways to change fork oil..
One way would be to use an oil suction device that garages use, you can buy them from auto shops, and slip the thin flexi tube right to the bottom of the fork by just taking the cap off (do one at a time and support the bike from below to take the weight off them to make it easier to get the caps off and back on again... once you have sucked all the oil out, just refil with the correct amount of new oil...
Another way, is just to drop the wheel out, take JUST ONE fork leg out by releasing the clamp bolts...then tip it upside down and drain the oil out....then refill it, replace the spring, spacer tube and cap, refit the fork leg and clamp it back up....then to the other leg....
If you want to realign your forks afterward, then its really easy, check out "Delboy's Garage Fork Alignment"...and it explains it in detail...
Hope that helps you my friend.. viel Glück, und lassen Sie mich wissen, wie Sie zu erhalten .
Del.
Moonfleet41 Hi del,
Again great advice wich helps a lot!
Just watched your video of fork alignment, didn't now it will be that easy!
But i reckon that the oil suction way sounds the most easy? Will give that a try, if i looked right a handpump isn't that expensive?
Can't thank you enough with al the help you give me already!!
But my german is not so good, so i do not really understand the last sentence you wrote?
i appreciate it, thanks again
the best...
Dieter
Hi Delboy, Im Oz from México city, im reaching out to you becase mi front fort is as stiff as a rock, when you push it down it goes just for like probably an inch and a half, ive seen other sportsters and they do have a lot more "travel" on the suspension, riding like that is a pain cause I can feel all the bumps and tiny stones in the road on my front end. ¿Do you have any suggestion? Your videos are great man. Thanks in advance for the help
Hey Ozkar, good to hear from you buddy. Ok, sportster forks dont have much travel anyway.. but it should be smooth and free moving... does it kinda 'stick' down and not want to bounce back up?.. and how long since you changed the fork oil, (it should be changed every two years or so..! Let me know, maybe i can help you get to the bottom of it..? Del.
Thanks for your reply, man that was quick! I changed the fork oil a couple months ago, it goes up and down quick enough, its just that it doesn't "compress" that much and makes the ride a little uncomfortable and stiff in the city streets, it probably compress about two fingers, or an inch and a half
OK, so when you changed the oil, what grade oil did you use buddy..?
They did it in the shop, they said they used the amount and the oil recommended in the manual, I would have done it myself but they offered it for free when they aligned my spoke rims.
Ah, ok, well if they did the work, then the right thing to do i guess is take the bike over to them and ask them to take a look... When a fork is rock hard, but has just been serviced, it could be they used oil that was way too thick... forks need oil that is no more then about 15 weight (15W) thats tops... 10W is more usually for every day, and there is even 5W for light bikes and scooters... so if they used engine oil by mistake, that would be 40W or maybe even 50W which Harleys use in the engine.... so maybe ask the, to check for you..! Hope that heps you our buddy.. cant do much more from here...good luck with it.. Del.
what if the last owner did not have the correct oil amount in the fork tube ??? now what ??? i think i should install the factory book amount correct ???
Firstly John, you must do what works for you, I'm only suggesting 'what I do'... fork oil level is critical and just a couple of ounces too much, or too little, and you will definitely feel adverse handling... so if your bike handles correctly, then you can bank on the level being right, but just as a word of warning, before you go pouring your 'factory book' amount in, just consider that that is calculated on a bone dry fork, it is the 'total' amount of oil required, and when draining through the bleed screw, you will leave a fair amount inside stuck to the internals... meaning that you'll then 'overfill' your fork and it'll become pretty rigid when you come to ride it. So adding the same amount that you drained out ensures you retain the same handling you had before... but once again mate, this is just what I do, you follow your factory book by all means, just be aware of other variables that may influence things.
Hey this is John from New Smyrna Beach Florida I was wondering if you would be able to share with me the best way to resolve front end speed wobbles on a 2013 Harley Davidson Road Glide
Hi John...A Road Glide..Awesome.. i love them, an the Street Glide..
