smg65
XS650 Addict
I'll be changing my fork oil (XS650C) in the next few days, and searching the site, I saw that many say to loosen the top pinch bolts before removing the fork caps as the clamping force may be binding the threads. I've never done this when changing fork oil on other bikes. I can see that if the tree is actually contacting the cap, it might present a problem. But I doubt the torque exerted on the tubes would ever be enough to distort the tube to the any extent, let alone bind the threads. Besides, distorted tubes by excessive tightening would be a bad thing. That advice would suggest that the tubes in the triple tree are routinely distorted, unless they have the capacity to spring back. Yesterday, I inserted my 22mm Allen to test the difficulty, and both fork caps began to turn freely.
I may be wrong.... I've been known to be!! Is the loosening the top pinch bolts simply done because it has been written so in service manuals or otherwise? Or can anyone point out that tubes have been distorted by actual experience?
Thanks! Just curious... and also want to do it right! And I have done it wrong before! I did my first fork oil change around 1975, and in my haste, I didn't think to unload the front wheel. Well... you guys know what happened!!!
I may be wrong.... I've been known to be!! Is the loosening the top pinch bolts simply done because it has been written so in service manuals or otherwise? Or can anyone point out that tubes have been distorted by actual experience?
Thanks! Just curious... and also want to do it right! And I have done it wrong before! I did my first fork oil change around 1975, and in my haste, I didn't think to unload the front wheel. Well... you guys know what happened!!!