# Admit it: How often do you change your fork oil?



## Surfinguru (Feb 6, 2004)

Like the title says, how often do you REALLY change the oil in your fork?

Still riding my '05 888 and haven't done a thing to it. Still buttery smooth....


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## [CrazyRick_11] (May 14, 2006)

Really?......never...lol, dont touch them things!


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

i change the oil when i have to change the seals. which only happens every few years.....


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## cycle... (Aug 6, 2006)

You have to change your oil on your fork O.O


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2006)

Every mid season


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## NorKal (Jan 13, 2005)

My 2000 Monster went three years with zero maintenace and felt awesome the whole time. I'd have to say I usually change my oil these days about once every year or two.


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## man w/ one hand (Dec 29, 2003)

Just changed th' earl in my 05 66rc about a month ago for th' 1st time. I have to say it did feel a lil plusher than before. That wuz sum nasty stuff that poured out'a them lowers....yuck. Like buddah now...wasn't bad before it wuz changed, just did it cuz I know it needed it out of common sense.


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2006)

man w/ one hand said:


> Just changed th' earl in my 05 66rc about a month ago for th' 1st time. I have to say it did feel a lil plusher than before. That wuz sum nasty stuff that poured out'a them lowers....yuck. Like buddah now...wasn't bad before it wuz changed, just did it cuz I know it needed it out of common sense.


Tell me about it, mine was black, smelled like puke, and was like mushy kinda weird consistancy...


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## Err (Mar 21, 2005)

about once a year


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

3 or 4 times a year.......feels way more plusher


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## Guest (Aug 8, 2006)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> 3 or 4 times a year.......feels way more plusher


lol

Well at $20 a litre (CDN) for my fork oil, which is only enough for 2 changes, I wouldnt do 4 times a year.. I didnt notice a big enough difference...
whatever floats your boat and consumes your time to make you happy


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## free rider (Nov 14, 2005)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> 3 or 4 times a year.......feels way more plusher


hehe, maybe you should have went to english class more often that you changed your oil...er


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

free rider said:


> hehe, maybe you should have went to english class more often that you changed your oil...er


You too. :nono:


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

[email protected] said:


> lol
> 
> Well at $20 a litre (CDN) for my fork oil, which is only enough for 2 changes, I wouldnt do 4 times a year.. I didnt notice a big enough difference...
> whatever floats your boat and consumes your time to make you happy


at 9 months you can feel a big difference

at 6 months you can tell the difference

at 3 months you notice something different


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

free rider said:


> hehe, maybe you should have went to english class more often that you changed your oil...er


something about living in a glass house and throwing rocks applies here.......


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## Chip Henderson (May 22, 2006)

They have oil in them?


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## rkj__ (Feb 29, 2004)

Umm, NEVER.

My 2002 Marzocchi has seen like 5000km and no maintenance.

Sure, it's not used for DH/FR but still... SMT's signature seems to be true.


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## P-Funk (Jan 16, 2004)

NEVER. I only keep my bikes for about 2 years (or less) anyway.


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## sriracha (Jun 23, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> 3 or 4 times a year.......feels way more plusher


here in SOCAL, a year of riding is worth about 3 riding seasons where it snows. so, that's like changing your oil once a riding season.

i try and change my oil once a year or so. you can deffinately feel the difference.


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## XSL_WiLL (Nov 2, 2004)

Usually once a year, unless it's new. When it's new, I flush the old stuff out after 2 months, and again after another 4 months.


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## j6105 (Apr 10, 2004)

changing the oil can make a fork feel like a brand new pillow cushion. Highly reccomended at least 2 times a year.


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## free rider (Nov 14, 2005)

ok, dumb question:

how does one go about changing oil in his fork, i prefer to do everything myself on my bike as im sure most of you do as well. ive just never seen any real way to get into my fork (sc dj pro) although ive never looked.

is this something i should do? or should i let a shop do it?


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## LarryFahn (Jul 19, 2005)

Once a year.


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## loco-gringo (Sep 29, 2005)

[email protected] said:


> lol
> 
> Well at $20 a litre (CDN) for my fork oil, which is only enough for 2 changes, I wouldnt do 4 times a year.. I didnt notice a big enough difference...
> whatever floats your boat and consumes your time to make you happy


Man - that's like $6.3 million American. :eekster:

I change mine when I take a notion. Not often. Mostly when I swap a spring on a new one.


