fork oil change 2017 nomad

dbeeler65 · 11-13-2017, 07:15 PM

i have searched the forum for info regarding fork oil change recommendations and couldn't find exactly what i was looking for so thought i would ask directly.

1. my bike is a 2014 nomad 1700 with 16K miles. it appears that a lot of vaquero and voyager owners change the fork oil with higher viscosity to improve ride. these bikes have fairings (more weight up front) and from what i read there is much improvement with this. how about nomad owners? has anyone experienced an improvement with higher weight oil?

i currently have the forks off the bike as i am lubing the stem shaft bearings along with a few other maintenance items. i am thinking of taking the forks to the dealer to have them change the oil for me as long as they are off the bike (even with only 16K miles).

2. in the service manual i do not see a procedure for aligning the forks when re-installed. i believe that is because they "self-align", they "float" once clamped. how about aligning the front wheel? I not clear on that?

thank you for your help!

**Sabre-t** · 11-13-2017, 11:04 PM

1. I think Kawi put the same oil in all of the 1700s. Fairing or not, a higher weight oil will make the ride much better. Honda put the same wt. as Kawi in their 1100 Sabre's. The Sabre is nearly 300 lbs lighter than the Voyager. I changed to Maxima 15 wt (not the racing version, though!) in my Sabre, and put the same in the Voyager and saw pretty much the same improvement.

2. Yep, just bounce the front end per the manual before tightening up the pinch bolts at the bottom.

3. As far as I know, there is no procedure for front wheel alignment. You can use the "string" method to test the alignment. A good explanation can be found here (http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/sportryde...ntmethod.shtml) if you are worried about your alignment. I would suspect a bad bearing if the front wheel is mis-aligned.

To me, a more important concern is rim warping. You can use a dial indicator to determine the rim run out and roundness per the manual. If the rim is bent or out of round, you will need a new rim. You should also check the brake disks run out while you are at it.

dbeeler65 · 11-14-2017, 10:42 AM

thank you, Sabre-t, for your helpful response. i believe i will change the fork oil to 15W. i will look at the procedure again but may have the dealer do it for me. (i don't have the special tools). i am not worried about alignment (the bearings and rim are good.. practically new) but was just wondering if there is a procedure to follow to check it. sounds like if i follow the steps in the manual, all will be well. at the same time i can double check with the link you sent. thank you again!

mike07nad · 11-14-2017, 07:49 PM

The couple of things I remember from doing mine -
I bought a little tool to help get the exact amount of oil in both forks. Syringe with a metal tube with graduations on it.

I also, rinsed the forks out a few times with a little Kerosene to get the gunky stuff out. I pulled the innards out but didn't disassemble it. (I think).

Made sure fork ends were even/flush on triple tree.

I also installed the Garry Fork Brace & upped the Oil Weight. (Of note - there is no constant weighting between Fork oils from what I read. One manufacture 15wt might be equivalent to another manufactures 25wt)

Gook luck - a helper and a vise with padding helps hold things.

Peg · 11-14-2017, 08:18 PM

I made my own tool... taped a piece of clear tubing to a steel ruler at the height from the top that I wanted the oil, attach big syringe to the clear tubing, suck oil out from both forks so they're the exact same level. I used Belray 15W.

I clamped a small straight edge to the end of the ruler so it sat in exactly the same place in each fork.

Then after I'd tried it like that for a few thousand km's, I took it into a specialist bike suspension shop and had them do forks and shocks properly... aftermarket shocks and Race Tech springs and emulators in the forks.

Heavier weight oil was a slight improvement, but spending some serious money on both ends was a HUGE improvement.

dbeeler65 · 11-14-2017, 09:49 PM

thanks much, guys, for your input. i appreciate thee great help on this site. i decided to have the dealer change the oil...Belray 15W. they do them all the time and it will be right (I DID ask them to be sure to get all the old oil and sludge out... hope that happens!

I may consider doing the other mods later on. gonna see what this does. at least the oil quality should be better than what was in there.
thanks again.

mike07nad · 11-15-2017, 04:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbeeler65

. at least the oil quality should be better than what was in there.
thanks again.

Clean Oil is Happy Oil.

