• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

GSX550 fork capacity and weight

  • Thread starter Thread starter janner
  • Start date Start date
J

janner

Guest
Sad as it is, I was so bored ****less today that i,ve been out and stripped the anti-dive unit off for re-painting to match the caliper rebuild, on doing so the fork oil has released and emptied its contents into a recepticle, question is what oil do i use and what quantity, as i do not yet have a manual, p.s i,m a rather portly 17stone and 5,11", so maybe 20w ?? thanks all and seasons greetings
 
Hi,

What year is your bike? Can you find a manual for it on my little website?

You'll have to experiment a little with fork oil weight and spacer length for the fork springs. If you need more pre-load, go with longer spacers. Heavier oil will make for a harsher ride. I tried 15wt fork oil but went back to 10wt. I'm 6 feet and about 210 lbs (15 stones). ;)


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Thanks Basscliff, it's a 1985 model GSX550EF in very very good original condition, too good to restore really, so I'm detailing it as I'm going , sort of a rolling resto as I need to be riding rather than stripping and re-building as I have been doing in the last two years, thanks jon

Also, just been on your website and the model i have is not listed !! darn it
 
Last edited:
Hi,

Yes, the manual is there, Mr. SVSooke linked to one of the 550 manuals. The other should be applicable too. For some reason the U.S. didn't get the "GSX" nomenclature right away even though the bike engines had changed to the 16 valve configuration. There may be slight differences between U.S. and U.K. models but those manuals should be close enough for most tasks.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
ok, have downloaded it now and a big thanks to you all, but still see no mention of capacity or weight, maybe its me, or maybe its the port and lemon :lol::dancing:


Found it !!! 321ml each side, but confused whether springs have to be removed and forks compressed while filling !! guess it shouldn,t matter as 321ml is 321ml right ?
 
Last edited:
Hi,

janner said:
Found it !!! 321ml each side, but confused whether springs have to be removed and forks compressed while filling !! guess it shouldn,t matter as 321ml is 321ml right ?
Click to expand...

What is just as important, if not more, is that the level of fork oil must be the same in both forks, within 1mm. Usually it's around 140mm below the top of a compressed fork tube with the springs removed. That number for your bike should be in the manual too.

See the fork guides on my website for a nifty trick for measuring the fork oil level.

Something like this:

P2210058.jpg


P2210065.jpg


Cut the draw spout below the cap to the appropriate length. Pump out the excess fork oil.


Thank you for your indulgence,

BassCliff
 
Well ! Youve blown me away with that one , brilliant idea, why are things in life so difficult yet so easy to remedy ? anyway, nice one , i,ll do that when the time comes, update so far ! the callipers are now rebuilt and resprayed in satin black and the anti dive units too, new sintered pads fitted, new stainless pistons and seals/dust boots, next step is the M/C to rebuild then its bleeding time, so getting there, i,ll post some pics soon , thanks all
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top