Forks

Complete tear down information of the forks is in the Yamaha Shop Manual. Please follow those instructions. The information here is provided to aid the process.

Change Front Spring Oil

NOTE: Look in the Changing Front Springs section in Modifications / Suspension for more information on fork disassembly. Just scroll down.

Big Daddy Cain (ccain75) Great tip!!!

Before I take the fork apart I loosen the damper rod bolt before removing the spring. The spring puts enough pressure on the damper rod to keep it from spinning.

GenLightening (GeneraLight)

-- First, lift the front wheel off the ground, loosen only the top triple clamp bolts and remove the fork caps (be careful, the springs are still compressed some) remove the springs and insert the hose.

-- To really get the maximum amount of oil out - you will need to compress the forks - to force the oil up where you can get it

-- You won't get all of the oil and there will be some muck in the very bottom too. Fill the forks with oil (the amount will vary from the 15.7 oz that would be if you drained them completely), compress the fork a few times to pump the oil into the valving. Then compress it and check the level without the spring and the oil level should be about 4.25 inches from the top of the fork.

-- Insert the springs and carefully push the cap down and start screwing it down. The cap is aluminum and has very fine threads, easy to cross thread! Tighten the triple clamp bolts and you're done.

raymajor

Another, slightly different view of "how to" (based on the above, modified by his experience)

-- First, lift the front wheel off the ground, loosen only the top triple clamp bolts and remove the fork caps by screwing anti-clockwise (be careful, the springs are still compressed some). Connect some ¼ OD plastic hose to a vacuum pump connected to a used oil container you will need at least 3 feet of hose to reach the bottom of the fork legs. Tape the plastic hose securely to a piece of ¼ diameter rod above 2 foot long, and poke it down the centre of the fork spring to the very bottom.

-- If you turn the forks so the one you are draining is pointing down, you will be able to drain approx. 400cc of the 464cc from each fork leg. Refill the forks with oil (the amount will vary from the 464cc that would be if you drained them completely), compress the fork a few times to pump the oil into the valving. Then compress it and check the level without the spring and the oil level should be about 4.25 inches from the top of the fork. If you are careful/lazy, measure the oil you remove and replace the same quantity as you drained with new oil.

-- Carefully push the cap down and start screwing it down with finger pressure only this will require a bit of strength to push the cap down as you screw. The cap is aluminum and has very fine threads, easy to cross thread! Tighten the triple clamp bolts and you're done.

-- If you use 15wt oil in place of the standard 10wt, the front suspension will be slightly more rigid (ie rougher riding), but will dive a bit less under brakes and feel less "wallowy" in corners.

Front Fork Seal Replacement

*A note from Sick Mick - We find that it's easiest to remove the bottom bolt from the fork before disassembling instead of using a broom handle to hold things in place after you're taken the forks apart. Also, using impact wrench will make the job one heck of a lot easier....

Courtesy of ArticStar (breid11):

Once you get the forks off of the bike:

Note: The 8mm cap screw is removed from the bottom outside. Shove a 1" wood dowel (or a broom handle) into the damper inside the fork & push down while turning the 8mm cap screw.

1) pull the bolt out of the bottom with an 8mm allen socket. I suggest using an impact gun.

2) drain the fork oil by sliding the tube in and out several times

3) remove the tube cap with a 6 point 22mm socket and hold some down pressure on it to keep the spring from shooting out

4) remove the spring, spacer, washer and dampener out of the fork tube

5) remove the dust cover carefully with a screwdriver. It should slide out of the lower tube easy.

6) remove the metal retaining clip and from the oil seal

7) slide the tubes in and out with a little more force on the out stroke and the oil seal and fork tube will come out of the lower tube.

8) install the fork tube in the lower slider and install the dampener and bottom bolt with 22 lbs ft of torque.

9) install the oil seal and metal retaining clip

10) service the fork tube with fresh 10 wt fork oil and slowly slide the tube in and out to circulate the oil through out the fork.

11) service the fork until you get 108 mm from the top with the fork compressed.

12) extend the fork and add the stock spacer, washer, spring and fork cap.

How it all goes back together.. Thanks to Bill (craigscreek) for the picture.

Fork Rebuild Video -

This isn't an 1100, but the components are very similiar except there is no "Gold Valve Emulator" in a stock V Star 1100 fork.

Fork Rebuild Video - From Suspension Tech

Fork Gaitors - Boots

If you like the blacked out look of fork boots / gaitors, the ones Star/Yamaha make for the Bolt are a perfect fit for the V Star 1100.

They are part number 1TP-F31E0-V0-00.

V star 1100 forks are 41mm