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Post by robinbanks on Oct 8, 2021 21:03:09 GMT
Guyz what weight fork oil you using in your superdreams? And are you keeping it as per Honda spec or has anyone uprated it?
Cheers
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Post by johnfcbn44dx on Oct 8, 2021 23:02:52 GMT
I use a 50/50 mix of 10W & 15W fork oil...
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Post by richard on Oct 9, 2021 4:08:30 GMT
i currently have standard ATF in my forks, i couldn't find a definite answer to what oil [ weight wise ] would be the same as ATF, the last thing i read suggested 20W
on my bike its a pain to experiment with different oils/weights due to having to remove the forks to empty the oil
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Post by johnjones on Oct 9, 2021 8:37:39 GMT
Richard, with the front wheel out, and the springs in place, you can slacken the Allan bolt hidden by the wheel spindle and let the old oil drip out.
Caution, if you remove the Allan bolt just make sure the alloy fork leg does not drop else the alloy taper could drop off.
For some time now ( years in fact ) I remove/slide off alloy leg with main spring in place.
The alloy leg can then he cleaned/repainted/seal replaced etc., provided the mudguard bolts come out ok. If they shear, I use the mig method to get the sheared bolts out, it works.
To reassemble, I use a suitable length of threaded rod screwed into the damper piston rod sliding the alloy taper up it and held onto the damper rod with a tiny dab of grease, then slide the alloy leg up into place making sure by measurement the alloy taper is in place. I then remove the threaded rod and fit the Allan bolt.
It's very do able if the front end of the bike is up high, the rear held down by placing an old tyre over the back end of the bike with the centre stand on wood blocks.
If the chrome fork cap is removed along with the thin Allan nut and washer, the spring etc. can be removed and the fork tube/stanchion can be cleaned inside etc..
I use a large moveable spanner to hold the lhs alloy leg and a holding tool with long handle and 3 holes, 2 holes sliding over the alloy cap studs and the third hole for Allan key access, for the RHS fork leg.
If you have a shouldered 14mm bolt going spare, weld an extension to it and T handle with the tool long enough to clear the handle bar stuff. This tool is much better at refitting the thin Allan nut, so it does not end up cross threaded.
DO NOT cross thread that thin Allan nut.
An other chore, I made and epoxied in a "top hat" affair with a grease nipple into the bottom yoke pivot tube hole.Greasing the steering head bearings is now a grease gun job.
I like to ride the SD rather than spend time servicing the bugger, so make things easy for my self.
Servicing is little and often.
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Post by richard on Oct 9, 2021 10:57:16 GMT
Richard, with the front wheel out, and the springs in place, you can slacken the Allan bolt hidden by the wheel spindle and let the old oil drip out. Caution, if you remove the Allan bolt just make sure the alloy fork leg does not drop else the alloy taper could drop off. For some time now ( years in fact ) I remove/slide off alloy leg with main spring in place. The alloy leg can then he cleaned/repainted/seal replaced etc., provided the mudguard bolts come out ok. If they shear, I use the mig method to get the sheared bolts out, it works. To reassemble, I use a suitable length of threaded rod screwed into the damper piston rod sliding the alloy taper up it and held onto the damper rod with a tiny dab of grease, then slide the alloy leg up into place making sure by measurement the alloy taper is in place. I then remove the threaded rod and fit the Allan bolt. It's very do able if the front end of the bike is up high, the rear held down by placing an old tyre over the back end of the bike with the centre stand on wood blocks. If the chrome fork cap is removed along with the thin Allan nut and washer, the spring etc. can be removed and the fork tube/stanchion can be cleaned inside etc.. I use a large moveable spanner to hold the lhs alloy leg and a holding tool with long handle and 3 holes, 2 holes sliding over the alloy cap studs and the third hole for Allan key access, for the RHS fork leg. If you have a shouldered 14mm bolt going spare, weld an extension to it and T handle with the tool long enough to clear the handle bar stuff. This tool is much better at refitting the thin Allan nut, so it does not end up cross threaded. DO NOT cross thread that thin Allan nut. An other chore, I made and epoxied in a "top hat" affair with a grease nipple into the bottom yoke pivot tube hole.Greasing the steering head bearings is now a grease gun job. I like to ride the SD rather than spend time servicing the bugger, so make things easy for my self. Servicing is little and often. thanks for the advice/info
i did consider un-doing the allen bolt to let the oil out, but filling them back up is a bit of a pain as well, and considering it takes about 15min to remove the forks, its my preferred option, last time i replaced the oil, i was unsure which way round the springs went it, the haynes manual simply stating to re-assemble as they came apart, which would suggest it dosnt make much difference, but on looking at the pictures in the manual, it shows the compressed part of the spring being at the top of the forks, however i put them back in as i found them [ which was the other way round ]
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Post by johnjones on Oct 9, 2021 12:27:45 GMT
F=m a....
