Do air forks have oil? Foam rings in Fox forks use a lubricant called Float Fluid – this fluid is also present in air sprung forks, to help lubricate the air piston). Many modern forks contain only 5 or 10ml of oil for lubrication; but this is all it needs to keep the system running smooth.
How do air forks work on a motorcycle?
Air Forks. Air forks use an air chamber in the compression circuit to act as a spring. On both air and coil systems the rebound function is adjusted by limiting the flow of oil in the rebound circuit.
What happens if you mix oil and air in a fork?
Absorbs air — in damping rod forks (with many in use today, even in new motorcycles), there is air as well as oil in the fork. Mixing air with the oil causes the oil to degenerate.
Why do air forks have more seals than coil Forks?
These extra seals are required to hold the pressurized air inside of the air spring. Because there are more seals, air forks are more likely to be affected by dirt, dust, and other contaminants than coil forks. The seals can get contaminated and the air or oil can begin leaking out, causing the fork suspension to stop working.
Why do air forks stop working?
Because there are more seals, air forks are more likely to be affected by dirt, dust, and other contaminants than coil forks. The seals can get contaminated and the air or oil can begin leaking out, causing the fork suspension to stop working.
How much oil does a WP air fork have?
What happens if an AER fork leaks?
How much does a WP fork weigh?
How much does it cost to pump up a dirt bike air fork?
Do air forks increase air pressure?
Does the WP air fork have air chambers?
Can air leaks on air forks?
See 2 more
Do air forks leak?
ALL AIR FORKS CAN LEAK AIR, WHICH MEANS THEY CAN COLLAPSE If the fork relies on air pressure in an outer chamber (which puts pressure on the fork seal), then yes, it is possible for a damaged fork seal and/or chrome slider to lead to a partially or fully collapsed fork.
How do you maintain air forks?
1:444:273 Easy Tips to Keep Your MTB Suspension Feeling Silky Smooth!YouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo that they stay soft for a longer period of Time. Start by dripping some Fork boost in a thin lineMoreSo that they stay soft for a longer period of Time. Start by dripping some Fork boost in a thin line around your fork sustans. And since this stuff is completely biodegradable.
How does air suspension fork work?
4:2412:14How Does It Work? | Suspension Fork Break Down - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThey are air volume spacers they are there to change the ride quality of the air spring more spacesMoreThey are air volume spacers they are there to change the ride quality of the air spring more spaces means the fork is going to ramp up more it will feel more progressive.
Why is there oil on my forks?
Fork seals leak from normal wear and tear, age, and debris getting into the seals. Imperfections and nicks in the chrome can also make your fork seals leak. However, the majority of the time your fork seals are leaking it's simply because debris is caught in the seal holding it open and allowing fork oil to sneak by.
Can you use WD40 on bike forks?
Please don't use WD40, GT85 or any similar products! Instead of cleaning your seals, they will wash away the grease under the seals, letting dirt in much more easily– even if you're careful you will also risk contamination of brake rotors/pads and these products can also dry out seals.
How do I know if my forks need servicing?
It feels dry. The internal tube of your fork (stanchion) or shock should always be a little bit “greasy,” and if it appears dry you will need to open it up, clean it, and replace the oil and seals.
Are air forks better than coil?
If you ride cross country, stick with air forks - they are easier to use, and provide good performance across all but the extremes. If your bike takes some big hits and impacts, use a coil fork - they are stronger and you cannot beat the coil setup for bigger hits.
Do air forks have springs?
Air forks come as standard equipment on many KTM, Husqvarna and GasGas motorcycles. (1) Air forks. Instead of a spring, compressed air is used to support the weight of the bike and rider on air forks.
What is better coil or air suspension?
Performance. If we were to evaluate both only on performance, a coil shock is superior. That's because an air-spring shock requires tight seals to capture pressurized air. A coil, however, operates without seals because it doesn't have to hold air under high pressure.
Can I ride with a leaking fork seal?
If you ride it with the leaky seals you'll most likely lose a set of $30-$40 brake pads on top of the cost of the seals and oil. Plus depending on how badly they're leaking you don't want to damage the bushings which could lead to damaging your lower tubes prematurely.
How often should you change fork oil?
