Fork oil change help RMZ 250

huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
Edited Date/Time 3/25/2016 3:57pm
Maintenance rook here... So I'm going to change the fork oil in my 14 RMZ250 but was wondering if I needed to take the forks completely apart to drain them 100% empty or if I could just take the caps off and drain for ~20 minutes and refill them.


Also... Just side note incase any one could help me here. Fork dives under hard hits or heavy braking in braking bumps. I can't get a revalve at the moment so should I add more oil? Thicker oil? Already bought springs that are right for weight and speed. Thanks!
|
tylermx967
Posts
506
Joined
4/1/2008
Location
Athens, TX US
3/24/2016 4:49pm
I THINK SUSZUKI GOTS THE FASTIST BIKE THATS IN THE LITES MATT GET ON THE PODIUM IS ONE OF MY FAVERITE RIDER BECASE HE IS FORM TEXAS AND RIDES SUSZUKI
1
huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/24/2016 5:41pm
Anyone? I'm heading to my brothers house in north California this weekend and wanted to do it before I leave tomorrow.
malachi177
Posts
2281
Joined
12/18/2010
Location
B.C., BC CA
3/24/2016 5:54pm
huck2flat wrote:
Maintenance rook here... So I'm going to change the fork oil in my 14 RMZ250 but was wondering if I needed to take the forks completely...
Maintenance rook here... So I'm going to change the fork oil in my 14 RMZ250 but was wondering if I needed to take the forks completely apart to drain them 100% empty or if I could just take the caps off and drain for ~20 minutes and refill them.


Also... Just side note incase any one could help me here. Fork dives under hard hits or heavy braking in braking bumps. I can't get a revalve at the moment so should I add more oil? Thicker oil? Already bought springs that are right for weight and speed. Thanks!
I have a '14 RMZ...but I always have someone else do fork/shock work. As for the diving part, have you adjusted your clickers on your bike? The SFF forks are/can be tricky to set up. I just googled the recommended setting for the bike/weight and found some info from the MX Action page. The settings they recommended were an awesome base setting, and I've only had to adjust them a couple of clicks on the rebound front and rear. Before that I was scratching my head chasing. Probably not much help but that's all I got.

The Shop

huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/25/2016 12:00am
malachi177 wrote:
I have a '14 RMZ...but I always have someone else do fork/shock work. As for the diving part, have you adjusted your clickers on your bike...
I have a '14 RMZ...but I always have someone else do fork/shock work. As for the diving part, have you adjusted your clickers on your bike? The SFF forks are/can be tricky to set up. I just googled the recommended setting for the bike/weight and found some info from the MX Action page. The settings they recommended were an awesome base setting, and I've only had to adjust them a couple of clicks on the rebound front and rear. Before that I was scratching my head chasing. Probably not much help but that's all I got.
Yes I have adjusted the clickers but i feel like it doesn't really lessen the diving.

Is there anybody that can help me with the oil draining procedure?
Thanks
huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/25/2016 12:02am
malachi177 wrote:
I have a '14 RMZ...but I always have someone else do fork/shock work. As for the diving part, have you adjusted your clickers on your bike...
I have a '14 RMZ...but I always have someone else do fork/shock work. As for the diving part, have you adjusted your clickers on your bike? The SFF forks are/can be tricky to set up. I just googled the recommended setting for the bike/weight and found some info from the MX Action page. The settings they recommended were an awesome base setting, and I've only had to adjust them a couple of clicks on the rebound front and rear. Before that I was scratching my head chasing. Probably not much help but that's all I got.
But thanks for your input anyways
bgpn35
Posts
504
Joined
9/25/2011
Location
Gastonia, NC US
3/25/2016 5:49am
Try YouTube, I'm not real familiar with forks on the Suzuki bikes but you should find something on there. If they are spring forks they are all pretty similar to my understanding. I do all my stuff for my Yamaha bikes and learned how to do it on YouTube and if you have the owners manual it should explain how to service them. Good luck
Dtat720
Posts
1588
Joined
2/20/2015
Location
Flowood, MS US
3/25/2016 6:26am
Rocky Mountain atv/mc and Motosport both have tutorial videos on their websites that take you step by step on how to do it. That is the best way to go.
resetjet
Posts
2396
Joined
3/16/2012
Location
Tampa, FL US
3/25/2016 7:13am
check your manual also. Not sure about suzuki's but KTM explains it in the service manual.
CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7358
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA US
Fantasy
2361st
3/25/2016 7:39am Edited Date/Time 3/25/2016 7:41am
I have a KTM so from my expierience and imagine with your Suzuki

