Fork oil change tools

[SparrowHawkxx]

I have studied the service manual and several write ups on removing and dissembling the forks. 
Thanks Greg for all your pictures and notes.  Really just one thing that concerns me and that is loosening the top cap.

Not much there to grab on the top cap.  Is it safe enough to use a regular 6 pt 24 mm (or 15/16”) socket with a chamfered bottom?  (I know Greg also says to use electrical tape to protect it.)
Or should you get a socket with a non-chamfered (flat) bottom.  I found one made for bicycle forks, here: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B072FCK567/ref=olp_product_details?_encoding=UTF8&me=   $24 on Amazon with shipping.  I do not know if it is deep enough for this top cap.

I know this is probably just common sense but nothing I have seen, in the service manual or write ups, say anything about removing the handlebars.  I do not see how you can break the top cap loose with a socket and ratchet without removing them. Am I missing something here?

The plastic wrench also looks like a good way to break it loose but you would still need to use a socket if you are going to use a torque wrench to tighten it back down.  Like most anything else I would guess it takes more torque to break it loose than to torque  back to spec so maybe that could be done before you put the fork back in the clamps.??

I will be removing fork legs soon on my 2013 Tenere. I got all the tools and parts to replace seals, bushings, and oil.

I had a fork seal leak last May (2017) at almost 50,000 miles.  Cleaned it out with a Seal Doctor and got a few very small black specs out and it never leaked again, only lost about 1 oz of oil.  Probably some of the Teflon coating on the bushings.   It has not leaked anymore since then. Currently 64,000 miles on the bike.

[OldRider]

The plastic wrench also looks like a good way to break it loose but you would still need to use a socket if you are going to use a torque wrench to tighten it back down.  Like most anything else I would guess it takes more torque to break it loose than to torque  back to spec so maybe that could be done before you put the fork back in the clamps.??

No torque wrench needed, just get it good and snug and it will be fine.

[SparrowHawkxx]

Thanks OldRider!
So I should be able to just break it loose with a wrench and leave the handlebars alone. Not that it's a big deal but just something else you don't have to mess with.

[Blind Squirrel]

What about using one of the sockets that grips the flats and not the corners?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/TEKTON-1-2-in-Drive-24-mm-6-Point-Shallow-Socket-14297/206110542?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|google|&mid=sOLbdKDdQ|dc_mtid_8903tb925190_pcrid_195274179091_pkw__pmt__product_206110542_slid_&gclid=Cj0KCQiAyszSBRDJARIsAHAqQ4pvi_ZaZdXIjGleUSb-Xb1xn2SUFpyZPJyk8BVPJb91qtZUyxe7xIgaAsrAEALw_wcB

[greg the pole]

The more area the socket has, the better it will work.  The electrical tape helps.
it's stupid soft metal, so may marr a bit.
My tops looked like a hamster chewed on them after 5 or six oil changes

Take your time, and all will be good.
You can also take the bars off, slide the forks up enough to fit the wrench on the top cap, and snug up your bottom fork pinch bolts, and undo it on the bike.
It's a bit more dodgy in the vice.
Once you put it back together, just snug up the top cap.  The top fork triple pinch bolts will hold all of it in place,



G

[Random_Rockfish]

So 24mm is the size of the cap nut?

If so, I'm going to just buy a plastic one and see how it goes.

[greg the pole]

not 100% sure.
I'd check, but I sold the bike

[RCinNC]

Yes, it's 24mm.

[Random_Rockfish]

Yes, it's 24mm.

Thanks!

[Random_Rockfish]

I received my plastic 24mm wrench from Japan.
It worked very nicely - you can't even tell the fork caps were touched.

Anyway, I pulled the forks and suspended them upside down for 48 hours with the caps loosened - I also pumped them a couple times over the time period.
I was able to get exactly 16 ounces out of each fork (0.4 ounces less than what the repair manual says is a complete change). I replaced it with Yamaha 01 fork oil and all went well.

The bike only has 7k on it but it's four years old so I thought it would be a good idea to freshen the fork oil which was a tad gray tinted compared to the new oil.

I may make this an annual routine and maybe I can avoid a complete tear down.

[Next]

You can also take a paper towel, and place it on the cap, as a barrier.  I scratched one for cap a bit with just a single layer of paper towel, but then doubled up the paper towel on the second one and had no issues.  I think I've just had dual sport bikes for too long and don't care too much about a smudge or two in some aluminum that few other will ever see.  That said, I treated my Triumph Speed Triple and Moto Guzzi like they were made of glass 

[Random_Rockfish]

You can also take a paper towel, and place it on the cap, as a barrier.  I scratched one for cap a bit with just a single layer of paper towel, but then doubled up the paper towel on the second one and had no issues.  I think I've just had dual sport bikes for too long and don't care too much about a smudge or two in some aluminum that few other will ever see.  That said, I treated my Triumph Speed Triple and Moto Guzzi like they were made of glass 

I treated my BMW GS like it was made of glass.

I treat my Super T like it was made of crystal!

[Cycledude]

http://www.partsnmore.com/parts/?filters[category]=tools&q=Fork+cap+wrench+tool

Found it here awhile back while rounding up parts for my 81 Honda 900-F.
Most 6 point sockets will work but if you look at the inside edge of them they are usually rounded and if that surface was ground or turned flat it sit would down better on the the rather shallow alluminum fork cap nut.

Thanks for actually posting the link !  Ordered one a few minutes ago, shipping is almost 2 times what the wrench cost.  I sure don’t understand why Yamaha made those nuts of such soft aluminum, they should have used steel.

[TomZ]

In changing the fork oil on my 2015 ST with electronic suspension, I didn't take long to realize that the tools required were different from the ones that work on non-ES, gen. 1 bikes. The top nut, for example, requires a 46-mm wrench.  Harbor Freight had just the right tool, an 18" crescent wrench. (I would attach a photo, but ya know -a crescent wrench is pretty common). I padded the jaws with adhesive-backed Velcro loop tape and easily loosened the top cap without damaging the aluminum nut.  The fork compression tool is different too because the plastic spacer in the fork is different.  Someone in Denmark sells an appropriate compression tool like the one shown in the service manual, but price and delivery were a consideration, so a friend and I built one with an appropriate-sized steel washer welded to scrap metal.  It's too ugly to show a picture, but it worked, cost next to nothing and I did not have to wait for shipping. Later I made a better one similar to the one in the service manual from 1/4" aluminum sheet using another friend's end mill. Nothing fancy.

Anyway, anyone contemplating rebuilding the forks or changing the fork oil on an ES bike should know that the job requires different tools than the older non-ES bikes. And you don't need a special plastic wrench from Japan.

By the way, the service manual says to remove the handlebar, but that was not necessary with bar risers.

[2daMax]

https://www.motorcyclistonline.com/how-to-change-fork-oil-mc-garage-tech-tips#page-3

Says to use paper towel in the Socket tool. Dun know if it works.