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## wyrm (Jan 19, 2004)

The first is the most important since you get out all the factory contaminants. Then after that when you need it. Some people ride lots and other don't. Some people ride in adverse weather conditions. Some people huck others DH. 

The last two season this has been my schedule.... beginning of the season (early April), mid season (late June), end of the season (late September). So essentially during season I'm not using oil that is older than 3months old.... more importantly oil that is over used.


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## RED5 (Jan 4, 2004)

I'm with Shiver on this, 3-4 times a year.


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## RideFaster (Dec 18, 2004)

Um...*NEVER!!!!*

 I get a new bike every 8 months

I break stuff or it breaks me, so that's why so often. Then, sell off whatever is left of my "old" steed.


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## standard235 (Jul 23, 2005)

On an open bath fork, I'd do it once after 2-3 months, then on at around 6.

If it's like my Pike... I'd do that, and add some in the lowers when needed.


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## cornholio (Jun 18, 2004)

um, once, but i had the shop do it.

hey, what's the low down on this weekend. you gonna be at whistler? check your email.

and what color is your new frame? so i can keep an eye out for you.


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## Evil4bc (Apr 13, 2004)

Change the oil ? Huh by that time I have already built myself a new bike .

This was my old method .... marzocchi's always feel better after you beat the pizz out of them for 6 months first , then if you want to change the oil after the forks fully broken in , and ride it untill it dies !!


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## haromtnbiker (Aug 10, 2004)

I dont even know how to change fork oil! :skep:


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## shanedawg (Jan 9, 2004)

cornholio said:


> um, once, but i had the shop do it.
> 
> hey, what's the low down on this weekend. you gonna be at whistler? check your email.
> 
> and what color is your new frame? so i can keep an eye out for you.


Hey Paul, if Rich doesn't respond to your email get a hold of me.

Surfinguru hasn't changed his oil in forever. It's not because he doesn't work on his bike. It's because he is always working on some other part of the bike that he bent or broke.


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## kidwoo (Aug 11, 2004)

Rebound side on my 888 about 2-4 times a year. Zoke forks degrade oil like no other.

All my other forks..........just when I work on them.


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## NorKal (Jan 13, 2005)

Oh I forgot to add. If you ride a Boxxer you should probably change your oil on a weekly basis. (or should I say "weakly" basis?)


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## Surfinguru (Feb 6, 2004)

cornholio said:


> um, once, but i had the shop do it.
> 
> hey, what's the low down on this weekend. you gonna be at whistler? check your email.
> 
> and what color is your new frame? so i can keep an eye out for you.


Email sent! Whistler from Sunday thru Wednesday...new frame is red. Ditched the Curnutt and moved the Pushed RC over. :thumbsup:

Shanedawg's right, I haven't changed the oil since I got it back in spring of last year!


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## hardcore newbie (Nov 6, 2004)

wat is * change your fork oil?*


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## Tracerboy (Oct 13, 2002)

Twice a year and whenever I do any invasive work on the fork. 

The honda/showa fork oil for motorcycles is about $5 (us) a litre and works great, get one of 10w, one of 5w and mix them. Then you've got 2 litres of marzocchi factory weight, enough to do one change one my 66 and leave one for extra. I find that having the other one around makes me much more likely to top off/ or change the oil when it needs it.


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## IBLQQ2NCU (Feb 27, 2006)

the forks I care more about I do once a year sometimes twice, and the forks I dont use as much/dont care for, I havent even touched the oil in them. Quite frankly, im scared to discover what will actually come out of them.


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## LoozinSkin (Jun 29, 2004)

I'm on pace to change my once a year (usually in the late fall) 

Such a huge difference!!! 
Besides chaging the oil in a marzocchi is kinda fun, gets you more familiar with what is going on inside the fork when you are riding and how the adjustments work.

I often feel bad for people who own forks that are'nt as easy to service. Marzocchi rules.


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## Dirtdemon (Jan 26, 2004)

1-2 times a year on my 888's. I feel a difference, but I may be trippin. Has anyone figured out why the oil in one leg gets so nasty, but the other side looks new? Does this happen only on 888's or all forks?


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