Oil in forks?

1982 KZ750H. How does one put oil in the forks, how much, and what kind? This bike also has the "air" feature in the forks, but I don't run any pressure. Mistake? Thanks!

Make sure there is no air in the shocks before trying to add oil(makes a mess!) Some Kawasaki's have individual air pressure valves and others have a line connecting the two forks. The drain screws should be at the bottom of the forks by the front axle. Again, make sure there is no air in the system.

Some riders have had success with replacing the springs with new ones from progressive suspension, they make them according to your weight(I think).

Have you looked at this website? It should have a lot of information pertaining to your bike:

kz.mbsween.com/manual.html

The weight and quantity of oil should be listed.

Get a manual - it will have the info. Add oil by removing the top cap or plug. Be careful, because it's under spring pressure.

How much oil is not a quantifiable amount. Usually the manual will instruct you to lift the front wheel off the ground to extend the forks. You have to remove the top caps off each fork--but be careful because there are compressed springs behind the caps and they will fly off potentially hitting you or something else in your workshop. (always wear safety glasses)
BE VERY CAREFUL REMOVING THE CAPS.
The manual will tell you to fill the oil to a specific measurement from the top of the fork. They will specify a measurement with the springs in the forks and another measurement with the springs removed. This measurement is in metric so if you're unfamiliar with metric, you will need to convert from millimeters to english. Once you have your converted measurement, use a steel tape measure to guage the oil level. Fill oil a little at a time until oil is visible on the end of the tape measure. The oil level is usually + or - about 4 mm which is equivalent to about + or - 1/8 inch.
Once you have you oil level right, install the fork caps by compressing the springs... be careful not to cross thread the caps into the fork tops. Then you add your air pressure if applicable. I just performed a fork oil change last month so ask if you have more questions.
Hope this helps.
Grant.

I have the factory manual. Looked it up and it says that when the fork tubes (front wheel off the ground)are drained (but not taken apart-not dry), to fill them with 260 CC's +/- 4 cc's (I think it's talking each single tube here), and then to measure for 435 +/- 4mm from the fluid to the top of the tube. Okay, I'll try that. Here is a question: If the tube caps are under pressure (how much pressure?), what's the safest way to get them off? And more importantly, what's the best way to compress them when trying to get the cap back on? Thanks!

The caps will have 10 to 20 lbs spring pressure behind them. When I backed them out, I made sure to push down hard on them each time I turned them. (Tip) turn them 1/2 turn at a time then regrip them, making sure to push down as you turn them outwards until they pop loose.
To reinstall, I had to push down on the cap with a socket driver (with extension) while I lined up the cap and turned it slowly. I don't weigh over 150 so I needed my body weight to push the cap down far enough to engage the thread in the fork.
It helps if you can sit on the bike seat while doing the cap reinstall. I know the bike should be elevated but I lifted my bike with a hydraulic floor jack and set jackstands under the frame (near the footpeg mounts)The bike was stable enough to sit on. If you are heavy or have good arm strength you may not need to sit atop the bike.
Hope this helps.
Grant.

Thanks for the info! Unfortunately, this bike has the air fittings in the top of the caps. I can take these fittings out, but no socket is gonna fit (that I can see). Looks like it's designed to use an end wrench (even with the air fittings out). From the top, the caps look like this.....

So you can see where an end wrench will fit, but not a socket. So compressing those springs might be tough. ideas?

Its really not that bad,just use the info given and go for it!!

Use a 22mm open end wrench or a crescent wrench.
The spring pressure won't be that great.

Grantl wrote:

... be careful not to cross thread the caps into the fork tops....

Would heed the excellent advice from Grant1.

The caps are aluminum with very fine threads that screw into steel forks.

It is sinfully easy to get the caps cross- threaded and damaged when initially engaging the fork threads.

Do whatever it takes to slowly, gently and carefully achieve a perfect initial thread engagement.

Once the threads are started, turning the caps the rest of the way should be easily accomplished.

Also remember to block up the bike's front end (use a floor support under the engine) so the front end won't collapse and fall to the floor when the fork caps are removed.

The bike's front end should be suspended completely up off the ground during the entire operation of removing and replacing the fork caps.

Good Luck!

I've got the same bike and I use my large crescent wrench to unscrew the topcaps. With the front end supported there wasn't that much pressure on the cap

Okay, I'll give her a try. Oh yea, should the upper fork clamps be loosened to do this?