RGM fork stanchion top nut with filler plug

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Bonzo

Bonzo

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High up the order on my to do list is a fork oil change, and so I started getting clued up on the process involved.

Is anyone using this kit....?

www.rgmnorton.co.uk

FORK STANCHION TOP NUTS (LONGER TYPE) WITH OIL FILLING PLUG

TOP NUT OIL FILLING PLUG STANCHION
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

I wondered how much easier it makes the job, and I realize it won't be 'original', but how does it look on the bike?
 
It will look like mine with adjustable preload ;) .

The issue with the oil is how long its sits there until it can get past the spring and damper rod, not sure how have a filling hole helps.
 
Bonzo said:
High up the order on my to do list is a fork oil change, and so I started getting clued up on the process involved.

Is anyone using this kit....?

www.rgmnorton.co.uk

FORK STANCHION TOP NUTS (LONGER TYPE) WITH OIL FILLING PLUG

TOP NUT OIL FILLING PLUG STANCHION
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

I wondered how much easier it makes the job, and I realize it won't be 'original', but how does it look on the bike?
Click to expand...
Easier in that you don't have to remove the top nut once installed. However, it will take a very long time to pour the oil in.

Doing one side at a time, I remove the top bolt and the damper rod from the top bolt, pull out the spring, pour in the oil (2 seconds), and put it back together. I'm sure I can do that faster than you can fill them through the hole - it takes a long time for the oil to pass the spring and get to the bottom of the fork slider.

The damper rod will fall. You can tie a long string to it below the nut. When you pull out the spring the string will be inside the spring and the damper rod will fall. When putting it back together, you pull up on the string while sliding the spring back in. Even better, if you have an old damper rod, you can Loctite a coupling nut to it and use that to retrieve the rod with the spring in place - that's how I do it now.
 
marshg246 said:
Easier in that you don't have to remove the top nut once installed. However, it will take a very long time to pour the oil in.

Doing one side at a time, I remove the top bolt and the damper rod from the top bolt, pull out the spring, pour in the oil (2 seconds), and put it back together. I'm sure I can do that faster than you can fill them through the hole - it takes a long time for the oil to pass the spring and get to the bottom of the fork slider.

The damper rod will fall. You can tie a long string to it below the nut. When you pull out the spring the string will be inside the spring and the damper rod will fall. When putting it back together, you pull up on the string while sliding the spring back in. Even better, if you have an old damper rod, you can Loctite a coupling nut to it and use that to retrieve the rod with the spring in place - that's how I do it now.
Click to expand...
I fished a fallen damper rod up with my magnetic retriever bendy stick thingie. A lot easier than I thought it would be.

For adding oil, I used a syringe with required oil amount (actually several smaller amounts as it wasn't high enough volume for one shot) then just fed in oil with a bit of tube on end of syringe. Wasn't too bad.
 
L.A.B. said:
Four(+2?) filler holes?
Click to expand...
You can have as many holes as you like in the top nut, the oil still has to get past the gap between the spring OD and the ID of the stanchion and the damper rod and ID of spring. Not helped either by the the spacer that sits on top of the spring FORK SPRING LOCATION BUSH part-no: 06.7896.
 
kommando said:
You can have as many holes as you like in the top nut, the oil still has to get past the gap between the spring OD and the ID of the stanchion and the damper rod and ID of spring. Not helped either by the the spacer that sits on top of the spring FORK SPRING LOCATION BUSH part-no: 06.7896.
Click to expand...

I can't agree because there's ample clearance for the oil to pass the "FORK SPRING LOCATION BUSH" and the spring, neither of which is a close fit to the inside wall of the stanchion plus if it didn't work satisfactorily I then doubt RGM would sell it as it is.
It doesn't mention the need to remove the existing nut. The extra nut apparently screws onto the rod after it has passed through the cap nut as there would be enough length of thread.
RGM fork stanchion top nut with filler plug
 
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kommando said:
Well we are going to have to disagree then.
Click to expand...

If the slotted nuts in RGM's picture are intended to replace the original thin nuts then I would tend to agree as the bush would then be covering the filler holes but, with the original nut in place, that wouldn't happen and there's an adequate length of thread (1/2" above the original nut) to have both nuts.
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

FEMALE GRUB SCREW/SLEEVE NUT FOR FRONT FORK OIL FILLER KIT. UNF

OIL FILLER GRUB SCREW 060345SN SLEEVE NUT UNF
www.rgmnorton.co.uk

Also, as the cap nut isn't threaded ("The top nuts do not have a thread for the damper rods") then without the lower nut, there's no way to hold/lock the damper rod when tightening the upper rod nut (without displacing the spring and clamping the rod with mole grips or similar) so logically, to me at least, the original nut ought to remain in position.

RGM fork stanchion top nut with filler plug


Edit:
Also, without the nut then there'd be no need for the bush. ;)
 
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To be fair to RGM, they state it speeds up the process, but don't suggest it is a quick fill..

"TWO FUNNELS USED ON OUR SPECIAL FORK STANCHION TOP NUTS TO SPEED UP OIL FILLING, THEY JAM OVER THE DAMPER RODS AND FEED THE OIL AT A CONTROLLED RATE TO ALLOW YOU TO GO AWAY AND DO SOMETHING ELSE"

www.rgmnorton.co.uk

PAIR OF SMALL FUNNELS FOR FILLING FORKS

FUNNEL FORKS SI18690
www.rgmnorton.co.uk
 
IMHO, it's an elegant solution to a non-problem.

Still have to remove the handlebars.

Jamming a plastic funnels into their nut, and pouring the correct amount of oil in each, and then walking away? Any bets on how big the mess will be? :)

It's really hard to believe a plastic funnel jammed over a nut and then filled with oil will not fall over and if it's so tight that it doesn't fall over then how will oil drain out of it? Yes, I know they say jammed over the damper rod, but there's a nut on that damper rod! Maybe they really mean jammed into the new top bolt, but then there's the same problem.
 
So we are at £57.40 for 2 top nuts(out of stock) and 2 funnels and we still need some fork oil...I appreciate RGM's commitment to the industry...but I think I'll stick to the way I do it presently before and after I fitted adjustable units...🙂
 
Piece of old floorbaord under centre stand, remove top nuts, tip bike back so that damper rods clear top of hole, pour warm oil in and let it work its way to slider, tip bike forward to recover damper rods fit tops - job done.
 
Put a 25 mm spacer below the top bush in the slider, then you no longer need to fix the damper rod in the top bolt. It becomes a simple plug. Not possible with a Landsdowne kit.
 
Hello Bonzo! I put this fork stanchion nuts kit from RGM on my bike last year.... rode est. 10k km with this kit. All works fine. I like the look and all the parts got very good quality. Refill the oil isn`t that much faster with this kit....it also takes some time. But: it is easier. there is just this little slotted brass nuts to detach...the clocks stay in place. so less work. chris
RGM fork stanchion top nut with filler plug
 
...then again I have noted the quality of service from RGM seems to have deteriorated lately - maybe with the departure of Anna?
 
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