Setting oil height

[Stefe9999]

After very closely using the the fork oil change procedure in the manual, I completed the work and set the height at the desired level and put the fork back together. After a couple days of riding, I decided to re-check the level and it was quite a bit higher.

I don't know why it rose, but I have two questions:

Is this rising of the level normal, and if so when do you set the level, pre-ride or post ride?

BTW, this is on an 01 WR426.

[bg10459]

If you followed the manual closely, you would know that the oil height is set with the forks full compressed and the springs out. So, if you removed the springs and compressed the forks when you re-checked it, my only guess is that there is air trapped in the system that expanded with heat. You would need to remove the springs and move the shaft and fork tube up and down several times, staying away from the extremes of its travel, to bleed the air out.

If you didn't remove the springs when re-checking, they displaced the oil to raise the height, but you also didn't compress the forks, so I don't know where that would leave you

[minion]

After very closely using the the fork oil change procedure in the manual, I completed the work and set the height at the desired level and put the fork back together. After a couple days of riding, I decided to re-check the level and it was quite a bit higher.

I don't know why it rose, but I have two questions:

Is this rising of the level normal, and if so when do you set the level, pre-ride or post ride?

BTW, this is on an 01 WR426.

If you followed the manual closely, you would know that the oil height is set with the forks full compressed and the springs out. So, if you removed the springs and compressed the forks when you re-checked it, my only guess is that there is air trapped in the system that expanded with heat. You would need to remove the springs and move the shaft and fork tube up and down several times, staying away from the extremes of its travel, to bleed the air out.

If you didn't remove the springs when re-checking, they displaced the oil to raise the height, but you also didn't compress the forks, so I don't know where that would leave you.

I don't really think I'd try to check them after I got them put back together. There are too many variables that can affect oil height on an assembled fork. Like bg10459 said: trapped air, springs, etc... I would only worry about them being off if they are leaking. If they are leaking, personally I'd just tear them down again, re-bleed them with the springs out, and check levels then. I wouldn't try to do it with them assembled. Once you've tore them down a few times, it becomes a pretty quick job to do.

[ARin]

The action of the oil through the fork will incorporate air into the Oil....increasing its percieved volume.

The oil should be given 24 hours or so to settle all of the air out if you feel like re-checking....like letting a carbonated beverage go flat.