**Sabre-t** · 11-15-2017, 07:58 PM

Bel-Ray 15 wt is just a little bit heavier than Maxima 15 wt. so it should be good. For a consistent result, always use the same fork oil when changing. Like Mike07nad said, they are not consistent from brand to brand. If you think the Bel-Ray 15 wt. is a little too harsh, use Maxima 15 wt. next time.

dbeeler65 · 11-17-2017, 08:26 PM

update: i took the forks to my dealer and, long story short, for a few reasons, i am going change the oil myself. i am sure i can remove the retaining ring and top plug and drain the old oil. i can also clean the sludge, etc. it is the filling with new oil part that i am not confident in. i looked for the "special" fork oil level gauge" with no success. volumes are given in the manual but i understand it is not about volume but LEVEL.
Peg, you describe a tool you made but i am not "picturing it". would you please elaborate a bit on what you made and how it works? i sure appreciate it!
thank you,
dave

p.s. any other tips on this change is much appreciated.

BigDog1294 · 11-18-2017, 07:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbeeler65

i looked for the "special" fork oil level gauge" with no success.

Google "fork oil level tool" or "Motion Pro 08-0121" and you'll find numerous places to buy it, as well as Youtube videos on how to use it.

dbeeler65 · 11-18-2017, 10:24 AM

thank you, BigDog... found them. i will order one.
one more question please: the manual indicates the VOLUME of new oil in each fork as approx. 435ml (when changing oil) (512ml if completely dry) but not the level in millimeters. i assume this tool in labeled in mm to establish the level. is there a mm recommendation for this? or should i take a measurement before dumping the old oil out?
thank you much

**Sabre-t** · 11-19-2017, 12:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbeeler65

thank you, BigDog... found them. i will order one.
one more question please: the manual indicates the VOLUME of new oil in each fork as approx. 435ml (when changing oil) (512ml if completely dry) but not the level in millimeters. i assume this tool in labeled in mm to establish the level. is there a mm recommendation for this? or should i take a measurement before dumping the old oil out?
thank you much

Look again at the table with the fork oil specifications in the suspension chapter. It should be listed there. It is just below the oil levels in my Voyager manual.

dbeeler65 · 11-19-2017, 01:45 PM

my manual is for a vulcan 1700 classic, classic ABS, classic LT... it is my understanding that there is NO manual for a NOMAD. possibly the specs are the same. i will phone Kawasaki. a local Kawi dealer says the level is 133mm + or - 2. hopefully i can verify that with Kawasaki.
thanks to all for your help

**Sabre-t** · 11-19-2017, 04:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dbeeler65

my manual is for a vulcan 1700 classic, classic ABS, classic LT... it is my understanding that there is NO manual for a NOMAD. possibly the specs are the same. i will phone Kawasaki. a local Kawi dealer says the level is 133mm + or - 2. hopefully i can verify that with Kawasaki.
thanks to all for your help

There is a 2013 manual from Kawi. I also found one online. It doesn't list any years as far as I can tell, so it should be suitable for you. It does say 133 =/- 2 mm.

dbeeler65 · 11-20-2017, 12:41 PM

sounds great! yea, i confirmed it w Kawi. thanks much to all for all your help. have a happy Thanksgiving!

11-13-2017, 07:15 PM	#1
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	fork oil change 2017 nomad i have searched the forum for info regarding fork oil change recommendations and couldn't find exactly what i was looking for so thought i would ask directly. 1. my bike is a 2014 nomad 1700 with 16K miles. it appears that a lot of vaquero and voyager owners change the fork oil with higher viscosity to improve ride. these bikes have fairings (more weight up front) and from what i read there is much improvement with this. how about nomad owners? has anyone experienced an improvement with higher weight oil? i currently have the forks off the bike as i am lubing the stem shaft bearings along with a few other maintenance items. i am thinking of taking the forks to the dealer to have them change the oil for me as long as they are off the bike (even with only 16K miles). 2. in the service manual i do not see a procedure for aligning the forks when re-installed. i believe that is because they "self-align", they "float" once clamped. how about aligning the front wheel? I not clear on that? thank you for your help! Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

11-14-2017, 08:18 PM	#5
Peg Sr. Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: West Coast, North Island, New Zealand Posts: 1,375	I made my own tool... taped a piece of clear tubing to a steel ruler at the height from the top that I wanted the oil, attach big syringe to the clear tubing, suck oil out from both forks so they're the exact same level. I used Belray 15W. I clamped a small straight edge to the end of the ruler so it sat in exactly the same place in each fork. Then after I'd tried it like that for a few thousand km's, I took it into a specialist bike suspension shop and had them do forks and shocks properly... aftermarket shocks and Race Tech springs and emulators in the forks. Heavier weight oil was a slight improvement, but spending some serious money on both ends was a HUGE improvement. __________________ Nothing screams poor workmanship like wrinkles in the duct tape '02 1500 blonde Nomad (Sold) '97 800 burgundy Classic (Sold) Login or Register to Remove Ads
	0