The oil in your fork loses lubricity, gets dirty, and should be changed every 10,000 miles or once a year. Here's the quickest way to do it—and, yes, we know there's a better way to do a cartridge fork.
How do you fill a fork with oil?
2:113:27Fork Oil Change for Right Side Up Damping Rod Forks - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe oil and slowly to reduce the amount of air. Before. Putting it all in pump the fork up and downMoreThe oil and slowly to reduce the amount of air. Before. Putting it all in pump the fork up and down to remove any air trapped and to circulate it through the inner and outer tubes.
How do you maintain motorcycle forks?
2:594:07Motorcycle Tech Tips: Fork Seal Maintenance - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipSo that will help that too. You'll know it's sealed onto your actual tube when it's backMoreSo that will help that too. You'll know it's sealed onto your actual tube when it's back everything's back to flush. So you have no gaps. Going around if you have a seal driver oh now.
How do you maintain a suspension fork?
Forks need regular periodic maintenance. We recommend cleaning and lubrication refills (lower leg service) every 25 riding hours, and a full service (strip down, seal replacement and full oil change) every 200 hours. The more frequent lower leg service can be carried out at home, by the experience home mechanic.
How do I service my bike forks?
0:248:46How To Service Rock Shox MTB Fork | Mountain Bike MaintenanceYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clip5 millimeter allen key or hex wrench a mallet a fine pick some new phone rings. Some seals fork oilMore5 millimeter allen key or hex wrench a mallet a fine pick some new phone rings. Some seals fork oil syringe fork grease a torque wrench isopropyl alcohol clean rag some gloves and an oil pan.
How often should MTB forks be serviced?
RockShox recommends a more frequent suspension service than does Fox. In general, RockShox recommends a front fork lower leg service and rear shock air can service for their fork every 50 hours of ride time.
What is an Air Fork?
Air forks use the compression resistance of pressurized air for shock absorption. The spring in the fork is provided by compressed air that is sealed in an airtight chamber inside of the fork arm. This part is called the air spring. As the air is compressed, it resists further compression. Air forks are used for all types of mountain biking including trail riding, downhill, cross country, enduro, and freeride.
Why do air forks work?
Due to the progressive spring rate, air forks offer a bit more lively ride. The bike wants to pop and bounce. This makes it easier to lift the bike off the ground. It also makes the bike feel a bit more supportive while landing. The lively ride characteristics make air forks a great choice for those who like to jump, hop, and ride rolling terrain.
Why do air forks heat up?
In addition, air forks create a bit more heat due to friction from the tight seals. While this heat doesn’t affect performance, it may speed up the degradation of the seals and fork oil. For these reasons, air forks require more frequent maintenance than coil forks.
How to adjust air fork spring rate?
You simply attach the pump to a Schrader valve on the fork and add or remove air. You also adjust the fork preload and sag by changing the pressure. There are no preload dials like you would find on a coil fork.
What does it mean when an air fork is compressed?
Air forks have a progressive spring rate. This means that the fork becomes harder to compress as it travels throughout its range. At the beginning of the range, the suspension is soft. As the fork is compressed, it becomes exponentially harder to further compress.
Why are air forks lighter than coil forks?
For cycling, a pound is a pretty significant weight savings. Air forks are lighter because the spring is provided by air, which weighs nothing. Coil forks, on the other hand, have heavy steel coil springs. The lighter weight at the front of the bike makes the steering feel faster and more responsive.
How much force does it take to compress a mountain bike fork?
The total amount of distance that the fork can compress is called the travel. This typically ranges anywhere from 80-200mm depending on the type of mountain bike.
What are Kayaba air forks called?
The two air canisters resembled the instrument cluster of a street bike, leading to the Kayaba air forks being called “speedo & tach” forks . The design of the accumulators was incredibly inventive. The canisters were empty, save for a floating piston and two Schrader valves on each canister (one below a floating piston and one above it).
What air forks did Yamaha use in 1976?
Speedo and tach forks on a 1976 Yamaha YZ400 at Saddleback—with some youngster in the saddle. Air forks are nothing new in motocross, as the 1976 Yamaha’s 35mm Kayaba air forks prove. The most visually unique aspect of the 41-year-old air forks was the air accumulators that replaced the fork caps.
Why has the WP AER fork succeeded where Showa and Kayaba failed?
