Front Fork Oil Leak

[videoarizona]

Update:

 

 

Got the forks back in two hours. Barely had time for breakfast. To make me feel better, I ordered all the new bushings as well as the seals and dust covers. A bit more $$, but since I was there anyway....

 

As it turns out, I asked for and got the old parts back...negligible wear on the bushings and what wear there was was even all around...so bushings were wearing perfectly and had lots of life left. Not bad for over 50K miles and 12 years.

 

 

As can be seen...the bushing surface is worn evenly. If it wasn't, you would see the "copper looking coating?" worn off in places. There is a slight bit of that on upper left bushing near the joint...which is normal.

 

 

The oil seals looked great on both sides. No tears or nicks...just some dirt. So a good cleaning would have been sufficient. But I feel better they were all replaced.

 

 

Steering bearings were right on the money and greased.

 

In going back together, I was stumped for a few minutes trying to figure out how to apply 90 + pounds of torque to the stem head nut without help. Finally, the light bulb went off and I stuck a screwdriver in the two holes provided for us to padlock our forks. Worked. So did that, moved both forks up to the 1 inch mark for lowering the front end, tightened the lower tree and then removed the top triple tree (grunt & still had screwdriver in hole) to put the upper fork covers, washer and bumper on. Did that, tightened the uppers and then put the upper triple tree on for good. Removed the screwdriver from lock hole and put on the front fender.

 

Stopped there for the day. Tired and need to think about how the front tire came out as it doesn't want to go back in. Nothing changed in lift height so I guess I'm simply to tired to "finess it" properly.

 

BTW, the dealer...Ride Now Power Sports at Ina road in Tucson has only seen one RSV in the past few years...mine. First time for an oil change and complete go over after I bought the scoot and now today. But they went by the book... and seem to have done a good job. Won't really know until I get on the road again. Guy said it came apart and went back together the way they all should....

 

More later....I need a libation....in celebration of getting this far, of course. What were you thinking? Grins!

Edited August 25, 2016 by videoarizona

[camos]

Stopped there for the day. Tired and need to think about how the front tire came out as it doesn't want to go back in. Nothing changed in lift height so I guess I'm simply to tired to "finess it" properly.

Before tightening up the triple clamps and the fork brace, put the axle through the forks, with or without the wheel. It is the axle and the fork brace that properly align the forks.

[Guest Jamsie]

! thing to look out for . when torquing the strearing bearings , you tighten the ring nut to 37 ft/lb. to make sure the bearings are fully seated ( i would also rotate stearing back and forth to make sure ) then slacked off a little and re-tighten to 2.2 ft/lb

 

[videoarizona]

Before tightening up the triple clamps and the fork brace, put the axle through the forks, with or without the wheel. It is the axle and the fork brace that properly align the forks.

 

Now you tell me. I put the forks back together early this morning. Sigh. Well, let's hope the axle goes in nice and easy! Thanks for tip, though!!

Jamsie.....yep.....done that.. Thanks.

[videoarizona]

Got up early this AM to put the scoot back together. But first, I sat, sipped the 1st cuppa and watched the sun rise from the garage. It was 63 degrees and clear as a bell. Just as the sun peeked up over the mountain...."Riders on the Storm" came on the mp3. Great song....coffee tasted better too! Good memories of those days....beer, women...women...women...

 

But I did get the scoot together. Nothing broke! Front axle went in slick.. camos had me worried as the book didn't say anything about using the axle to align the forks. But I did write that tip into my manual for next time. Thanks Camos!

 

No pics taken as we all know what a 05 RSV looks like in one piece...well maybe. And I was to into the music to think of sunrise pic....

 

Tomorrow, I'll go for test ride and report back on shocks. Did put 10 wt in instead of 5 wt. Based on majority recommendations on increasing viscosity for better handling...and raised the shocks up 1/4 inch more for a total of 1 inch now. Be curious to see....

Edited August 29, 2016 by videoarizona
add

[camos]

But I did get the scoot together. Nothing broke! Front axle went in slick.. camos had me worried as the book didn't say anything about using the axle to align the forks. But I did write that tip into my manual for next time.

The forks will be aligned either by the fork brace or the axle. I usually put the axle in then do up the fork brace but it is pretty much 6 of 1 or a half dozen of the other.

[videoarizona]

Tomorrow, I'll go for test ride and report back on shocks. Did put 10 wt in instead of 5 wt. Based on majority recommendations on increasing viscosity for better handling...and raised the shocks up 1/4 inch more for a total of 1 inch now. Be curious to see....

 

Rode this morning for about an hour. Slow speed handling is better. That 1/4 inch did make a difference. I'm now lowered a full 1 inch from stock on the front end.

Started out slowly....checking brakes, front tire, front end and shocks. Took the access road at 40mph. Kicked it up to 50 after testing everything and some more stops and such. Good.

 

Hit the freeway. (Note:I also added the SpeedoDRD device while the bike was down for shocks...stole it from my VStar 950T. Programmed a -7.1 correction into it for the RSV.) So speedo numbers should be very close now to actual.

 

Got her up to 80mph, gradually, checking steering stability and front end stability. No issues. Even at 80, she was solid hands off on cruise. (No, I don't ride normally with my arms folded over my chest...napping....)

 

Bottom line: Shocks seem to be fine. A tad harder on rough roads at slow speed with the 10wt oil, but not objectionable. Still smooth on semi-smooth roads and at high speed. No pulling or pushing at speed from shocks so they must be fairly equal.

 

All in all...think the RSV is going to be good to go for our Fall riding season which starts in another month!

 

Time now to work on the 89 VR. She just needs a little bit of TLC and she will be good as well....

[Guest Jamsie]

bet you cant wait for temps to come down , so you can ride without sweating like a fat girl in a disco, instead of having to take a car with AC .

BTW , was out yesterday and temp was 75C. thats hot for where i live

[bongobobny]

You will also notice after a few months the front end will soften up just a tad as the new springs "age" a little, but not a big change...

[videoarizona]

Update:

 

After a couple of hundred miles, the RSV is a bit stiffer for sure. Instead of riding like a Lincoln, she rides like a Cadillac. More firm on corners as well.

 

Overall, increasing fork oil wt from 5 wt to 10wt is a good compromise. Better corner handling but a firmer ride. So far, shocks are riding well.

Adding the additional 1/4 inch for a total of 1 inch lowered... did make a difference in low speed handling. Now she's easier to maneuver, but again a compromise....as very slow speed straight riding is trickier. I go through border patrol checkpoints routinely and the slow moving line is more of a challenge for me now. Don't know why, but now the RSV is like the VR....I wiggle a bit and not as sure in my balance as I creep along. Guess having stiff steering is a blessing some times. Not often, but...!!

 

Next project on RSV? Exchange rear end for a VMAX rear. Like to see how she does with acceleration and MPG's.

[Condor]

Iirc cowpuc once mentioned a strip of 35mm film as a perfect tool to clean the seals, wonder where you can get some now its all digital

 

 

For those who don't have an old piece of a negative laying around, they have a cleaning tool...which is basically a thin piece of film... and it's fairly cheap.. http://www.altrider.com/index.php/product/detail/pid/318?gclid=COWbk8zSls8CFYlafgodbbsGDQ

 

Sorry for the long address but for some reason I can't get the hot link icon to work.

[camos]

For those who don't have an old piece of a negative laying around, they have a cleaning tool...which is basically a thin piece of film... and it's fairly cheap..

You most likely have a set of feeler gauges and some oil. The oil make dirt clump a bit and the feeler gauge can be worked around to persuade any dirt under the seal scraper to the outside.