11-13-2017, 11:04 PM	#2
Sabre-t Join Date: May 2015 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 838	1. I think Kawi put the same oil in all of the 1700s. Fairing or not, a higher weight oil will make the ride much better. Honda put the same wt. as Kawi in their 1100 Sabre's. The Sabre is nearly 300 lbs lighter than the Voyager. I changed to Maxima 15 wt (not the racing version, though!) in my Sabre, and put the same in the Voyager and saw pretty much the same improvement. 2. Yep, just bounce the front end per the manual before tightening up the pinch bolts at the bottom. 3. As far as I know, there is no procedure for front wheel alignment. You can use the "string" method to test the alignment. A good explanation can be found here (http://www.yamahafz1oa.com/sportryde...ntmethod.shtml) if you are worried about your alignment. I would suspect a bad bearing if the front wheel is mis-aligned. To me, a more important concern is rim warping. You can use a dial indicator to determine the rim run out and roundness per the manual. If the rim is bent or out of round, you will need a new rim. You should also check the brake disks run out while you are at it.
	0

11-14-2017, 10:42 AM	#3
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	thank you, Sabre-t, for your helpful response. i believe i will change the fork oil to 15W. i will look at the procedure again but may have the dealer do it for me. (i don't have the special tools). i am not worried about alignment (the bearings and rim are good.. practically new) but was just wondering if there is a procedure to follow to check it. sounds like if i follow the steps in the manual, all will be well. at the same time i can double check with the link you sent. thank you again!
	0

11-14-2017, 07:49 PM	#4
mike07nad Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Palmyra, Pa - Near Hershey Posts: 426	The couple of things I remember from doing mine - I bought a little tool to help get the exact amount of oil in both forks. Syringe with a metal tube with graduations on it. I also, rinsed the forks out a few times with a little Kerosene to get the gunky stuff out. I pulled the innards out but didn't disassemble it. (I think). Made sure fork ends were even/flush on triple tree. I also installed the Garry Fork Brace & upped the Oil Weight. (Of note - there is no constant weighting between Fork oils from what I read. One manufacture 15wt might be equivalent to another manufactures 25wt) Gook luck - a helper and a vise with padding helps hold things.
	0

11-14-2017, 09:49 PM	#6
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	thanks much, guys, for your input. i appreciate thee great help on this site. i decided to have the dealer change the oil...Belray 15W. they do them all the time and it will be right (I DID ask them to be sure to get all the old oil and sludge out... hope that happens! I may consider doing the other mods later on. gonna see what this does. at least the oil quality should be better than what was in there. thanks again.
	0

11-15-2017, 07:58 PM	#8
Sabre-t Join Date: May 2015 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 838	Bel-Ray 15 wt is just a little bit heavier than Maxima 15 wt. so it should be good. For a consistent result, always use the same fork oil when changing. Like Mike07nad said, they are not consistent from brand to brand. If you think the Bel-Ray 15 wt. is a little too harsh, use Maxima 15 wt. next time.
	0

11-17-2017, 08:26 PM	#9
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	update: i took the forks to my dealer and, long story short, for a few reasons, i am going change the oil myself. i am sure i can remove the retaining ring and top plug and drain the old oil. i can also clean the sludge, etc. it is the filling with new oil part that i am not confident in. i looked for the "special" fork oil level gauge" with no success. volumes are given in the manual but i understand it is not about volume but LEVEL. Peg, you describe a tool you made but i am not "picturing it". would you please elaborate a bit on what you made and how it works? i sure appreciate it! thank you, dave p.s. any other tips on this change is much appreciated.
	0

11-18-2017, 10:24 AM	#11
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	thank you, BigDog... found them. i will order one. one more question please: the manual indicates the VOLUME of new oil in each fork as approx. 435ml (when changing oil) (512ml if completely dry) but not the level in millimeters. i assume this tool in labeled in mm to establish the level. is there a mm recommendation for this? or should i take a measurement before dumping the old oil out? thank you much
	0

11-19-2017, 01:45 PM	#13
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	my manual is for a vulcan 1700 classic, classic ABS, classic LT... it is my understanding that there is NO manual for a NOMAD. possibly the specs are the same. i will phone Kawasaki. a local Kawi dealer says the level is 133mm + or - 2. hopefully i can verify that with Kawasaki. thanks to all for your help
	0

11-20-2017, 12:41 PM	#15
dbeeler65 Jr. Member Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Utah Posts: 18	sounds great! yea, i confirmed it w Kawi. thanks much to all for all your help. have a happy Thanksgiving!
	0