How Much Fork Oil Do I Need?: Know Now!

Lubrication is a must to run your vehicle or machinery. Without proper lubrication, a machine can’t run or can’t function properly. Fork oil is a kind of lubricant that is used inside tubes of the conventional front forks on motorcycles. Almost every brand has its specifications for the grade of oil used for the individual models.

It’s common confusion about how much fork oil do I need? Using the appropriate fork oil quantity helps your machine, but too much fork oil is also harmful. Low fork oil also causes trouble functioning the machine.

So, using the correct quantity of fork oil and knowing the proper amount is required. This article has discussed the appropriate measurement of fork oil intensely.

What is fork oil?

Fork oil is a type of lubricant oil primarily used in motorcycles. It’s a lubricant oil that helps the forks absorb any shock from the bump. Fork oil is needed for the front forks of a bike. Each brand has its specifications for the oil to be used. Each leg of the fork needs oil changing after some days.

There are a lot of users who don’t know about the existence of fork oil. But it’s an important issue that every bike owner should know in detail. The primary purpose of fork oil is to work as a shock absorber for the front side of the bike.

Why do I need fork oil?

Most conventional bikes are equipped with front forks, and that is simply like a spring and tube inside the tube. These forks are made to move up and down when you are crossing a bumpy road or when your bike wheel hits bumps.

Mainly this thing act as a shock absorber for the front side of the bike. Use oil in the tube to move the spring smoothly. The better the spring can move, the more smooth experience you will get. So fork oil is needed to function the shock-absorbing system of the front side of your bike.

How much fork oil do you need?

A proper amount is an important thing. Too much fork oil will make your shock absorption too hard, and low oil will create a loose suspension. So using the proper amount is necessary.

Though it varies from model to model, most motorbikes require around 150 ml to 200 ml of fork oil. Some high cc bikes require more than this amount. Figure out how much oil is lost due to the leaky seal. Try to pour around 10 cc of fork oil into the fork. But it’s important to note that if you run 10 cc oil, 10 cc air should come out also.

Benefits of fork oil:

Most people don’t know much about using fork oil. But it’s needed to run your motorbike smoothly on the road. There are more benefits of using fork oil besides having a smooth shock-absorbing experience. It improves damping performance over a wide range of temperatures.

Make a fast air release to have smoother shock absorption. Fork oil gives wear protection to the suspension materials. It protects the internal parts from corrosion. Mostly it longs your bike’s performance life and gives you a better performance.

Which grade of fork oil should I use?

Almost every model and brand use a different type of fork oil. But generally, Grade 4 oils are used as fork oil. But there are different types. Your motorbike will come with a manual where they suggest the best one for you.

Hazards of not changing fork oil:

The movement of the tubes is like up and down when it hits something. This movement of the tubes via the springs in the forks subjects the suspension to metal shaving. These shavings move around in the oil.

 But if there’s no proper lubrication, it starts to make more friction. This can leads to wear and tear on the internal parts of the shock-absorbing system. After using this same oil for a long time, usually thicken the oil.

With a thicker oil, lubrication is not that easy, and it can harden your joints and shock-absorbing system. Mostly, dirty fork oil will lead to unfavorable suspension performance.

Using too much fork oil:

If you use too much oil in your fork, that will make nothing but some big trouble. Using too much fork oil can cause your forks to go “on the block.”

Like if you hit a bump at high speed, the shock-absorbing system and fork will lock immediately if the oil pressure is too high. That can cause severe injury and even death. So, don’t overfill the fork oil. That can be deadly.

When should I change the fork oil?

When the oil of your fork gets dirty and loses all its lubricity, you need to change the oil then. But it’s better to change after every 10,000 miles. Or once in a year is also enough.

Can I use engine oil as fork oil?

If you do, it won’t do any harm or react immediately. It can run with engine oil instead of fork oil, but that’s inappropriate for the forks. It can cause problems after running some time. So, using fork oil is the better thing to do.

How Do I know that my forks need oil?

Check for the leaks on the forks and suspension. Wipe the places with a white cloth. If you find dark and dirty oil, your forks need an oil change.

Final thoughts:

Fork oil is a lubricant used for the shock-absorbing system of a bike. It’s a necessary thing that every motorcycle owner should know. Proper lubrication can make your ride smoother.

If you ride with dirty fork oil, it will negatively impact your suspension system. But the required amount of fork oil is kind of confusing. Though it varies from different models, we tried to give you an idea of how much fork oil do I need?