[andy b]

per manual, it says to change the fork oil & flush coolant at 30k miles. i had that done & had the dealer use the screamin eagle fork oil - - very happy w/ it - it eliminated the front end dive when braking. - - - - now , the bike turned 60k miles - - i will take to dealer for the coolant flush, but is it really neccasary to have the fork oil done again? asked the experts out there - - - thanks in advance

 

[stever975]

per manual, it says to change the fork oil & flush coolant at 30k miles. i had that done & had the dealer use the screamin eagle fork oil - - very happy w/ it - it eliminated the front end dive when braking. - - - - now , the bike turned 60k miles - - i will take to dealer for the coolant flush, but is it really neccasary to have the fork oil done again? asked the experts out there - - - thanks in advance

The Showa forks Harley uses have a design that results in a lot of metal debris in the fork oil over time. This is mostly due to the springs rubbing on the inside of the fork tube. This metallic debris changes the fluid properties of the oil and the oil-metal sludge can block openings in the fork components. This is why you need to periodically clean the forks and change the oil.

 

[likesilver]

I changed the fork oil on my D at 25k miles. The oil inside was completely disgusting, black like used up engine oil.

Absolutely recommend changing it. Would be better for your fork internals, you'd probably see improved handling as well.

It's not a hard job to do if you have a lift, would take maybe an hour.

Remove:
-Front fender
-Front calipers
-Front tire
-Forks
-Fork caps

Drain the oil, replace the oil to the proper level. Replace all items in order.

*It's much easier to remove the fork caps if you loosen them while they're on the bike. The fork caps are a little difficult to get back on, as you have to compress the spring, but you can compress, then turn the fork. It's not too hard.

 

[andy b]

i understand, but i already had it done once at 30k miles - - now about to hit 60k - -my question was - is it necesarry to do it again? - - - i probably will

 

[likesilver]

This is like periodic maintenance, you'd change the fork oil just like you'd do engine oil. It gets dirty/worn over time. Honestly, after seeing the condition of the oil at 25k, I'm going to check again in 20k.