changing front fork oil 2008 flhtc
- Thread starter mcbur1
- Start date
D
dbmg
Guest
Here a video that may help:
Before you jack the front wheel/tire off the ground, grab the front brake and "stoke" the forks a few cycles. Then jack the front end of the bike up to get the wheel/tire off the ground (I like to take the wheel completely off just for convenience). Then get a pan or old butter tub and put that under one side or the other. Carefully remove #12 fork plug and crush washer. This is a Phillips screw, so if you have a hammer impact driver (see below), try that if the screw is "frozen". Otherwise, grab it with a small pair of lock-jaw pliers. You should probably get replacements in case you mess up the head of the screws anyway.
Let the fluid drain until no more is coming out. Put plug back in thumb tight, and drain the other side. Put that plug back in and then lower the front back to the ground so you can "stroke" the forks a few times. Jack it back up and remove the plugs again. Drain any fluid into the containers you used for each side and measure the fluid that came out of each side. That is how much goes back in each side.
Get access to the top of the forks and remove the cap bolts and seals (#5 and #6). You should probably plan to replace #6. When you remove the caps, some little bit of fluid may come out the plug holes.
Find a way to get the fluid into the top of each fork tube (through #9). Replace the plugs and tighten. Put the amount that drained out back in each side (should be about the same - if there is a big difference, figure out why!!). The best way to add fluid is to measure the "air gap" above the fluid to the top of #9. The book with have the air gap spec. This is sort of difficult with a fairing bike, so if the amount of fluid that came out of each side is pretty close to each other, just put that much back and call it good. Put back the #5 caps with a new #6 seals. Reinstall the front wheel if you removed it. Lower the bike and back it out!!!
Cheers,
TQ
Let the fluid drain until no more is coming out. Put plug back in thumb tight, and drain the other side. Put that plug back in and then lower the front back to the ground so you can "stroke" the forks a few times. Jack it back up and remove the plugs again. Drain any fluid into the containers you used for each side and measure the fluid that came out of each side. That is how much goes back in each side.
Get access to the top of the forks and remove the cap bolts and seals (#5 and #6). You should probably plan to replace #6. When you remove the caps, some little bit of fluid may come out the plug holes.
Find a way to get the fluid into the top of each fork tube (through #9). Replace the plugs and tighten. Put the amount that drained out back in each side (should be about the same - if there is a big difference, figure out why!!). The best way to add fluid is to measure the "air gap" above the fluid to the top of #9. The book with have the air gap spec. This is sort of difficult with a fairing bike, so if the amount of fluid that came out of each side is pretty close to each other, just put that much back and call it good. Put back the #5 caps with a new #6 seals. Reinstall the front wheel if you removed it. Lower the bike and back it out!!!
Cheers,
TQ
Last edited:
J
Jack Klarich
Guest
I am still wondering why some models have that screw and others like my 07 Streetbob did not?
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