Change my fork oil?

[Motörhead]

I'm getting ready for a long trip to the Indy 500, the second I've taken on this bike with 38k showing on the odometer, and am wondering if I should change the fork oil or not and follow "if it ain't broke don't fix it".

On the last trip the bum meter had no issues with the ride and there's no oil passing the seals. It just bugging me to not know the condition of the oil and how much aluminum goop is in there.

I have a 1/2 inch speed wrench for the fork caps, at 215 lbs am I hefty enough to get the threads started?

 

[mcgovern61]

Tough one. That is a long trip. But your seals do not appear to be leaking. If you have the time, it never hurts to change the fork oil if never done. Change the seals at the same time though. Also, expect the oil to be thick and black. It can be quite the job.

 

[julimike54]

The weight you have it should be do-able. As stated if you have time I'd do it, if it's an unknown amount of time since last done.

 

[Motörhead]

Well I'm doing it, thanks for the kick in the ###. There's other things that need attention, or a look see in the least, such as air filter, brake fluid, etc. Am also stripping the yellowing clear coat off the fork lowers and cleaning up the wheels. Got started tonight, I used to move faster as a service tech but now I'm older, slower, but more meticulous.

As an aside just opened up a can of beer and box of 60 motorcycle magazine back issues dating back to the years I first started riding. The 80's were a fantastic time in motorcycling development.

 

[Motörhead]

Lookie here.

 

[Motörhead]

Finished WHEW what a PITA! Black swamp oil came out of the right fork plug, the left plug was seized by an idiot with an impact somewhere so I had to rush to AutoZone and get some steel tubing to vacuum the oil out the top. Guess a replacement fork is on the menu for the winter

Threading the top caps required a cobbled together ratchet strap holder as no way could I get it down otherwise.
A Seal Mate is on the way from Amazon.

 

[mcgovern61]

To take my caps off and reinstall ('82 1100), I took a 2 x 4 and cut a slot for the top of the cap. With 3' of length, I could easily get enough leverage on the springs to push them in and turn the cap at the same time. (Cave man tools.)

 

[Motörhead]

Seal Mate ended up a waste of money for my purposes, tried on one fork and couldn't get it past the seal lip.

Work order for next weekend: remove rear shocks drain and fill, final drive drain and fill, clean up the rear wheel and swingarm, brake fluid service.

 

[Motörhead]

To take my caps off and reinstall ('82 1100), I took a 2 x 4 and cut a slot for the top of the cap. With 3' of length, I could easily get enough leverage on the springs to push them in and turn the cap at the same time. (Cave man tools.)

I'm thinking of constructing a tool with the 2x4 on top and a section of steel tubing for the bottom drilled for threaded rods with nuts and washers.