SuzukiSavage.com - Maintenance things I might should do..

justin_o_guy

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Maintenance things I might should do..
12/14/06 at 07:55:10

I've never torqued the head & it has just over 13,000 miles on it. Should I get a head plug & silicone & get after it?

I have seen some folks have changed the fork oil. The manual advises that some internal sliders will be messed up in the process of disassembly. Can the oil be changed w/o wrecking those pieces? How much did that help the handling?

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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Maintenance things I might should do.. Reply #1 - 12/14/06 at 09:16:02 I sure wouldn't touch the headbolts at this point if it were me and I'm waiting until the plug starts to leak on the '02 before I go after it - there is one in the stash ready to go when such a thing starts - an inline filter tween the tank and carb would be a good idea if you haven't done it yet
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Savage_Rob

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Re: Maintenance things I might should do..
Reply #2 - 12/14/06 at 11:14:34

justin_o_guy wrote on 12/31/69 at 16:00:12:

I have seen some folks have changed the fork oil. The manual advises that some internal sliders will be messed up in the process of disassembly. Can the oil be changed w/o wrecking those pieces? How much did that help the handling?

I'm interested in the answers you get to this also. I haven't done it myself yet.

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Ed L.

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Re: Maintenance things I might should do..
Reply #3 - 12/14/06 at 13:20:05

Haven't touched the head bolts on my '02 yet and really don't plan to. Bought the bike used with no service records for it so don't know if it even got the 600 mile service. Checked the valve lash at 4,000 miles and they were in specs so am not planning to open up the engine any more than is needed. In other words if the engine isn't spewing oil out the back like the Exxon Valdez I'm leaving it alone. Changing the fork oil is something I'm curious about, I was thinking it should be more of a miles ridden maintenance not according to how old it is within reason.

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Silver '02, clubman handle bars, Cobra headlight, Sportster muffler, K+N stock air filter, 152.5 main, Superbrace, oil cooler, 1/2 inch aluminium plate forward controls, spark advance, goes like stink

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SavageDude Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Posts: 561 OC_California Gender:	Re: Maintenance things I might should do.. Reply #4 - 12/14/06 at 17:56:34 My old mentor in aircraft maintainance used to say, "If it ain't break, don't fix it."
Back to top	2005 S40, debadged, Tkat FB, saddle bags, sissy bar, HD Sporter muff, Fly screen, white spacer mod, 150 main jet.....and sssslowly upgrading IP Logged

babbalou

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Re: Maintenance things I might should do..
Reply #5 - 12/14/06 at 18:11:33

I got a tip from someone here about siphoning out the fork oil, so I did that. Got a cheap tube & bulb type siphon from Walmart & got most of it out. I noticed the factory fork oil level was a few inches below what my Clymer manual recommended so I filled it a little higher & used 20 weight. Feels much firmer than before, which it needed after putting on the fork brace. The brace smoothed out the forks a lot & I weigh 240 anyway so it needed firming up. Feels good now.

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Had an S40 Jul '04-Jan '07

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WD

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Re: Maintenance things I might should do..
Reply #6 - 12/14/06 at 19:19:19

You don't hve to mess anything up changing the fork oil. Drop the tubes out of the triple trees. Take the springs out. If you were smart and left the front wheels on, just lay the tubes down so the oil drains out. Let it sit a couple days. Add the correct amount/weight of oil to each tube. Slide into trees, insert springs, tighten everything down. I won't even dismantle a fork for leaking seals.

I have to service my forks this next month or so. One has leaked since the day I bought the bike, popped a wheelie, and popped a seal. In the dealer's lot. I'll be adding new seals, Dexron-Mercon ATF (that's all fork oil is, automatic transmission fluid), fork gaiters, and a new front tire at the same time. Oh yeah, that new 90/90/19 ribbed tire is on a nice double leading shoe DRUM wheel, with counter bored, notched for lightening hub. Suzuki T-something or other, 1970s. Bound to stop better than the pseudo-brakes on it now.
-WD

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On 2 wheels since 7/87

Black and Chrome 2003 1950s style custom

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justin_o_guy Ex Member	Re: Maintenance things I might should do.. Reply #7 - 12/14/06 at 22:18:24 How did you ever manage to wheelie a stock savage? Thanks for the responses all.
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WD Serious Thumper 2005 No Login Offline Professional "scooter trash". Posts: 5207 Rosemark TN Gender:	Re: Maintenance things I might should do.. Reply #8 - 12/14/06 at 22:40:13 WOT, dumped the clutch, too tight of belt. It'll still do it if I try (and I don't). -WD
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john1652 Ex Member	Re: Maintenance things I might should do.. Reply #9 - 12/15/06 at 14:37:51 My question is why change the oil in street bike forks, it's not like you're doing doubles or whoops are you. And if street bike forks are like MX forks the more oil ya put in the less air there is and the stiffer they become which may affect cornering in a big way. $.02 worth john
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