|
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 30
Atlanta, GA | I'm looking through the factory service manual for a 2009 Vision and can't find anything about doing a drain and refill of the fork oil. The only thing it shows is a complete tear down and rebuild of the forks.
Most bikes I've worked on have had a method to do just a drain and refill.
Is there not any way to do this on a Vision?
Thanks for any help. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | As far as I know it's a big job requiring fork removal. I looked into it when I hit the 15K service interval and said screw that. I'm at 41000 now and have no intention of messing with it for a while longer. I've have seen a lot of posts on the subject. People making their own spring compressor, ect. I'm sure someone will have a better answer. |
|
| |
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 40
| Hmm, surprised nobody is chiming in. I'm contemplating the same job. I've done it on other bikes without removing the forks - was hoping to do something similar.
Anyone? |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| To change the oil you have to pull the fork tubes.
If you have an air impact gun you could pull the lower retaing bolt and try to drain from there, but not sure that would work with the internals seated against the bottom of the housing. Then, you'd have to remove the caps to refill with out a good way to measure level unless you pulled the handle bars and tipped the bike to get the tubes vertical.
I've pulled my fork tubes 3 times without taking the body work off, the only tight spot is the upper pinch bolt. You'll need a small wedge in the pinch points to slide the tubes in and out easily. Not a big deal once you've done it. |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| Oh, one more thing... you DO NOT need a spring compressor. Just grab the spring, push down and hook it under the washer. Then you can break the cap retaining nut loose. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | 134,300 miles on my 08 and it has the original fork oil in it . Handles great but the seals are beginning to fail. I can just recently see residual oil on the upper portion of the forks. Will need to change them soon with new seals . Still on original belt , steering head and wheel bearings too.  |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | I changed my own fork last fall. I did not disasssemble them I did not need a spring compressor tool. I used Harly-Davidson 10 weight fork oil which I know is a heavier weight oil then what victory put in the forks but that's what I wanted. So far no issues at all I did not go down in flames, and I have not had catastrophic failure. Lol.
Edited by Arkainzeye 2016-04-28 4:17 PM
|
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 4278
| yes on bottom of fork is a hole with a 6mm allen in there. Unscrew it and oil will drain out. It will be a over night drain.
Now you can put it back in.
Now take fork cap off and add your oil. |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| jimtom - 2016-04-28 7:38 AM
134,300 miles on my 08 and it has the original fork oil in it . Handles great but the seals are beginning to fail. I can just recently see residual oil on the upper portion of the forks. Will need to change them soon with new seals . Still on original belt , steering head and wheel bearings too.
You'll need to replace the slide bushings on the tube too. Vic sells a kit with all the stuff in it. At your mileage, you should probably replace the bushings in the lower housing too, but they seem to be made out of semi-unobtainium, otherwise known as Polaris back-order. Your seal probably isn't bad, but leaking because of the worn out bushings.
|
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| johnnyvision - 2016-04-28 5:50 PM
yes on bottom of fork is a hole with a 6mm allen in there. Unscrew it and oil will drain out. It will be a over night drain.
Now you can put it back in.
Now take fork cap off and add your oil.
If you go this route, you'll probably want to go by a paint shop and get some of the small measuring buckets they use to mix paint. That way you can be sure that you put the same amount of oil back in that came out. I don't recall finding an actual spec for volume of fork oil, only the spec for level with spring removed. Since draining from the cartridge bolt will leave some oil in there, measuring what comes out seems the safest way to get the correct amount, or at least the same amount as you had been running.
The reason that I mentioned the impact gun is that it's possible for the cartridge to spin in the housing. If that happens, you'll need 'speed' to get the bolt in/out. Be sure to set the impact to its lowest torque setting.
Edited by BumbleDB 2016-04-28 9:45 PM
|
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | BumbleDB - 2016-04-28 9:33 PM
jimtom - 2016-04-28 7:38 AM
134,300 miles on my 08 and it has the original fork oil in it . Handles great but the seals are beginning to fail. I can just recently see residual oil on the upper portion of the forks. Will need to change them soon with new seals . Still on original belt , steering head and wheel bearings too.
You'll need to replace the slide bushings on the tube too. Vic sells a kit with all the stuff in it. At your mileage, you should probably replace the bushings in the lower housing too, but they seem to be made out of semi-unobtainium, otherwise known as Polaris back-order. Your seal probably isn't bad, but leaking because of the worn out bushings.
Thank you. |
|
| |
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 40
| Great points everyone - thank you! Espec on the spring compressors - that was my sticking point.
An old codger - whom I respected greatly and taught me much about motorcycles when I was 'younger' once showed me how to measure the fork oil levels with the springs out - with a dipstick - before you drain. Mark the level - and when you refill just make sure you hit the same mark.
That dude was old school - and he was always right. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 4278
| But then you have to hope the person who filled them did it correct. I'll trust myself |
|
| |
|
Iron Butt
Posts: 804
Perry Hall, MD | I opted to have the dealer do mine, but as I recall a previous post on the topic included a link for a how to video by Witchdoctor. Might want to search a bit to find it. |
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 3773
Pittsburgh, PA | The amount of fork oil required for a refill depends on which model of Fork you have the vision came with two different size Forks.. identify which one side of the Forks. The service manual covers this
Also victory fork oil is a 7.5 weight ..
Edited by Arkainzeye 2016-05-01 9:57 AM
|
|
| |
|
Visionary
Posts: 4278
| you make it sound like 2 different size forks on the same bike and the mark is on the inside of the fork by the fender mounting hole |
|
| |
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 7
Herriman, UT United States | Not finding two pieces of information to finish my 2014 Vision fork oil seals replacement job:
- fork oil volume to add back in (did a complete tear-down and cleaning -- didn't know to capture the drained oil to measure --- now I know)
- location of a 2014 Victory Vision Service Manual pdf file
Missing my late February - early March rides. |
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| You should be able to find the 08 & 10 manual for download. The 08 has full wiring diagrams ( verrry useful ), the 10 will cover the changes made after 09. From 10 on, pretty much the same other than the HEGOs added in 16 I think.
The spec for the KYB forks is 136mm from the top of the tube with the spring removed and the damper and tube fully compressed. I have never found a volume spec, just the measurement.
I order my bushings and seals from Traxxion. I also have the full fork kits installed, pricey, but worth it.
Edited by BumbleDB 2019-03-03 5:33 PM
|
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| Wait a minute.... IT DOES LIST THE VOLUME SPEC! 550cc per tube. |
|
| |
|
Puddle Jumper
Posts: 28
Mossyrock, WA | BumbleDB - 2019-03-03 3:32 PM
You should be able to find the 08 & 10 manual for download. The 08 has full wiring diagrams ( verrry useful ), the 10 will cover the changes made after 09. From 10 on, pretty much the same other than the HEGOs added in 16 I think.
The spec for the KYB forks is 136mm from the top of the tube with the spring removed and the damper and tube fully compressed. I have never found a volume spec, just the measurement.
I order my bushings and seals from Traxxion. I also have the full fork kits installed, pricey, but worth it.
When you say you bought the full fork kit from Traxxion, did you buy the cartridge assembly also?
|
|
| |
|
Cruiser
Posts: 73
| Yeah, the full kits. The adjustable cartridges and custom weight springs. Much better than orig, but you will need a spring compressor. I made a rig to use my press as a spring compressor. |
|
| |
Fork Oil Drain & Refill?