Remove fork from the bike. -
Unscrew the top cap and slide the tube down a bit.
-Let them drain for 20min at least or just make sure all the oil is out.
-Refill
-tighten the cap

More oil will give you more bottom resistance. There is a fine line because too much oil might give you a sensation of a harshness at the start of stroke.(At least that's what I think I felt. Maybe start by going 15cc more then at the track add 10cc at a time.
huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/25/2016 9:13am
I have a KTM so from my expierience and imagine with your Suzuki Remove fork from the bike. - Unscrew the top cap and slide the...
I have a KTM so from my expierience and imagine with your Suzuki

Remove fork from the bike. -
Unscrew the top cap and slide the tube down a bit.
-Let them drain for 20min at least or just make sure all the oil is out.
-Refill
-tighten the cap

More oil will give you more bottom resistance. There is a fine line because too much oil might give you a sensation of a harshness at the start of stroke.(At least that's what I think I felt. Maybe start by going 15cc more then at the track add 10cc at a time.
Ok. I just wasn't sure if I had to completely take out the damping system and push the rod up and down in order to completely drain it. I just didn't want to accidentally add too much oil when I went to refill them if there was still oil trapped inside that didn't drain
CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7358
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA US
Fantasy
2361st
3/25/2016 9:24am
I have a KTM so from my expierience and imagine with your Suzuki Remove fork from the bike. - Unscrew the top cap and slide the...
I have a KTM so from my expierience and imagine with your Suzuki

Remove fork from the bike. -
Unscrew the top cap and slide the tube down a bit.
-Let them drain for 20min at least or just make sure all the oil is out.
-Refill
-tighten the cap

More oil will give you more bottom resistance. There is a fine line because too much oil might give you a sensation of a harshness at the start of stroke.(At least that's what I think I felt. Maybe start by going 15cc more then at the track add 10cc at a time.
huck2flat wrote:
Ok. I just wasn't sure if I had to completely take out the damping system and push the rod up and down in order to completely...
Ok. I just wasn't sure if I had to completely take out the damping system and push the rod up and down in order to completely drain it. I just didn't want to accidentally add too much oil when I went to refill them if there was still oil trapped inside that didn't drain
I'm no fork expert by any means. So hopefully someone can confirm. hahaha. That Rocky Mountain video does a great job of explaining but they take the whole fork apart...
huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/25/2016 2:06pm
Yeah, hopefully someone pops up! Might just call a suspension company, I didn't even think about that until just now. They might have an answer for me haha. And thanks so far to everyone that has given input
huck2flat
Posts
57
Joined
7/6/2015
Location
Seattle, WA US
3/25/2016 2:25pm
Just called Factory Connection. Talked to a suspension tech and he was super helpful and willing to answer any question I had. He said it would be fine to just let them drain for a few hours and refil them but there might be around 5cc's of oil left in there. He said in order to make sure that little bit left over gets out I would have to take them further apart. So looks like I found my answer. Thanks again peeps
kkawboy14
Posts
11494
Joined
6/5/2015
Location
TX US
3/25/2016 2:28pm Edited Date/Time 3/25/2016 2:29pm
Pay somebody to do it.....the part that people miss, doing it themselves, is having the experience to see something else that is wrong or worn to much while its apart.
malachi177
Posts
2281
Joined
12/18/2010
Location
B.C., BC CA
3/25/2016 3:38pm
huck2flat wrote:
Just called Factory Connection. Talked to a suspension tech and he was super helpful and willing to answer any question I had. He said it would...
Just called Factory Connection. Talked to a suspension tech and he was super helpful and willing to answer any question I had. He said it would be fine to just let them drain for a few hours and refil them but there might be around 5cc's of oil left in there. He said in order to make sure that little bit left over gets out I would have to take them further apart. So looks like I found my answer. Thanks again peeps
Good to know!
CarlinoJoeVideo
Posts
7358
Joined
11/30/2013
Location
Portland/Los Angeles, CA US
Fantasy
2361st
3/25/2016 3:57pm
huck2flat wrote:
Just called Factory Connection. Talked to a suspension tech and he was super helpful and willing to answer any question I had. He said it would...
Just called Factory Connection. Talked to a suspension tech and he was super helpful and willing to answer any question I had. He said it would be fine to just let them drain for a few hours and refil them but there might be around 5cc's of oil left in there. He said in order to make sure that little bit left over gets out I would have to take them further apart. So looks like I found my answer. Thanks again peeps
That's cool. Just keep in mind that 5cc towards going more. Maybe start with 10cc over stock and add 10 at a time at the track. To be honest I didn't feel much until I went +20-25cc when I gained some bottoming resistance.

Post a reply to: Fork oil change help RMZ 250

The Latest