Front Forks Oil Change
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You do not have to disassemble the forks. Take the screws out of the legs to let the oil drain. Lift the bike up in the front to extend the forks. Take off the nacelle. This looks hard, but it takes about 10 minutes. Take off handle bar clamps and set bars on tank. Remove fork caps pour in oil. Put her back together. Shouldn't take you more than an hour or so.
The easiest way.....
Is to vacuum in the fluid to each leg of the forks... no dis-assembly involved, period..... cause when you take the fork caps off, you might end up with getting a very fast and poowerful kick in the head from the fork caps..... The procedure is spelled out in the manual.... Nice and simple...
Is to vacuum in the fluid to each leg of the forks... no dis-assembly involved, period..... cause when you take the fork caps off, you might end up with getting a very fast and poowerful kick in the head from the fork caps..... The procedure is spelled out in the manual.... Nice and simple...
Dohhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!
I didn't see that it was an '02....... Can't do it, it's got the Cartridge style front forks... sorry I led you down the wrong path....
But, after you drain out the fluid, from the bottom, you can modify a fitting to screw in and attatch it to a syringe, and meter it in, to get the correct amount in each leg.... Just a thought..... Again, sorry for the mis-read...
I didn't see that it was an '02....... Can't do it, it's got the Cartridge style front forks... sorry I led you down the wrong path....
But, after you drain out the fluid, from the bottom, you can modify a fitting to screw in and attatch it to a syringe, and meter it in, to get the correct amount in each leg.... Just a thought..... Again, sorry for the mis-read...
I am reading from the 03 HD touring service manual. No disassembly is required on Road kings. Just the other touring models. The Road Kings have conventional forks. Take off nacelle, remove plugs (carefully) and remove drain plugs with wheel off the ground. Drain plug is 72-96 inch lbs. Pour in 11.1 ounces of oil each side. Top fork bolt uses 50-60 ft. lbs.
Hope this helps and clears up the confusion.
shooter
Hope this helps and clears up the confusion.
shooter
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Shooter:
Thanks, I'm well aware of that. Point I'm trying to make is that even that is unnecessary. I'm only talking about the non-cartridge front ends here. I've never messed with one of the newer fork tubes (left side if I remember correctly) with a cartridge in it so can't talk to them. New fork oil can be inserted thru the drain hole using a MityVac or large syringe. You will lose a slight amount getting the drain plug back in but just add a bit more to start with. Now the purists will say you might wind up with a difference in amounts in each side. I have always contended that it's never the same anyway because of fork oil left behind in the tube after draining and in the fill container after filling. There is just no way to accurately measure the amount of oil left (kling effect) in either one. Lots of shops and individuals do it this way and have been for years. Never did understand HD theory in listing a measurement like 11.1 and 10.7, etc. In the older service manuals, it would list 2 quantities, 1 for dry fill and 1 for wet fill. Now it doesn't.
I don't buy the complete disassembly approach posted by fxer above.
Thanks, I'm well aware of that. Point I'm trying to make is that even that is unnecessary. I'm only talking about the non-cartridge front ends here. I've never messed with one of the newer fork tubes (left side if I remember correctly) with a cartridge in it so can't talk to them. New fork oil can be inserted thru the drain hole using a MityVac or large syringe. You will lose a slight amount getting the drain plug back in but just add a bit more to start with. Now the purists will say you might wind up with a difference in amounts in each side. I have always contended that it's never the same anyway because of fork oil left behind in the tube after draining and in the fill container after filling. There is just no way to accurately measure the amount of oil left (kling effect) in either one. Lots of shops and individuals do it this way and have been for years. Never did understand HD theory in listing a measurement like 11.1 and 10.7, etc. In the older service manuals, it would list 2 quantities, 1 for dry fill and 1 for wet fill. Now it doesn't.
I don't buy the complete disassembly approach posted by fxer above.
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LOL, not exactly the techincal approach there xxxflhrci but amusing. For the serious note, buy some drain plug screws from your stealer, you will bugger them up removing them for the first time. The vacuum approach is new to me, but makes sense, and a hell of lot safer. Anyone else out there do this on a regular basis? If so what is the best way to vacuum it out and replace?
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Ed Y, you have a source for the minivac you are using? And to the answer on cost at the stealer, mine wants $50 just for labor!!!
navy.. I vacuum mine out every 10 k.... I use a compressor operated vacuum, and pull the vac from the air valve at the rear... You are essentially siphoning it into each fork leg... look in a manual for a 2k FL.. it explains it better... To use a hand operated pump is very time consuming and painful on the dick-skinners....
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Thanks Gunny, if you have a source for the phenumatic vacuum I'd appreicate it as I have not seen one of those in the craftsman catalog LOL.
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The Mityvac is just a hand operated vacuum pump that will allow "push" by changing the location of the line. Very useful for brake bleeding, connect to petcock to create a vacuum to drain the gas from tanks, and to fill forks with fork oil. See www.mityvac.com. You can also get them thru some auto parts stores, NAPA, I think.
Da*n Gunny, if you ain't got enough callouses on the hands to handle that little bit of pumping, it's time to practice some more.
Seriously, it's easy with Mityvac, course my hands are tough.
Da*n Gunny, if you ain't got enough callouses on the hands to handle that little bit of pumping, it's time to practice some more.
Seriously, it's easy with Mityvac, course my hands are tough.
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Grayghost: I don't have a 03 Service Manual. If your friend doesn't, it is a "MUST BUY" item. I believe that the service manual does say you have to do that but see one of my posts above about filling thru the drain plug. I just don't know about the left fork with the cartridge in it. Never dealt with one of those.
Maybe someone else on here has and can shed some light on it. Taking off the fairing, at least the outer fairing, is real easy. however, don't think that would let you get to the fork caps without taking some other stuff off.
Maybe someone else on here has and can shed some light on it. Taking off the fairing, at least the outer fairing, is real easy. however, don't think that would let you get to the fork caps without taking some other stuff off.
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