Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

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gasman
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Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by gasman »

Do the forks have to be removed, panels, are there special tools?
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gn2
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Re: How to change fork oil please!

Post by gn2 »

Sadly, forks have to come out.
Scooter on centre stand, prop front up with blocks to raise front wheel.
Remove front wheel, caliper, abs sensor and mudguard.
There are two pinch bolts on each side holding a fork leg on, undo these and get the fork leg out.
Should be able to get at these without panel removal if you're careful.
Pop the cap (13) off the top of the fork leg and turn upside down.
You'll probably need a spindle key and the spindle pinch bolt (19) can be a bitch to get undone.
Mine needed drilling out and retapping a larger size.
If yours comes out, get some grease on it to stop it seizing up.
Good luck.
Hopefully someone with a service manual will pitch in with the correct volume and viscosity of fork oil and the level from the top to fill to.
Four decades on two wheels has taught me nothing, all advice given is guaranteed to be wrong
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Re: How to change fork oil please!

Post by you you »

Upping the oil viscosity a grade or two can be useful too.
davenowherejones
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Re: How to change fork oil please!

Post by davenowherejones »

you you wrote:Upping the oil viscosity a grade or two can be useful too.
Especially when Honda put air instead of fork oil in mine during June 2013.

That was a bad handling scooter.

Much better now.

Mine was #98 according to the VIN plate.
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Re: How to change fork oil please!

Post by gasman »

Thanks guys!
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GrahamH
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Re: Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by GrahamH »

I have changed the fork oil in my 2017 Forza 300, up from 10 weight to 12.5 weight. Not sure if it will make much difference and the weather is a bit grim to try it out. To change the oil the fork legs need to be dropped out and the end caps removed by compressing the cap against spring pressure whilst a pesky little wire clip is teased out….it’s a 3 handed job unless…….

I had an old ball joint separator tool in my junk box, (useless things these) and with a little sawing and filing was able to make a spring compressor ideal for the Forza fork leg. The tool locates in the groove near the top of the fork leg and hold the cap down against the spring to allow the wire clip to be removed much more easily. Well worth the effort to avoid the 3 handed contortions.

And since the fork legs were off I added a pair of fork gaiters. They were made to fit a Harley Davidson of some sort and look OK on the Forza, not a perfect fit but passable. If they prove to be a problem it is an easy job to remove them with a sharp knife.
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Re: Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by you you »

GrahamH wrote:I have changed the fork oil in my 2017 Forza 300, up from 10 weight to 12.5 weight. Not sure if it will make much difference and the weather is a bit grim to try it out. To change the oil the fork legs need to be dropped out and the end caps removed by compressing the cap against spring pressure whilst a pesky little wire clip is teased out….it’s a 3 handed job unless…….

I had an old ball joint separator tool in my junk box, (useless things these) and with a little sawing and filing was able to make a spring compressor ideal for the Forza fork leg. The tool locates in the groove near the top of the fork leg and hold the cap down against the spring to allow the wire clip to be removed much more easily. Well worth the effort to avoid the 3 handed contortions.

And since the fork legs were off I added a pair of fork gaiters. They were made to fit a Harley Davidson of some sort and look OK on the Forza, not a perfect fit but passable. If they prove to be a problem it is an easy job to remove them with a sharp knife.
Gaiters look good. I think I'd zip tie the lower ends.

Those ball joint separators work well if you use the tighten, hit the bolt with a hammer, repeat method.... not on forks obviously :lol:
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Re: Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by Old Scoot »

GrahamH wrote:.....And since the fork legs were off I added a pair of fork gaiters. They were made to fit a Harley Davidson of some sort and look OK on the Forza, not a perfect fit but passable.
:o That's a nice hack and protects the shocks as wel, do you happen to know the part number of the fork gaiters?
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Re: Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by GrahamH »

The gaiters are cheap Chinese found on Ebay and not best quality, just go by dimensions
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Re: Need Help - How to change fork oil please!

Post by CamboForza »

To get that first retaining clip out, I wrapped the top of the fork in a rag. gripped it firmly in the vice and then used an F-Clamp hooked under the vice to gently screw down the end cap.
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