Fork oil and seal change

Salty

Salty
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
119
Location
Halifax
In the process of replacing fork oil seal. Manual states replacing fork oil with suspension 01? Question, where I am 290 lbs plus full kit, I exceed the 465 lb restriction noted in the manual, resulting in bottoming out the suspension. No one has been able to tell me what weight suspension 01 is equil to. I am thinking of using Motol 5 suspension fluid. Is this too heavy or too light? Please comment.
Salty
 

MChappy

Active Member
Founding Member
Joined
Oct 17, 2010
Messages
122
Location
Diana, TX
Have you resprung your suspension? If not you may want to check into it. I'm 265 and with stock springs I couldn't get my sag set .
 

Salty

Salty
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
119
Location
Halifax
Thanks for the info. I have considered upgrading to Ohlins suspension, just a tad expensive in Canada at this time.
5 weight it is or should I go to 10?
 

OldRider

Well-Known Member
Vendor
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
2,111
Location
Western Kentucky
Salty said:
Thanks for the info. I have considered upgrading to Ohlins suspension, just a tad expensive in Canada at this time.
5 weight it is or should I go to 10?
I would stay with the 5W because I would think the forks are set up for 5W and a heavier oil may get you a ride you might not like. Less oil will give you a softer ride and extra oil will stiffen it up some, but to tell you the truth, there's a whole lot about suspension that I don't know about. Maybe one of the experts will chime in here and put you on the right road.
 

Gigitt

Active Member
Joined
May 15, 2015
Messages
427
Location
Sydney Australia
OldRider said:
I would stay with the 5W because I would think the forks are set up for 5W and a heavier oil may get you a ride you might not like. Less oil will give you a softer ride and extra oil will stiffen it up some, but to tell you the truth, there's a whole lot about suspension that I don't know about. Maybe one of the experts will chime in here and put you on the right road.
maybe try a Mix 50/50 with 5w an 10w oil if you are worried about straight 10w being too thick.
Some use ATF instead in forks as it about 7.5w as well.
 

jmz

Active Member
Joined
Feb 1, 2015
Messages
206
Location
Gonzales TX
Im trying to figure out what weight oiI want to put in my forks also . I've been doing a bunch of reading on front forks and I've seen where Yamaha states supsension fluid 01 is 0 weight .

https://www.shopyamaha.com/product/details/01-suspension-oil?b=Search&d=35&ls=yamaha-motor-company
 

WJBertrand

Ventura Highway
Joined
Jun 20, 2015
Messages
4,516
Location
Ventura, CA
This is a useful table and it shows that you can't really believe the viscosity ratings placed on the labels of various fork oil products. At best the weights on the labels can be used for relative comparison, but within the same brand only. if you know what you already have, and you want/have to change brands, you can use this chart to better ensure the change you get is in the desired direction.

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/marzocchi/forkoilviscosity.html
 

mcrider007

Member
Joined
Oct 20, 2011
Messages
73
Location
Kennewick, WA
OldRider said:
I would stay with the 5W because I would think the forks are set up for 5W and a heavier oil may get you a ride you might not like. Less oil will give you a softer ride and extra oil will stiffen it up some, but to tell you the truth, there's a whole lot about suspension that I don't know about. Maybe one of the experts will chime in here and put you on the right road.
You are right on the oil weight but wrong on oil volume....which does not soften or stiffen the ride. Less oil results in more air volume in the forks and decreases the amount of air spring in the forks that helps to prevent bottomming at the end of the forks compression stroke. Too much oil will decrease the air volume and increase the air springs effect which may decrease the length of the compression stroke, and can blow out fork seals. Use the recommended oil level unless you change the springs.
 

OldRider

Well-Known Member
Vendor
Joined
Jun 7, 2013
Messages
2,111
Location
Western Kentucky
mcrider007 said:
You are right on the oil weight but wrong on oil volume....which does not soften or stiffen the ride. Less oil results in more air volume in the forks and decreases the amount of air spring in the forks that helps to prevent bottomming at the end of the forks compression stroke. Too much oil will decrease the air volume and increase the air springs effect which may decrease the length of the compression stroke, and can blow out fork seals. Use the recommended oil level unless you change the springs.
I'm not exactly wrong on that, I meant the same thing you said, I just didn't word it that way. Air will compress and oil won't.
 

Salty

Salty
Joined
May 27, 2011
Messages
119
Location
Halifax
Ok fork seals changed. Things I noted were in the shop manual states dampening rod top nut to be set at 12 mm... could not get full number of clicks so adjusted to 10mm and now have full range. Original seals were a little feathery.. I believe a result of a gritty oil like substance found around the brake calipers. Any suggestions as to were this may have come from?

I am cleaning the brake components up and reassembling. Also looking for some sort of a fork gator to fit?
Salty
 
Top