OK, so front end speed wobble, its usually related to the wheel itself....and best to look at things in sequence, starting with the cheapest and most obvious first....then work back along the list till you find it..
check like this..
1, Tyre Pressures, 38psi
2, Tyre Condition, (no uneven wear)
3, Wheel Balance, (wheel weight missing)
4, Head Stock Bearings, (check for play)
If they are all correct, maybe you could send me some pictures of your tyre tread, i can tell a lot from that..!!
Thank you for the quick response,I love watching your DIY very very educational and they helpe me tremendously, also make me look very good to my friends when they ask a question and I'm able to answer their questions with issues that may be happening with their bikes. I will go through the checklist and make sure that everything is good look out for my reply everybody calls me Baja John
Hi del, after doing this my forks are making a gurgling sound as I pump the front suspension, do I need more oil?
How much oil did you put in Sam??
Nice one, Del.
i have a 2006 xl883l and everytime i go over some bad bumps in the road i get a metallic clanging sound from my front . the bike has 1000 miles on it and i doubt the oil has ever been changed. do you think the sound is due to old fork oil? and should i use the standard grade or do you recommend thicker oil in my situation?
+WASSAAB Hi buddy, if the oil in your fokrs has bot been changed for a decade then that is your first job... I've actually done jobs like this and found hardly any in there! If the oil is, for some reason, extremely low, then the clanging sound can be the fork springs rattling around inside the tubes... pull them off, drain them out and re-fill tot he correct level with regular oil... and then see how it goes !
will do, thanks!
HI , I'm having an issue with the left turn signal, it stopped working. I checked all the bulbs , running lights still work. Is there a way to test the TSM ? The left turn signal switch will cancel out the right. The Bike is a 1999 XLH 883 C , Emergency flashers do not work either.
Sam
Hi Sam. Thats sounds like a computer fault...its possibly a disruption in the TSM itself, that, or you have a wiring harness fault...it could be as simple as a chaffed length of loom or a loose plug.. sadly i cant diagnose something like this without the bike in front of me and run running some multimeter checks....all i can suggest is to start by checking all the connections are secure, and the battery is healthy....if you have the Harley manual, it can give you some basic electical fault finding to look at, mayby that will; help. good luck with it, Del.
Yep I checked all connectors , bulbs , even the blinker fluid lol. It was all kinda pointing to a bad TSM , too bad I don't have a spare laying around to swap. It's all good , I try do do all that I can with what I have. Thanks for the response.
Question... I have a 2014 1200C and there is no drains on the forks. Is there a way that you may have come across add drain plugs on either side of the fork tube?
Hi Scott, are you asking if you can fit or add drain plugs to your bike..?
Yes, I am trying to find out if I can add them to the fork tube. I dont have a plaade or lift to do it myself and really dont want to pay someone to tear the whole front end apart for something that can be as easy as a few screws and such.
Sadly not Scott... they are holes in the fork slider casting itself.. it would involve stripping the forks, then drilling and thread tapping the casing at the exact right place... never heard of anyone doing it themselves buddy.. its dont at the factory..
Well damn. I suppose Ill have to buy a lift and try to change in in the car port with one of those big syringes and long tubes. Thank you kind sir. Keep it up. Love your videos man.
Why not just drop the leg out and turn it upside down... takes about half hour to do both sides..?
Can old fork oil cause forks to sag? I have a 2011 superlow and the front forks I've noticed the pass year has gotten more spongy and drop about half way down just on the weight of the bike.. and also likes to bottom out really easy.. any help with fixing this would be greatly appreciated
Fork sag can only be due to worn out springs... as the fork oil doesn't produce spring resistance, it only produces damping force... if the forks are bouncy, and spongy, then the oil could be worn out, or maybe water logged (condensation), and also you should change fork oil at least every 5yrs, at the most.... so why not change it to at least eliminate that ?!
I've notice improve spring-response after replacing the fork-oil.
Moonfleet41, if the oil in the forks is really grungy looking is there a way to flush the forks without disassembling them?
Thank you !
Red Oxide is second only to Matt Black.... and that is the colour of the darkside... all hail the matt black...
