fork oil

[scre103]

my rosso 01 vll has only 6000mi as i have many vehicles,boat, golf, and four kids and can't get to them all. when should i change the fork oil? i ran into my ex-guzzi mechanic at a honda dealer today while i was checking out the new joe rocket mesh pheonix 4.0 jacket, and let me tell you that is one nice jacket, i think i will replace my first gear mesh tech with it and give the fg to my kids, anyways he said to replace it soon ,for several hundred dollars for labor. however i just read a post in the archives to change it at 40,000 mi. what should i do? thanks scre

[belfastguzzi]

my rosso 01 vll has only 6000mi as i have many vehicles,boat, golf, and four kids and can't get to them all. when should i change the fork oil?......what should i do?

88667[/snapback]

40,000!!!!?

 

Has the first change ever been done? It's meant to be at 1,000 miles as far as I remember. So if not, change now. Oil will have bits of metal in it at this stage.

[Guest ratchethack]

Scre, after the initial replacement at 1K mi., the recommended fork oil replacement interval is 12K mi.

 

SOURCE: Service Manual, MOTO GUZZI S.p.A. Cod. 01 92 01 31, 03/01

[mdude]

Scre, after the initial replacement at 1K mi., the recommended fork oil replacement interval is 12K mi.

 

SOURCE:  Service Manual, MOTO GUZZI S.p.A. Cod. 01 92 01 31, 03/01

88676[/snapback]

 

 

actually the book says every 12k or every other year what may come first.

[Guest ratchethack]

actually the book says every 12k or every other year what may come first.

Well looky here - the Service Manual's still on my desk...

 

To be absolutely by the book , on p. D-24, under FRONT FORK OIL REPLACEMENT, it says,

 

"About every 12000 mi, or at least once a year, it is necessary to replace the fork oil."

 

On p. D-2, SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE TABLE, it makes reference only to the initial replacement at 1K mi, and subsequent changes at 12K and 24K - no mention whatsoever of timeframe.

 

But then I reckon every 12K mi would be sufficient for most of us - regardless of time-frame.

 

BAA, TJM & YMMV

[scre103]

i had the 1000 mi service so i'm assuming it was done. just had my 12 year old porshe in for service and asked my guy if the transaxle gear oil should be changed and he said not yet, it's mileage not time that determines when to change it.

[belfastguzzi]

i had the 1000 mi service so i'm assuming it was done. just had my 12 year old porshe in for service and asked my guy if the transaxle gear oil should be changed and he said not yet, it's mileage not time that determines when to change it.

88789[/snapback]

well...it's various things – like how it's used, under what conditions and I would say that time has something to do with oil changes too. There's not just virgin oil in the oil. There's metal, muck, maybe water (depending upon which oil it is). I'd prefer to tip that out every now and again. Given what came out with the fork oil, I'd change it more often rather than less often – for the sake of a few pounds, well, £20 or £30 pounds or whatever that Ohlins stuff was.

[grossohc]

How easy is it to change the oil on the ohlins forks, I have 8000 miles on the bike (bought seconhand) and doubt the oil was changed at 1000.

Gary

[belfastguzzi]

How easy is it to change the oil on the ohlins forks, I have 8000 miles on the bike (bought seconhand) and doubt the oil was changed at 1000.

Gary

88867[/snapback]

Baldini has written a few posts with details on changing the oil. It's easy, but does involve taking the fork legs out. I disassembled (the legs) without any special tools. When tipping the oil out, watch out for the little valve that will drop out, as Baldini says. There was 500ml oil in each leg. I put less in, details are in another thread somewhere not far away and as far as I remember, the 'official' amount is a little under 500 ml – so you need a litre of R&T 43, Part No: 1309-01.

 

Have your seals not gone yet? Get the newer seals with extended lip and put them in when you're changing the oil, as the original seals don't last long. (However, Baldini has also had to replace the newer seals a couple of times within a shortish period of time.)

 

The biggest and most time-consuming problem that I had in the whole job was right at the beginning. I couldn't get the mudguard screws out. The steel screws were solidly corroded to the alloy legs. Cutting slots didn't work, the head snapped off. I had to drill them out. There was then a lot of corrossion on the face ot the leg brackets that all chipped off with a screwdriver, leaving pitted, depleted bracket lugs. –––So––– even if you don't change the fork oil now, it's worthing getting these screws out, cleaning things up and greasing them. The best time to do this job would have been Day One.

 

And, when you put it all back together, don't forget to put the mudguard back on BEFORE the wheel goes in.

[dlaing]

But then I reckon every 12K mi would be sufficient for most of us - regardless of time-frame.

88758[/snapback]

As Ratchet said, that is a good guidline for most of us, but in my opinion, if you ride 24K mi per year, annually is fine, and semi-annually is overkill.

And if your ride 2.4K per year, tri-annually is fine, and waiting five years is too long.

If you are fat and ride on bumpy roads in humid or wet conditions, change it more frequently...not sure about heat, but I imagine monsoon weather would be the worst.

Racing will probably wear it out more than commuting.

Progressive springs may produce more metal debree than linear springs.

Mileage is not a great indicator for shock and fork wear, but I guess mileage and time are about all we can base sevice intervals on.

Riding style and weather are more subjective.

Changing it just to get the fluid level and viscosity dialled in correctly is a good excuse to change it sooner.

[mdude]

As Ratchet said, that is a good guidline for most of us, but in my opinion, if you ride 24K mi per year, annually is fine, and semi-annually is overkill.

And if your ride 2.4K per year,  tri-annually is fine, and waiting five years is too long.

If you are fat and ride on bumpy roads in humid or wet conditions, change it more frequently...not sure about heat, but I imagine monsoon weather would be the worst.

Racing will probably wear it out more than commuting.

Progressive springs may produce more metal debree than linear springs.

Mileage is not a great indicator for shock and fork wear, but I guess mileage and time are about all we can base sevice intervals on.

Riding style and weather are more subjective.

Changing it just to get the fluid level and viscosity dialled in correctly is a good excuse to change it sooner.

88991[/snapback]

 

waddaya mean, fat!!?

[Guest ratchethack]

Changing it just to get the fluid level and viscosity dialled in correctly is a good excuse to change it sooner.

Good point, Dave.

 

Can't imagine how it'd be necessary for yearly changes if y'er only riding 6K mi/yr., but I think it's always important to know & respect the factory spec's - at least for guideline purposes... Too often can't hurt, but it's when it can't possibly help either that obsessive & anal behavior starts to get a little suspicious....

 

I ain't exactly livin' in fear of the Fork Glop Police breaking down my door in the dark of night for a surprise inspection, but I figure by following the 12K mi guidelines, I ain't givin' it much of a chance to accumulate - or the cartridge fluid to deteriorate, either...