So why has the WP AER fork succeeded where Showa and Kayaba failed? That’s easy. WP kept its air fork simple. PSF and TAC air forks were too complicated for the average rider to adjust and too hard to keep in the sweet spot once properly adjusted. Consumers hated having to check multiple air valves every time they rode—and they revolted.
Why did the 1976 Kayaba air fork fail?
While the 1976 Kayaba air fork was innovative, the forks were doomed to failure because their valving was atrocious and, as riders soon found out, they topped out on the rebound stroke. They clanked on the way back to full extension.
How long did the air fork craze last?
Voila—inexpensive air forks! But, the air-fork craze only lasted from 1976 to 1977 and then died.
Why haven't they revolted against the KTM and Husky air forks?
Why haven’t they revolted against the KTM and Husky air forks? Because the WP forks only have a single air valve. Basically, WP just replaced the coil springs with air pressure. They didn’t ask the air to do anything else, because the much-needed balance chamber was self-adjusting. It turns out that when it comes to Schrader valves, three is way too many, two is still too many but one is just right. Goldilocks would approve.
When did the air fork craze end?
But, the air-fork craze only lasted from 1976 to 1977 and then died. All was quiet on the air-suspension front until 2013 when both Kawasaki and Honda made Kayaba PSF air forks OEM equipment on the CRF450 and KX450F.
How does an air fork work?
Air forks use an air chamber in the compression circuit to act as a spring. On both air and coil systems the rebound function is adjusted by limiting the flow of oil in the rebound circuit.
What does it mean when air forks are compressed?
Air forks have a progressive spring rate. This means that as the fork compresses, the air spring also compresses and the more it is compressed the harder or stiffer it becomes. On the bike this translates to the suspension becoming harder and losing its smoothness on bigger hits.
What is a coil fork?
Coil forks are generally a bit cheaper than air but are also heavier. These forks are best used on bigger travel bikes that go deeply into their travel. They remain smooth even on the biggest hits and are very tough, making them popular with downhill riders.
How to adjust air forks?
Adjusting an air fork using a shock pump. The benefits of air forks is they are light weight and highly (and easily) adjustable for rider weight and spring stiffness. As mentioned, all you need is a shock pump (available at your local bike shop or online) to set up the fork for your weight and preference. These forks are best used ...
Is a coil fork good for a travel bike?
If you have a big travel bike or just like to ride hard and go deep then perhaps a coil is for you. Coils are strong and the linear spring rate is hard to beat. If you get past the weight and setup challenges coil forks are great units.
Is it easier to maintain coil forks or air forks?
It also requires a bit more mechanical know-how. In saying that however, coil forks are simpler to maintain and service than air forks; a couple of seals and some oil is all you need to keep them running smoothly.
Which brands use air forks?
KTM, GasGas and Husqvarna are the only brands sticking with air forks, but even WP Xact air forks can benefit from the sage advice that their predecessors relied on. There are lots of things a racer can do to make his forks work better.
How to add oil to a fork?
Adding oil. The simplest way to add oil to a fork is with a graduated syringe that has a tip on it small enough to fit into the air-bleed screw on the fork cap. Insert the syringe tip into the air-bleed hole so that it has a good seal (if it doesn’t seal well, oil will leak out without going into the fork).
How to get 10cc oil out of a fork?
Burp the fork. Remember that as the 10cc of oil goes in, 10cc of air must come out. Bleeding the air while inserting the oil is tricky. The easiest way is to push down on the syringe to squirt in about 1cc of oil, then pull back on the syringe plunger to allow air bubbles to escape back into the syringe. Repeat until you have 10cc in the fork.
How to measure oil volume on 1970 fork?
Measurement. On old-school 1970 forks, the oil height was measured with a tape measure in inches from the top of the fork tube (with the springs removed and the forks collapsed). Modern cartridge-style forks have their oil volume measured in cc (not by inches from the top of the tube).
When to use more oil or less oil?
More oil works best when a rider has a bottoming problem; less oil works best when a rider has a mid-stroke harshness problem. Often the MXA test crew will remove 20cc of oil at the start of a test day and add it back in 5cc increments until we find the perfect setting.
How does adding oil affect forks?
