Ducati Monster Forum

I have a 2007 S2R 800 with the crappy zocchi forks.  I have new Ohlins springs with the correct spring rate for my weight.  I want to put them on with-out removing the forks...I don't have my front stand in yet.  I just don't see a reason to remove the forks completely if the seals do not need to be changed.  But it seems like I should remove the forks to do a thorough oil change in the forks.  Do I HAVE to change the oil if I change the springs???

It depends how much stiffer you went on the springs, but it would likely be a good idea just so you know *what* weight you've got in there.

I'd recommend waiting for the front stand, or borrowing one.
There's nothing to hold the front end up when you unscrew the caps, and to get the springs out you would have to remove the bars.

It's a *lot* easier to change the springs with the forks off.

you've got a rear stand, right?

Changing fork springs is a dangerous task, not to mention a messy one.  Trying to do it on the bike is just asking for trouble, because you don't have the proper leverage to compress them enough for mounting and dismounting safely.  All in all, it's just not safe to attempt to do it with them on the bike.  At worst, you get injured, and second worst you'll have a nasty puddle, get pissed, give up, and cart it to the shop to bail you out.

And, like Speeddog says, you need a rear stand to use a front stand.

you do not need a front or rear stand if u have a HD style under engine jack up stand I made a support that fits under the exhaust headers and supports the Ducatiengine  and add a Tiedown to the stand around the frame I can Jack the S4 3ft in the air and work on rear end or front no hassle.

Bah! I'm perfectly happy with sucking out as much of the old oil as I can from the top (I've got a cheap oil pump with a long tube from a marine shop - it's designed to allow oil changes thru the dipstick hole on boat motors), then I stick a few hundred mL of new known-weight oil in to "rinse it out" then suck that out too, then just fill them up. (one 500mL bottle of oil isn't quite enough, and there's more than enough "spare" when you buy two 500mL bottles to do this)


+1 no question about it - if you've got a front stand coming, I'd just wait until it arrives. Much easier to do that way, but it's not impossible to do it without removing the forks. (You will need some way to support the front end still, I very dodgily use a car jack under the horizontal cylinder, which is a practice I'd not recommend to anyone!)

big

Gotta disagree a little on this.  I have replaced springs in 3 different sets of Duacti Marzocchi forks, and every time I left them on the bike.  I find you have pretty good control of fork compression using a rear stand and a floor jack under the motor.  Also, you have a built in fork vice that doesn't scratch up the forks - your tripple clamps!  [thumbsup]  It helps to have a friend around when compressing the springs and also for loosening the fork caps, but I have done it a couple times alone.  You can't do an effective oil change without removing the forks however.  But the mthod mentioned above would probably be adequate.

Here's a write up I did a while back:
http://www.sport-classic.net/forums/viewtopic.php?f=26&t=91

What are the dimensions of the springs you bought?  I've been trying to find this info.  I have an 05 S2R 800 with the crappy forks.  I want to get new springs but can't find the info I need get the right springs.

And I have to agree with the above post.  I've never done springs on the monster, but I've done em in a dirt bike without taking the forks off the bike.  Its not dangerous as far as I'm concerned.  Changing springs on your garage door can be dangerous.  Fork springs, not so much...  And no you don't need to change oil unless you want to.  Just pull the springs out slowly so that the oil drains off them back into the fork instead of onto the garage floor.

I'll check those for you later today.  I ordered them from my local parts guy.

This tread should have gone as follows. 

"Can I replace the springs without taking off the forks??"

NO

Thats it.. I dont want to sound mean, but straight up, its a lame idea. It would take you less time to take the entire fork apart into pieces, put in all new components and put it back together than to do what is being discussed. Ive rebuilt mine, I know.

Even if you did manage to accomplish this, how would you measure oil level accurately when the forks are raked at 20 degrees? Oil level is properly measured from top of fork in mm from the top perpenducular to the ground. It is NOT done by volume.

I have adj. Showas so what do I know but I'd have put a big "+1" on on that. Or, as a friend of mine is fond of saying "There are lots of ways to do it. There is one way to do it right."

IMO, how much easier it is to deal with the forks, off the bike, is well worth the half hour it takes to remove and replace them.

Hmm, it takes all of about 30 minutes to swap springs while the forks are on the bike, I've done it on a set of 41mm WP adjustable forks and 43mm WP adjustable forks, and a set of cheapo yamaha forks all while they were mounted on the bikes.  If you wanna flush the oil, then ya, you gotta take em off.

Let me know about those part numbers or spring dimensions.  I'd like to order some and not have to open up the fork beforehand to get the size of the springs.  Racetech should be able to make springs for these forks for about $100-$130 a set.

Maybe we can talk about which fork oil is best, too.  ;D

Decided to wait until the front stand comes in.  Will take a weekend off and replace the rear shock also.

Guess I'm gonna have to research fork oil now!

I don't have a good way of measuring the springs, but this is what's on the label

Kunds ordnr: 104545
Kunds artnr: 08627-90
Ring nr: 9500
Datum: 08-04-25

Googled the part # and came up with this

http://www.bikesetup.be/files/news_download/1201262765/Ohlins%20amortisseurs%20et%20ressorts%20de%20fourche.pdf

Seems like the built a fork spring specifically for that fork...I hope...

duh...this is where I got them from

http://www.everything-but-the-bike.com/