fork noise

[Robert Haller]

While moving my bike by hand I the front fork made a crackling noise when it compressed (I haven't noticed it when riding). Since I haven't checked the fork oil since I've had the bike and no telling when the PO attended to it, I figure that's a good place to start. The seals seem to be fine. I intend to replace the springs but don't have time now as I have limited time to work on it before I take a mc trip next weekend. Any suggestions as to a cause of the noise and/or for replacing the oil? (I'm a novice wrench but would like to do it myself).

[Snow]

I'll bet you a cookie the PO shoved some clear tape in the seal...

[beechfront]

mine makes a similar noise when going over bumps. i've had my forks all apart, replaced seals - I'm not sure where the noise is coming from. I guess I'm not too worried about it.

[Robert Haller]

Originally posted by beechfront
mine makes a similar noise when going over bumps. i've had my forks all apart, replaced seals - I'm not sure where the noise is coming from. I guess I'm not too worried about it.

That's interesting, maybe I'll just wait till when I replace the springs.

[buffalo]

are you sure it isn't coming from the steering head bearings and the sound transfering down the fork legs? Dry steering head bearings will make some nasty cracking sounds that are sometimes hard to locate. Try moving the bars in very small increments with the weight on the wheels, listen for noise, feel for roughness or stickyness. Rock the bike gently forward and back with the front brake on and listen, don't rock it hard enough to compress the forks. Just a thought.

[fusionking]

Preventitive maintenance

Most certainly changing the fork oil is a very good and cheap thing to do!!!!!! I sure wouldn't want to have a worse problem cause of neglect. Maybe the PO never checked it and your fork is on its last leg. That is about the first thing I tend to when I get a bike , dirt or street. Plus check out all that stuff that Buffalo told you. Too much bike to let get away from you!!!!

[Jerry]

Both the XS and XJ used an anti-rattle pad that fits in the caliper under the pads. XJ uses a different design than the XS, pads are not interchangeable.

When I got my XJ one of these pads was missing, and the pads would rattle going over bumps. Putting some pressure on the brake lever would decrease the noise, which lead me to suspect something in the calipers. I eventually found and installed a replacement and the rattle went away.

[fusionking]

Hey SNOW, you kind of lost me on the clear tape thing.

[Snow]

It some type of voodoo that mainly dirtbike riders use, if your seal starts leaking and you can't change it out that minute, you can slide some 3m clear tape into the seal and it'll temporarily fix it...of course, over time that stops working.