dearborn
Well-Known Member
- Local time
- Today, 02:27
- Joined
- Sep 29, 2015
- Messages
- 260
- Points
- 57
- Age
- 75
- Location
- Dearborn Michigan USA
- First Name
- Doug
- My Ride
- 1996 Thunderbird, 1975(ish) Norton Commando
- Riding Since
- 1965
CHEAP fork oil level tool; Triumph method of checking fork oil level, (for fork service) is; remove fork from bike, service as necessary. With fork upright and level, add oil to specified level using Triumph "special tool".
This level is measured from the top lip of the lower fork housing. The triumph tool acts as a sort of "stand pipe' to achieve this and their method is to overfill, then, using Triumph "special tool", siphon off excess.
Here is a super cheap-FREE! tool you can make and keep, to do this properly.
See attached chart-different levels for various models! Also whether Kayaba or Showa fork!
On my particular bike measurement is 109mm. Yours will be different- check again.
To make a proper tool; Go outside and change the wiper blades on your car or truck. They are overdue. Save the 2 long, thin metal reinforcements from the old wiper blades. They are about 5-6mm or 1/4 inch wide and the length of the blade. Make sure they are a couple inches or more longer than the oil level measurement from the chart for your particular bike..
Take one and cut off a piece about 6 inches long. Making sure this piece is at a 90 degree angle, about an inch from one end of the long strip, and that you have an inch or two longer in excess than the oil level past this point, tack weld in place making a sort of elongated "cross".
Measure down from this cross piece, (in this case-109mm), on the long piece and scribe a clearly visible line across at the proper oil level, (again, in this case, 109mm), with a scriber, hacksaw, or similar, and making sure you have 10mm or more extra measure past the distance specified for the oil level, (in this case, 109mm) and add 10mm or so, call it 120mm. Cut off the excess..
You should have a sort of elongated "cross" with a horizontal piece that will lay across the top of the fork with a vertical piece that will project down, and slightly past, the specified oil level, with a clearly visible line at the proper oil level.
After draining the old oil, removing the spring and fully compressing the fork, place fork in a vise or other in a vertical position.
Add oil a bit at a time, using your new tool as a "dipstick" until the proper level is achieved.
Cost?
ZERO!
This level is measured from the top lip of the lower fork housing. The triumph tool acts as a sort of "stand pipe' to achieve this and their method is to overfill, then, using Triumph "special tool", siphon off excess.
Here is a super cheap-FREE! tool you can make and keep, to do this properly.
See attached chart-different levels for various models! Also whether Kayaba or Showa fork!
On my particular bike measurement is 109mm. Yours will be different- check again.
To make a proper tool; Go outside and change the wiper blades on your car or truck. They are overdue. Save the 2 long, thin metal reinforcements from the old wiper blades. They are about 5-6mm or 1/4 inch wide and the length of the blade. Make sure they are a couple inches or more longer than the oil level measurement from the chart for your particular bike..
Take one and cut off a piece about 6 inches long. Making sure this piece is at a 90 degree angle, about an inch from one end of the long strip, and that you have an inch or two longer in excess than the oil level past this point, tack weld in place making a sort of elongated "cross".
Measure down from this cross piece, (in this case-109mm), on the long piece and scribe a clearly visible line across at the proper oil level, (again, in this case, 109mm), with a scriber, hacksaw, or similar, and making sure you have 10mm or more extra measure past the distance specified for the oil level, (in this case, 109mm) and add 10mm or so, call it 120mm. Cut off the excess..
You should have a sort of elongated "cross" with a horizontal piece that will lay across the top of the fork with a vertical piece that will project down, and slightly past, the specified oil level, with a clearly visible line at the proper oil level.
After draining the old oil, removing the spring and fully compressing the fork, place fork in a vise or other in a vertical position.
Add oil a bit at a time, using your new tool as a "dipstick" until the proper level is achieved.
Cost?
ZERO!