Unsprung weight etc., Valve springs also have a tightly wound heavy end, the lighter ends usually painted yellow, heavy end next to head, the heavy end not moving much at all...
I just use ATF as damping oil...
Did your old oil come out pink or whiteish...or blood red and thinnish...
Leave the main spring in place to undo/tighten the bottom Allan bolt and it's copper washer, use the bottom yoke to clamp the stanchion, resist the temptation to use a vice...
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Post by richard on Oct 9, 2021 13:21:55 GMT
the fork oil that was in when i replaced it was a whiteish colour, no idea what weight it was, but the fork damping was quite soft
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Post by johnjones on Oct 9, 2021 14:37:59 GMT
Probably emulsified/contaminated with water...still, with forks off they will get a good clean and dry off before reassembly.
How was the top sliding seal, the white nylon "piston ring", chrome top o ring and any corrosion in/on the components ?
There is a smallish hole at the bottom of the fork for oil to pass thru...
Yours does not have the replaceable floating bush...?
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Post by richard on Oct 9, 2021 16:32:26 GMT
no, not emulsified [ it was white-ish/clear fluid ] the previous owner didn't realise that ATF was originally used, and he put normal fork oil in, but i didn't ask him what weight..not that it matters now, as i have replaced the oil
all the parts were nice and clean, with no apparent issues [ other than the springs being possibly upside down ] but no floating bush in my forks
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Post by The Great High Lord Beer on Oct 9, 2021 18:26:51 GMT
I think we would all agree the forks are pretty basic items and rather crude, as is the rest of the chassis, of course this is not a criticism, consider the age and the limitations of a basic bike even when new, its just the way they are, if you want to have the forks operate as best as they are able, a complete strip and refurb or replacement of worn parts is the way to go, you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference between 10 or 15w oil without a full refurbishment and even then to he honest the forks are still not that good, should you care, certainly not, Superdreams are what they are and we love them for it.
I have completely refurbished forks, shocks, chassis components and it's still a bouncy thing with a hinge in the middle, but, and this is most important, it's great fun and always makes me smile, surely this is what it's all about 🙂👍🍺
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Post by richard on Oct 9, 2021 19:28:41 GMT
my forks are quite happy as they are, no issues at all, it goes, [ very well now ] stops and steers [ better than you would think ] so all is good
i think robinbanks was curious more than anything..
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Post by The Great High Lord Beer on Oct 9, 2021 19:43:06 GMT
Nothing wrong with curiosity, I'm forever wondering what would happen if I drank alcohol free beer for a week or two, I'll try it out at some point, after the excuses have ran out, fortunately my excuse handbook is many pages long 👍🍺
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Post by andy1kenobe on Oct 9, 2021 19:57:39 GMT
Nothing wrong with curiosity, I'm forever wondering what would happen if I drank alcohol free beer for a week or two, I'll try it out at some point, after the excuses have ran out, fortunately my excuse handbook is many pages long 👍🍺 May the pages of your excuse handbook never end. Just don't drink that alcohol free stuff ever, it will make you feel like sh1t in the morning! Try this instead
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Post by The Great High Lord Beer on Oct 9, 2021 20:24:01 GMT
Sir Kenobe, I shall have this fine ale available on tap for all brethern to sample, a worthy find indeed 👍🍺
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