By adding or subtracting oil in your forks, you change the air volume. Since air is compressible, a smaller air space is harder to compress than a larger air space (and vice versa), which results in a significant change in how a fork feels. Stiff or soft. The compression of the fork’s air space is gradual. Lessening the air space by adding oil ...
Is oil softer on forks?
Lessening the air space by adding oil makes the forks stiffer from mid-stroke to the point of bottoming. Taking oil out of your forks makes them softer from mid-stroke on. It has a negligible effect on the first half of the travel.
How to change oil on a fork?
If you do not have anything to measure, use a thin metal rod or strip (even a coat hanger would do) to measure the amount of oil in their using the length and then fill in exactly that much amount inside again . Once the oil has been changed, pump up the forks until the air bubbles in it have completely escaped and then you can easily feel the difference in the shock absorbing capability of the front forks. Fork Oil Grades:
Where are fork oils kept?
This is a very good question. Fork oils are the unsung heroes of motorcycles. They silently keep up to their task without even coming into notice and taking any credit. So next time you go over an uneven surface and don't even feel a thing on your handlebars, do not forget to thank your fork oil for that. And when it comes to maintenance, it is actually pretty simple. Fork oils are kept in closed chambers in the front forks of the bike. Due to this reason it does not really come in contact with many outside factors unlike engine oils. For this reason they retain their quality and viscosity for quite a long time.
What is the difference between fork oil and pulsar oil?
Different manufacturers use different grade oils for the very reason as the load varies. For example a Pulsar could use a less viscous oil while the Hayabusa will need a highly viscous oil to balance that load of the heavy front fairing and engine.
What is the SAE grade for fork oil?
The Fork oil has its own SAE grading which ranges in the multiples of 5 (e.g. 5WT, 10WT, 15WT, 20WT). Higher the number, the better the load carrying capacity of that fork oil. So always check your user manual of the bike for the exact Fork oil grading.
Can a fork damage a bike?
A little care here can go a long way into your bike’s life because an improper fork can lead to damage to the bushes, the entire assembly, heavy jerks on an uneven surface or even crack under immense pressure when the bike goes into a pothole at a bit high speed. By: Pratik Patole.
Do you need engine oil for a bike?
If you thought that your bike only needed engine oil and brake oils, think again. Those who thought that the front two shock absorbers of your bike were simply two piston springs, then you are simply wrong. Yes, there is a piston and there is a spring, but the spring is not powerful enough to take the entire front end load of the bike during an uneven surface. Hence for that reason the front forks of the bike are filled with a highly viscous liquid, Fork Oil.
What is fork oil?
Fork oil is life for your bike's suspension. But how do you get the best out of those millilitres in your damper? Fork oil and seal lubrication work together to ensure you float over technical terrain (Image credit: Fox ) Fork oil is not something you think of when admiring your newly washed mountain bike.
What makes a good fork oil?
What makes a good fork oil? The centistoke rating is a viscosity coefficient and suspension engineers meticulously test their systems and then recommend a specific centistoke value. You could think of the centistoke value as being an expression of your fork oil’s thermal stability or viscosity.
Why do mountain bike forks need seals?
Seals are designed to protect, but they also cause natural friction as a containment barrier, which isn’t great when you want your mountain bike fork to be buttery smooth and sensitive to terrain inputs.
What is the property of fork oil moving through shim stack in the damper?
Controlling the speed and feel of your fork’s compression are the properties of fork oil moving through shim stack in the damper.
What does oil do to a mountain bike?
Fork oil has two functions: lubrication and damper compression. Mountain bike forks feature seals which enable to the stanchions to slide in and out of the lower s. Without these seals, the fork’s internals would hopelessly clog ...
Why are fork seals oil lubricated?
To reduce the stiction (‘friction’) that inhibits a fork’s movement, its seals are oil lubricated, making them slipperier, without diminishing their inherent protective function.
What is the quality of fork oil on a mountain bike?
The quality and condition of your mountain bike’s fork oil is influential on how comfortable and responsive it will be to ride over technical terrain. When you desire that suspension sensitivity over the slightest of bumps, or controlled compression when you roll down a steep sequence of rocky steps, it is all a function ...
What is the best fork oil to use?
Check your manual for your fork oil. It varies between motorcycles. You have to know a) what fork oil to use and b) how much to use.
