me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim -- front fork oil change

Hey there! I have a 1981 XJ650. It ran 50K.
It's a U.S. model, including a miles speedometer.

So far I've:
* changed engine oil and filter.
* replaced rear tire
* changed front brake line (because the old one was really bad)
* replaced fusebox (a lot of internal rust)

It's my first bike. I've had it for two years now.
It's pretty reliable and doesn't drain much cash.

Next thing up is front fork damper oil replacement.
But I haven't had the courage to try that, yet.

I hope to learn more on this forum.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

foks,

Welcome to the club.

Gary

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Welcome, if you haven't replaced the brake pads/shoes, check the rear brake shoes for delamination(brake material separating from the shoe). Could be an accident waiting to happen.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

cool lookin' paint job.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Welcome aboard.

How many miles in those two years? Valve clearances need to be checked/possibly adjusted every 5000 miles. Have you done that yet? It's important to the continued health of the motor.

Changing the fork oil is relatively easy, provided you can get the caps out of the fork tubes. Be sure you can before you drain their oil.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Thank you for the warm welcome !
It looks like it was a good idea to register on the forum.

I've driven it about 5000 miles in two years. Not much -- I know.
The valve clearance check is now on the to-do list. I'll look up how to do that. It's probably already described somewhere on the forum.

I did check/adjust the self-adjusting timing chain tensioner, but it seemed to do nothing. Are you supposed to hear a rattle or click if it moves? Maybe the previous owner already set it, not too long ago.

I've seen the rear brake shoes when changing the tire. They seemed fine last year. But I'll check more closely again, who knows what I missed.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

foks,

A furniture clamp that's long enough to reach the entire length of the forks works great. You'll be able to compress and hold the spring/cap, remove the circlip and "slowly" back the cap out. I use a local shop to change my tires. I took my caps to them when I did my first tire change and forks rebuild and they media blasted my caps at no charge. Hope this helps.

Gary

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Valve clearances: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

Part Deux: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29209.html

You'll only hear the cam chain tensioner if it moves a lot. Add "give the body a sharp tap or two when the locking bolt is loose" to the instructions; and don't fret it.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Wow, that is an excellent topic. Thanks!
I'll probably have to look around a bit for the bucket holding tool.
I guess they are should be around still.

I'll get back when I've done some work on either the valves or the fork.
Right now it's a bit too cold outside.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Welcome foks!

What part of the Netherlands?

Really like the yellow on that bike!

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

The south-west !
But as the Netherlands as a whole is less than a quarter of the size of Colorado, that statement doesn't actually mean that much

Yeah, I found its color scheme so cute that I just had to have it when I first saw it up for sale. Needless to say, the bike was cheap :wink:

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

There ya go- look around though, shipping may be cheaper from elsewhere.

http://www.bikebandit.com/motion-pro-va ... otorcycles

Welcome!!

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

QFT (Quoted For Truth). Even though my leathers are orange and black (no, not harley branded), I do like the yellow. Orange just seems to carry better at night.

Welkom, Fok!

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Welcome from VA. Nice bike. I like the yellow paint scheme.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Nice ride. Welcome to the forums.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

True.
I asked because I lived in Oldenburg (Germany) once and frequented Groningen and Amsterdam - for the museums, only

My wife has a good friend in Rotterdam, so we are scheming about a visit in the next few years

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Hello Foks, and welcome to the club.

Nice bike.

The company here where I work is owned by a dutchman, and we have a satellite office around Hilversum somewhere ( can't quite remember ). I keep trying to drop the hint that I need to go there and help their office =). The lady working there says I'd love the country, and I bet I would.

 

Re: introducing me and my 1981 xj650 Maxim

Hello again, I've finally dug out the Yamaha for the summer.
Work was done on the house and I had to pack lots of stuff in the storage.
Well yes, if any of you ever come to the Netherlands, we can have some lovely unpredictable rain, cold, and clouds in spring. :wink:
I can't really tell if the NL is/are intresting to visit. I've never been to the USA, so I can't compare.

I've taken on the 'front fork oil change challenge'. And a challenge it is indeed.
I've re-filled one shock with the furniture clamp approach. It works! Thanks!
I've put ATF in it. I had a can just standing there with no purpose anyway.
Looking at the oil that came out (gray/greenish) it may have been the original oil. It looked more like gear grease.

I can't get to the clip of the other shock out, as of yet
The metal end-stop is pretty much jammed and won't move.

 

I haven't tried doing the forks yet, but in the next few days I'll be popping my fork cherry with an almost complete overhaul and once i do be back with all the answers.
For now keep a positive mindset and soak whatever you can in some good penetrating lube, maybe pray someone will help us both too while you are at it.
What is your part supply situation can u get stuff over there ? Not sure how long delivery overseas is, but Chacal has beat 48 hours numerous times when I place orders. Good luck !

 

I haven't tried doing the forks yet, but in the next few days I'll be popping my fork cherry with an almost complete overhaul and once i do be back with all the answers.
For now keep a positive mindset and soak whatever you can in some good penetrating lube, maybe pray someone will help us both too while you are at it.
What is your part supply situation can u get stuff over there ? Not sure how long delivery overseas is, but Chacal has beat 48 hours numerous times when I place orders. Good luck !

 

Have you had any luck with the shock rebuild ? I must say so far into mine has been pretty straight forward, not quite sure what the furniture clamp is for, but I haven't reasemmbled mine yet just pulled apart.
One thing I'd like to pass on, if you plan on separating the two tubes there is a hex nut on the bottom. It turns and turns unless you have the special tool to stick into the top of the fork down into think its called the damper rod. In the manual there was a custom tool made out of a spark plug socket with a nut and bolt inside blah blah. Instead, i took the socket and removed the rubber job that is supposed to be holding onto the spark plug, then inserted the socket backwards onto a few long extension bars. the socket that fit in my 750 tube was a 5/8 inch craftsman I.D. number 43324.
Four items total, two ten inch extensions, the spark plug removing socket, and a handle of choice, all where 3/8 inch drive.

 

A piece of threaded rod with a bolt that has a 3/4" hex head welded/nutted on the end also works. The metric conversion is 19mm. Use a vise-grip wrench to hold the rod and the proper hex wrench (5 or 6mm, can't remember) at the other end. It helps to put the whole thing in a vise. Clamp the brake mount holes NOT THE TUBE!!!

After doing lots of research here, it took me about 45 minutes for each side for a total rebuild.

 

Yes, as a matter of fact I did, today. Success

I use the clamp to slightly compress (just an inch or so) the damper for putting the clip back in. Then PULL the tube over the endcap, while keeping the clamp+damper down with one foot. After a few tries, the tube is now over the endstop while being held down by the clamp.
At that point I can easily put the clip back in. I just don't have the dexterity nor the muscle to hold down the endcap and put the clip in at the same time. :?

I got the other damper endcap loose by putting the clamp+damper upside down and bounce it around a bit on the street. To my surprise the endcap was no longer stuck. I did put WD40 on it, and let it sit a few days though. Maybe it did its magic in the meantime.

Look at the oil that came out! A shade of medium grey.
I've test-driven with fresh oil in the fork. The dampers seem a lot more responsive now.

 

Thanks, I'll keep this in mind for next time. Maybe I'll need to open them up again in some time, to replace seals or so. At least I know what to expect now!

Thank you everybody, for the ideas and tricks so far.

Next up: I found out the front mud guard is kinda rusted out.
There seems to be some sort of sticker over the metal. Is that supposed to be there? I did not expect it to be there. It does make sense, if it is supposed to prevent scraping or something.