Fork oil.....substitute?

[kcoop99]

Just curious if there is another "oil" I can use in the forks? Manual calls for 10w fork oil but before running to cycle shop, I was wondering if there is an equivalent substitute. Thanks!

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[sdt354]

I've been using synthetic ATM for a while and like it better. Mercon 4 or 5.

 

[dannymax]

What is it about the ATF that you like better Steve-o?

 

[maleko89]

Kyle, with that Racetech spring/emulator setup I recommend 15 wt minimum. I tried 10 wt and it was too soft.

 

[kcoop99]

Mark, just 15w FORK oil or can I use the ATF?

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[ninjaneer]

I like 15w with my emulator progressive setup. sean used atf in his how-to vid.

Regards from my Taptalking Hercules Android

 

[DMAN999]

I Used 10 wt fork oil with my Progressive springs and I'm very happy with this setup.
From what I remember ATF Fluid would be equivilent to about 7-8 wt fork oil.

 

[maleko89]

Kyle, I haven't ever tried the ATF. You can try it and if you don't like it the fluid is easy to replace.

 

[sdt354]

What is it about the ATF that you like better Steve-o?

It seems to stay cleaner Dann-o. It must be less hydoscopic than the fork oil I was running. And, a better lubricant with seal swelling additive. The stuff I used before would look like a milkshake when I drained it every year. The ATM fluid still looks decent. The fork action is more to my liking too.

 

[The Beekeeper]

Like DMAN999 stated, ATF is equivelant to 10wt or slightly less, A buddy who has been in the business for many years adds a couple oz's of brake fluid to the fork oil when doing a reseal on forks...............Tom.

 

[dannymax]

It seems to stay cleaner Dann-o. It must be less hydoscopic than the fork oil I was running. And, a better lubricant with seal swelling additive. The stuff I used before would look like a milkshake when I drained it every year. The ATM fluid still looks decent. The fork action is more to my liking too.

Good info Steve-o, gonna do the '86 forks before spring, may give this serious consideration. Thanks.

 

[one2dmax]

