tshadow6
XS650 Addict
I have plenty of 20W30 in my garage. Do I have to use 10W30 for my fork oil?
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Fork oil weight
- Thread starter tshadow6
- Start date
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- Tags
- restoration
rbrown
XS650 Enthusiast
I used ATF for my forks its mostly just a preference I think. Some others more knowledgeable might say otherwise but guys run just about anything in them.
tshadow6
XS650 Addict
I'll get some fork oil. I have 2-3 quarts of regular oil in the garage. I guess Yamaha uses fork oil, so I should too.
And that may have even been done.
I tried using 10W fork oil when I first got the bike, but I found it to be too thin of viscosity.
I did not like the feel of the front end, too soft for me.
I looked around the garage to see what I had on hand, and all I had at the time was 15W40 diesel oil. I'm so cheap, I couldn't see a reason to go out and buy "fork oil', so I put in the 15W40 diesel oil. Its been in the forks for 7 years now. Its works perfect for me in my 1978 SE. YMMV.
Using proper fork oil is certainly the right thing to do. However, my experience has shown me, regular motor oil also works quite well.
I did not like the feel of the front end, too soft for me.
I looked around the garage to see what I had on hand, and all I had at the time was 15W40 diesel oil. I'm so cheap, I couldn't see a reason to go out and buy "fork oil', so I put in the 15W40 diesel oil. Its been in the forks for 7 years now. Its works perfect for me in my 1978 SE. YMMV.
Using proper fork oil is certainly the right thing to do. However, my experience has shown me, regular motor oil also works quite well.
tonyc
XS650 Guru
R.G. I am with you I use straight 30 weight. I also like the feel .
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jd750ace
Front Toward Enemy
If you want ANY precision from your suspension, use a precise setup. Multi-vis oil probably works pretty OK in a stock fork. ATF is better suited to clean sludge out of forks than to use in them. There is a reason no manufacturer uses ATF in damping rod forks today. A lot has been learned from racing. First, ATF does not have any sustained lubricity, and it is NOT rated to ANY viscosity standard. Everyone likes to say "it's about a 7-10W. Well, when it's new and cold, yes. After it heats up, it's about a 3. When the stabilizers cook off that are in it for shipping and storage (about 40 minutes above 160 degrees, easily attainable in a fork with ATF in it) it's lubricating properties SUCK. Go grab the dipstick in your car tranny and rub that nasty shit between your fingers and ask yourself, is it slick? More often than not, not so much.
Original thinking held that the damping rod fork was hydraulic, which it is, and a hydraulic fluid should be specified. Racing proved that the only thing predictable that came from it was, as leaps were made in power and tires, the suspension gave up cooperating after a bit in endurance racing.
Newer thinking, fueled by racing R&D, and realizing that over worked suspension generated a lot of heat that degraded the fluid rapidly, proved it's worth quickly. Recognizing that motor oil dealt with higher temps, higher pressures, and maintained predictable flow and lubrication characteristics in temperatures well above what the hardest raced forks produced, special oils were developed with different additive packages to tailor them to the job of fork oil. You don't need a lot of the additives that are in engine oil to be in your forks. You want oil optimized for forks.
Or, just piss in them. Your choice.
If you want to TUNE your suspension, the correct springs for your fat ass, and the correct weight fork oil for your damping orifices at the proper level in the tubes gets you there.
An old case of Dexron and thirty some odd year old springs, not so much. I would use motor oil ahead of ATF any day, if I had no fork oil, and I'd guess the 30W with these springs is quite the improvement. Race Tech specs 20W for the 35mm forks with emulators and straight rate springs, but that is a different metering system than the damping rod.
Original thinking held that the damping rod fork was hydraulic, which it is, and a hydraulic fluid should be specified. Racing proved that the only thing predictable that came from it was, as leaps were made in power and tires, the suspension gave up cooperating after a bit in endurance racing.
Newer thinking, fueled by racing R&D, and realizing that over worked suspension generated a lot of heat that degraded the fluid rapidly, proved it's worth quickly. Recognizing that motor oil dealt with higher temps, higher pressures, and maintained predictable flow and lubrication characteristics in temperatures well above what the hardest raced forks produced, special oils were developed with different additive packages to tailor them to the job of fork oil. You don't need a lot of the additives that are in engine oil to be in your forks. You want oil optimized for forks.
Or, just piss in them. Your choice.
If you want to TUNE your suspension, the correct springs for your fat ass, and the correct weight fork oil for your damping orifices at the proper level in the tubes gets you there.
An old case of Dexron and thirty some odd year old springs, not so much. I would use motor oil ahead of ATF any day, if I had no fork oil, and I'd guess the 30W with these springs is quite the improvement. Race Tech specs 20W for the 35mm forks with emulators and straight rate springs, but that is a different metering system than the damping rod.
