How Do You Do The Fork Oil Measurement

[mikeirion]

I am putting in new fork seals due to a leak in the right one. Working on the right fork first, I have it mounted vertical on the bench. I have a Clymer manual and a Valkyrie service manual. They differ some on the method of putting the oil in the fork. The thing that confuses me from the one manual is the statement to "pour oil in the damper rod until it comes out the end". The rod is solid unless they mean the tube the rod is in down in the bottom which would be difficult to pour oil into. Then they say to pour oil in to a level that you measure from the top of the fork tube. At that level the damper tube would be full any way. What am I missing, is it a matter of terminology that I don't understand? What method do you all use? I am thinking I will just pour in the approximate amount of ounces per a table in the one manual and then start measuring from the top and adding as needed.

[hubcapsc]

Then they say to pour oil in to a level that you measure from the top of the fork tube.

I wish I could remember the exact details, but it has been several years and I may be conflating
the damper in the Valkyrie with the damper in my CR500... anywho... on the Valkyrie I
used (with great success) the "measure from the top" method. When I did the 500's forks,
and I think the Valkyrie too, I extended and compressed the damper numerous times with the
bottom of it in the fluid, until it seemed to be emitting pure fluid, not fluid and air... in other
words I made as sure as I could that it was full. Then, with it compressed along with the springless
forks, I measured from the top...

-Mike

[Foozle]

I concur with Mike - this is my understanding also of using the "oil depth" method to measure fork oil levels.

Go to ~21:00 in the Partzilla tutorial below (or watch the entire thing - it's pretty decent):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PdFv2v1iYI

Terry

[Gryphon Rider]

I bought myself a graduated cylinder from a local scientific supply store and measured the proper volume rather than using the measure-from-the-top method.

[Andy Cote]

I bought myself a graduated cylinder from a local scientific supply store and measured the proper volume rather than using the measure-from-the-top method.

That's what I do as well.  

[h13man]

I measure the proper amount and pour in. There is a difference from one leg/tube to the other as my OEM Honda manual states.

[Paladin528]

if you are just doing the seals and not the springs then you cannot measure the one side as you do the measurement with the springs out.  that requires the special tool for the one fork.
I just added the amount as indicated in the manual to each fork and buttoned it up.