What do you need to change fork oil?
Before starting your fork oil change, there are some tools and consumables you should get.
What does motorcycle fork oil do?
The job of motorcycle fork oil is to make the motorcycle stop bouncing around after the spring compresses then rebounds.
How do you change the fork oil and fork seals?
Every motorcycle varies in how it’s put together. But generally, the process for changing the fork oil and seals is like this:
What causes fork seals to fail?
This is something I discovered when changing my own fork oil and seals. The primary reason fork seals can fail is pitted forks.
What is the difference between a motorcycle fork and an upside down fork?
The main difference between conventional motorcycle forks and upside-down forks is in “unsprung mass”. The unsprung mass is the word used to describe the weight of everything under the suspension spring — i.e. the wheels, brakes, tyres, and the bottom half of the suspension fork.
What is a fork on a motorcycle?
The “fork” is the suspension at the front of a motorcycle. In nearly every motorcycle available today, the front wheel is held on by an axle that’s connected to the fork. It’s called a fork because it has two prongs that go around each side of the wheel. Where the forks of a motorcycle are.
How much oil does a WP air fork have?
Rather than do what’s required with conventional forks (that is, bottom the fork out and then carefully measure oil heights), all you need to know with the AER is that there’s 200ml of oil in each leg. Pus the oil contained within the WP air fork’s outer chamber is purely for lubrication. In other words, you no longer have to change the oil height (and air volume, as a result) to generate better bottoming resistance. The air chamber is already there in the fork’s design (which is adjustable), and air offers incredibly progressive resistance. It’s a simple but effective design, whose performance and adjustability has been very well received in Europe for the past year (remember that the KTM MX models sold in Europe have run the WP AER air fork for 12 months now).
What happens if an AER fork leaks?
In other words, if an AER fork does have a fork-seal leak, it will not lose any air pressure. If the AER fork’s internal cartridge were to fail, the pressure will equalise on either side of the piston and hold the fork halfway down in its compression stroke.
How much does a WP fork weigh?
WP’s complete AER fork (including the brake calliper mount) weighs 7160g, compared with 8650g for WP’s new Xplor 48mm coil-sprung fork (which, itself, is between 300g and 600g lighter than its 4CS and open-cartridge predecessors, respectively). The significance of saving somewhere in the vicinity of 1.5kg depends who you’re speaking to. For elite race teams and Pro racers, that’s a huge saving that might otherwise cost them countless thousands of development dollars to achieve. Plus, at the high-performance end of the spectrum, saving unsprung weight is the Holy Grail. On the other hand, for an adventurous trailrider whose bike runs an oversize fuel tank and massive bashplate, saving a kilo or two is neither here nor there.
How much does it cost to pump up a dirt bike air fork?
AIR FORKS ALL REQUIRE SPECIFIC PUMPS, WHICH CAN COST A BOMB. Well, a $10 bicycle pump can be used to pump up any dirt bike air fork. But if you want to accurately check air pressures and minimise pressure loss when you fit and remove the pump, then the investment in a quality pump is money well spent.
Do air forks increase air pressure?
Modern-day air forks experience a negligible increase in air pressure, even when ridden hard in hot weather, and/or on tracks with large jumps and deep bumps. With the WP AER fork, most owners report that there’s a warm-up factor involved. In other words, once they’ve set their air pressure after an initial ride, it varies very little during a day’s riding. That mirrored what we found during our test sessions – both on trail and enduro loops and MX tracks.
Does the WP air fork have air chambers?
So, bearing this in mind, WP’s AER fork was intentionally designed with simplicity of adjustment as a primary goal. It only has one air chamber (in one fork leg). As Transmoto surmised after their 2015 450cc MX Bike Shootout (when the Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki all arrived with all-new air forks), “Adjustability is a great thing, but only if users understand how each of those adjustments – made in isolation, and in conjunction with each other – will affect the suspension’s ride. Air suspension is here to stay, but if riders and technicians want to stop chasing their tails, it’s inevitable that the manufacturers dumb down the adjustment options in the years to come.”
Can air leaks on air forks?
If the fork relies on air pressure in an outer chamber (which puts pressure on the fork seal), then yes, it is possible for a damaged fork seal and/or chrome slider to lead to a partially or fully collapsed fork.
