It was time to change fork and shock oil on both the 125 and 500 (not to mention a KTM 380 with blown fork seals that's leaking on my shop floor), so I thought it was about time to make a tray that would control the oil, so here's something to think about if you're bored one afternoon:
1. I scrounged (read free) a piece of 16 gauge galvanized sheet that was four feet long and one foot wide.
2. Using a bender (with 16 gauge, I could have even clamped it to the bench with a 2x6 on top and used a rubber mallet to make the bends, but the bender looks better), I bent each side 2 1/2 inches in from each edge to a 60 degree angle (the angle is really not that important, just didn't want a 90).
3. I scrounged a couple of small pieces of the same galvanized plate to use as end caps, held them up to each end, marked a line, and sheared the end caps to fit.
4. After placing a large fan in my welding area to remove toxic vapors (welding galvanized steel creates toxic gas, and should only be done in a well vented area with a fan to blow vapors away from all the people), using a wire feed, I welded each end cap in place, and the ground the corners nice and round.
5. In one corner, I weled a 3/8 x 1/4 pipe union, with the 1/4 pipe side exposed. I drilled a small hole from the bottom side through the union, and then drilled a 1/2 inch hole from the top side. I installed a 1/4 pipe thread nipple for 3/8 tubbing, and fitted a three foot section of clear hose that allowed the used oil to drain into an old plastic bottle.
6. On each end cap, I welded a small 90 degree angle bracket that I used to clamp the tray onto the bench, and placed a piece of 3/4 wood stock under one end so the oil will drain towards the hole.
This little tray worked GREAT for all of the forks yesterday, but the shocks need to be held vericle in order to change oil, so one more jig was needed.
1. I had a small vice laying around, so I drilled and tapped a piece of 2x6x12x1/4 steel tubing, and mounted the vice on the steel. This provided the needed stablility to the vice to keep it from moving around.
2. I sat the vice/steel in the tray, and performed my shock service. All of the oil drained into the pan, down the hole, into the hose, and into the bottle. Too cool!
I have posted shock servicing instructions on this site, and one thing I noted was that you are going to make a mess. With the vice/steel tubing, the mess was contained in the tray, and did not end up on the floor as usual. In the past, I have sat a bucket under the bench mount vice, but still made a mess, so didn't much like to service the shocks. With the new tray, it's a snap.
This tray will work for anything that is going to make a mess. For instance, my rear brake caliper is leaking, so when I replace the seals this weekend, the work will be done in my new tray to catch all the oil.
A final benefit to the tray is that the oil is caught in a container that can then be disposed of at an oil recycling center. For folks that live in places like California, disposal of oil in anything other than an approved manner can bring huge fines and criminal charges.
Good project for an evening with no plans.
Rick