Also, dont get too intense of the whole business of fork oil tuning..its only relavant on sports bikes where the rest of the entire bike is set up perfectly... buggering about trying to improve handling by varying fork oils is like trying to make your granny faster to the shops by using Nike trainers or Addidas....Harleys handle badly full stop, you can polish a turd..!
Thanks Del...
how do you refil the forks with out them detached from the bike
Drain out entire contents, then simply look up the quantity in mls in the Harley manual and put that much in... !
Can you please tell me what brand and type of oil to use I have heard to use brake fluid transmission fluid want to know what u recommend
Hi Daniel... you can use any multigrade fork oil obviously... you can also use "Automatic Transmission Fluid" (which is oil).....but NEVER use Brake fluid.. thats a totally different product and not for your forks... Hope that helps.. Del.
Moonfleet41 OK thank you one more question can you tell me how much oil goes in stock 39mm tubes wet I ordered tubes with sliders offline and they were sent to me drained
Hi Dan, sorry i dont have that specification info to memory, the best i can suggest is to just check the manual as its all in the spec sheets, and if you dont have one.. then the XL Forums have lots of PDF's for this kind of thing..! sorry cant be more helps.. good luck with it buddy..
Moonfleet41 good info! Thanks, il use some nice royal purple ATF oil.
One of my forks started leaking in the main telescopic cylinder area. How does a person go about changing that??
Hey Kent, you change hte seal like this video demonstrates.. ua-cam.com/video/vrmYJgcGX30/v-deo.html
Moonfleet41 Thank you much!
+Kent Sextro , or, if you want to try cleaning the seals instead, it's much simpler and doesn't require removing the seal. Just takes a simple home made tool. Check you tube for that, it usually works and the leak stops
Trevor Jameson Ahhh! I'll check that out, I'm going to sell the bike anyway.. If I won't have to spend half a day replacing a seal! Thanks
Right, it saves a ton of time to just clean the seals. I wish I had the link to one of the videos on how to do it, but you should be able to find one fairly easily. It's just a simple homemade tool, made from a plastic milk jug, or even a plastic soda bottle. I tried it on my bike, and it worked great. Changing the oil however is a mess, but pretty easy overall.
MY 04 XLC hasn't got a bleeder screw thanks anyway.
Yes, sadly it's not common across all bikes, which I find a little odd. thanks for watching anyway.
how do you adjust compression dampening on these xl1200 bikes?
Depending on your model, does it have adjustable damping in the first place??
you can't do an adjustment on these sportsters as I found out on the forks unless you buy aftermarket fork caps that has the preload adjusters on them.
Pre-load is NOT damping... buying pre-load caps won't do anything for the oil damping..... all that does is winds the internal spring up a little tighter, thus, pre-loading it... and it's for when you are carrying heavier weight, or pushing harder through bends......
Damping is the oil valving inside the fork and very few Harleys ever had it,... the XR1200, some of the big TourGlides, and I believe the early model FXRS, with 90% of Harleys the forks are a set menu - you get what you are given....
If your forks are wallowing, you could change to thicker fork oil, which would have the same effect as increasing compression damping, but it would also increase rebound damping too... which can have a negative effect on bumpy roads....
Maybe a small hose on the bleeder screw would allow the oil to be diverted into a container
It's not a bleeder screw my friend, it's just a screw in a hole and the hole is flush with the fork leg, but it's easy to just put a bowl under the bottom of the fork leg and it drains in just fine
I see that now, thanks. I taped a ziplock bag to mine.
The front end it too soft. Too much drive when I brake and in the corners. So I guess a stiffer spring?
No, not quite right, the spring suspends the bike off the ground, the oil damping prevents dive as it slows down the amount of compression - as long as the fork is not bottoming out, then it isn't the spring,,, and putting a stiffer spring in it won't stop it diving... it will still dive, just not quite as far, but to slow down and smooth out the dive a heavier weight fork oil (thicker) will take more time to force through the holes of the damper, meaning it will slow down the forks... try not to confuse 'damping' with 'spring rate'