The ATF (Full Synthetic) will have a more stabil viscosity. It is also less harmfull to the seals and aluminum. Here's the chart:
Red Line Suspension Fluid / Fork Oil Cross Reference
Viscosity
cSt @ cSt @ Red Line Equivalent
Current Fluid 40?C 100?C VΔT For Fork For Shock
Bardahl Fork Oil 5w 19.3 5.1 3.78 LW F XL S
Bardahl Fork Oil 10w 35.5 6.9 5.14 Med F LW S
Bel-Ray HVI 3w 11.2 4.1 2.73 XL F XL S
Bel-Ray HVI5w 18.2 6.2 2.94 LW F LW S
Bel-Ray HVI 10w 34.4 10.2 3.37 Med F Med S
Bel-Ray HVI 15w 51.2 14.0 3.66 Hvy F Hvy S
Bel-Ray Fork 5w 17.4 4.2 4.14 LW F XL S
Bel-Ray Fork 7w 29.3 5.5 5.33 Med F XL S
Bel-Ray Fork 10w 36.0 6.6 5.45 Med. F LW S
Bel-Ray Fork 15w 52.9 8.0 6.61 Hvy F LW S
Bel-Ray Fork 20w 77.1 10.0 7.71 Hvy F Med S
Bel-Ray Fork 30w 115.3 13.1 8.80 No Cross Med S
BG Products 344 18.91 6.17 3.06
Bilstein Shock Oil (stock) 19.1 5.4 3.54 LW F XL S
Castrol Aircraft Grade Missile and Ordnance
Brayco Micronic 795 11 3.9 2.82 XL F XL S
Brayco Micronic 756 13.5 5 2.7 XL/LW F XL/LW S
Brayco Micronic 776RP 25.4 4.8 5.29 LW/Md F XL/LW S
Fox Shock Fluid (stock) 26.8 9.5 2.82 Med F Med S
Golden Spectro Ultra Light 9.8 4.2 2.33 XL F XL S
Spectro Cart. Fork 85/150 16.3 3.6 4.53 LW F XL S
Golden Spectro Fork 5w 22.5 4.4 5.11 LW F XL S
Spectro Cart.Fork 125/150 26.7 5.0 5.34 Med F XL S
Golden Spectro Fork 10w 31.6 5.4 5.85 Med F XL S
Golden Spectro Fork 20w20 66.0 8.7 7.59 Hvy F LW S
Golden Spectro Fork 15w 46.3 6.9 6.70 Med F LW S
Golden Spectro SPL U-light 12.2 5.0 2.44 XL F XL S
Golden Spectro SPL V-light 29.9 10.7 2.79 Med F Med S
Golden Spectro SPL Light 55.9 18.1 3.09 Hvy F Hvy S
Harley Davidson type "B" 34.3 5.8 5.91 Med F LW S
Harley Davidson type "E" 39.2 7.3 5.37 Med F LW S
Harley Davidson (Heavy) 67.7 8.6 7.87 Hvy F Hvy S
Pro Honda 5w 16.7 4.2 3.98 LW F XL
HondaSS-7 5w 16.9 3.8 4.45 LW F XL S
Honda SS-8 10w 39.7 7.6 5.22 Med F LW S
Kayaba K2-C (shock) 11.3 4.0 2.82 XL F XL S
Kayaba Zero-1 (fork) 15.1 3.5 4.31 LW F XL S
Koni Shock oil (stock) --- 5.3 --- --- XL S
Maxima Racing Shock Light 14.3 5.4 2.65 XL/LW F XL/LW S
Maxima Racing Shock Med. 21.8 7.6 2.87 LW F LW S
Maxima Racing 85-150 (5w) 17.6 3.9 4.51 LW S XL S
Maxima Racing 125-150 (7w) 26.2 5.1 5.14 Med F XL/LW S
Maxima Racing165-150 (10w) 33.8 6.2 5.45 Med F LW S
Maxima Racing235-150 (15w) 52.9 9.2 5.75 Md/Hv F Med S
Maxima Fork 5w 18.6 3.9 4.77 LW F XL S
Maxima Shock 32.0 --- --- Med F ---
Maxima Fork 10w 35.3 6.5 5.43 Med F LW S
Maxima Fork 15w 52.4 8.0 6.55 Md/Hv F LW/Md S
Maxima Fork 20w 70.6 11.7 6.03 Hvy F Med S
Motul Fork 5-10 23.9 6.6 3.62 LW/Md F LW S
MotulFork 15-20 60.1 12.9 4.66 Hvy F Md/HvS
Noleen Aluron 16.3 3.6 4.53 LW F XL S
Noleen 1 16.7 3.8 4.39 LW F XLS
Noleen Unvis 28.0 9.8 2.86 Med F Med S
Ohlins (stock) 28.7 9.4 3.05 Med F Med S
Ohlins Low Viscosity PN1306-01 13.7 ? --- XL/LW F ---
Penske Lightweight Shock Fluid 15.5 6.3 2.46 XL/LW F LW S
PJ-1 Pro Fork 14.6 3.6 4.06 XL/LW F XL S
PJ-1 Pro 7 15.0 3.7 4.05 XL/LW F XL S
PJ-1 2.5w 26.1 4.9 5.32 LW/Md F XL/LW S
PJ-1 5w 31.2 5.4 5.78 Med F XL/LW S
PJ-1 7.5w 27.5 5.1 5.39 Med F XL/LW S
PJ-1 10w 33.9 5.7 5.95 Med F XL/LW S
PJ-1 ATF 45 8.6 5.23 Md/Hv F LW/Md S
PJ-1 15w 55.3 8.7 6.36 Md/Hv F LW/Md S
PJ-1 20w 61.7 8.4 7.34 Hvy F LW/Md S
PJ-1 30w 116.9 15 7.79 --- HVY S
RaceTech US-1 14.2 4.2 3.38 XL/LW F XL S
RaceTech US-2 32.9 7.6 4.42 Med F LW S
Rock Shox 2.5w Light Cartridge 10.8 4 2.7 XL F XL S
Rock Shox 5w Medium Hydracoil 19.9 5.7 3.49 LW F XL/LW S
Rock Shox 10w Heavy Boxxer 38 8.4 4.52 Med F LW/Md S
Rock Shox 15w Extra Heavy 42.8 10.4 4.12 Md/Hv F Med S
Showa SS2.5 (stock) Shock 12.5 3.9 3.2 XL F XL S
Showa SS05 (stock) Fork 15.9 3.6 4.42 XL/LW F XL S
SLP Snow Shock Light 23.1 4.8 4.81 LW/Md F XL S
Silkolene Fork/ Pro RSF 2.5w 15.0 6.0 2.5 XL/LW F XL/LW S
Silkolene Fork 5w (Penske) 26.8 9.1 2.94 LW/Md F MedS
Silkolene Fork 10w 35.7 7.5 4.76 Med F LW S
Torco MFO 5w (VI 325) 10.8 4.0 2.7 XL F XL S
Torco MFO 7w (VI 285) 16.1 5.0 3.22 LW F XL/LW S
Torco MFO 10w (VI 260) 19.9 5.7 3.49 LW F XL/LW S
Torco MFO 15w (VI 240) 33.0 8.4 3.92 Med F LW/MedS
Torco MFO 20w (VI 250) ? 10.4 --- --- Med S
Torco RSF Light ? ?
Torco RSF Medium ? ?
White Brothers RS 67 14.0 5.2 2.69 LW/Md F XL/LWS
White Brothers RF 85 17.1 3.7 4.62 LW F XL S
White Brothers RF 130 28.6 5.4 5.3 Med F XL/LW S
White Power 5w 24.6 5.1 4.82 LW/Md F XL/LWS
White Power7.5w 34.0 6.5 5.23 Med F LW S
White Power Fork 10w 51.2 8.8 5.82 HeavyF LW/MedS
White Power 15w 69.1 11.6 5.96 Heavy F Med S
White Power 20w 104.9 15.3 6.86 No Cross F Heavy S
Works Performance 27.5 9.4 2.92 Med F LW/MedS
Yamaha Fork 15.5 --- --- XL/LW F
Red Line Suspension Fluids VΔT V.I.
Like Water!™ (Clear) 5 . 5 2 . 3 2 . 3 9 3 4 4
ExtraLight 2.5 W (Blue) 9 . 8 4 . 0 2 . 4 5 4 0 2
LightWeight 5W (Yellow) 1 8 . 4 7 . 1 2 . 5 9 4 0 7
Medium 10W (Red) 3 0 . 4 1 0 . 8 2 . 8 1 3 6 9
Heavy 30W (Gold) 6 6 . 8 1 6 . 0 4 . 1 7 2 5 6
VΔT is the ratio of the viscosity at 40?C divided by the viscosity at 100?C, less change the better when
comparing similar viscosity fluids. A value of 1 would be no change in viscosity with temperature.
The assumed operating temperature for forks is 40?C or 104?F and for shocks 100?C or 212?F.
pg#3