What do you use for front fork oil?

[BrainBucket]

And I had the factory to dealership book, and was surprised, anyone care to guess, or does an yone else know what Suzuki specified to use for front fork oil? It's pretty strange, thats for damn sure.
So if what they called for is just too wierd, (I replaced mine), what do you guys use instead?



Allright, I'll just tell you: Suzuki said mix automatic transmission fluid, and 30wt motor oil, 50/50, and thats what they called fork oil, I swear, wierdest thing I ever heard of. Go figure.
Runner up is certain early 80's Honda cages used ATF in their standard transmissions, theres something you better know before you work on one.
Next would be Rolls Royce using right hand tread lugnuts on one side, and left hand thread lugnuts on the other side. Who can we make try changing tires on a roller, without telling them that first, it's entertaining to do to someone who thinks they know it all. We can all make bets on how long it takes, and if they ever figure that out, at all.

 

[posplayr]

And I had the factory to dealership book, and was surprised, anyone care to guess, or does an yone else know what Suzuki specified to use for front fork oil? It's pretty strange, thats for damn sure.
So if what they called for is just too wierd, (I replaced mine), what do you guys use instead?



Allright, I'll just tell you: Suzuki said mix automatic transmission fluid, and 30wt motor oil, 50/50, and thats what they called fork oil, I swear, wierdest thing I ever heard of. Go figure.

Yea and it looks like milk shake in about 2 weeks. I'll never do it again.

Fork oil goes in forks.

 

[BrainBucket]

Thats what I ended up doing, I made an educated guess, and went with the 30wt fork oil, that worked allright, though my seals went shortly thereafter, but they were old, anyway.
I had to use that GS1000 to get me to work, so I couldnt do much for those seals till I had time off to do it. But when I ran out of fork oil, I substituted what I had around, hydraulic jack oil, and that gave a surprisingly good feel, and didnt leak out nearly as fast as the fork oil, until I had the chance to change the forkseals.

 

[81gs1100]

Runner up is certain early 80's Honda cages used ATF in their standard transmissions, theres something you better know before you work on one.
Next would be Rolls Royce using right hand tread lugnuts on one side, and left hand thread lugnuts on the other side. Who can we make try changing tires on a roller, without telling them that first, it's entertaining to do to someone who thinks they know it all. We can all make bets on how long it takes, and if they ever figure that out, at all.

Alot of newer cars use ATF in manual trannys as well as in transfer cases in 4x4's, and with left hand treads on lug nuts... Dodge and ford both did this in the early days.

So not so strange to me, but atf+30wt oil.. Thats strange

 

[rustybronco]

I use a 50/50 mix of atf and 20 wt engine oil.

 

[Nessism]

The '77 GS550 manual calls for a 10W/30 and ATF mix. If replacing this oil with Fork Oil the closest alternative would be 10 or 15 weight. 30 weight oil is way too thick.

 

[82Shafty]

http://www.peterverdonedesigns.com/lowspeed.htm


Gives fork oil weights

 

[BrainBucket]

The '77 GS550 manual calls for a 10W/30 and ATF mix. If replacing this oil with Fork Oil the closest alternative would be 10 or 15 weight. 30 weight oil is way too thick.

This is exactly why I posted the question, I made a "guesstimate" for my call, I just decided such a fat bike needed the thickest stuff there was. Now I have another opinion, and will use it, when I get to the forks on my current project. Thanks.
Now the seals going out, makes perfect sense.

I know I'm often accused of maniac ramblings, and being completely nuts, but how is this: I saw a show about Samurai, on the history channel today, that made a big issue about the lgendary Samurai, "Musashi", who wrote a book called the "book of five rings". I changed my avatar yesterday, the one you see now is in fact the title of that book, and Musashi's signature, or the way he wrote his own name, anyway. I'm reading it, actually. Wierd coincidence. My new signature is what Musashi calls his book.

 

[Clone]

I use 20W fork oil, what else....
I have used 15 found it too thin
Hydraulic oil found it thinner.
So now with the 20W I am happy

 

[Dogma]

My Clymer manual said straight Dexron III. I tried it, first time around. It worked. I think I've been using 15w fork oil since, maybe it was 20w.

 

[Steve]

Pardon the pun, but ... "different strokes for different folks."

BrainBucket figured that "such a fat bike needed the thickest stuff there was." What he did not figure was the the system was designed around a much thinner oil. It helps to know how the system works and what it was designed for before throwing your own concoction in there.

On the other hand, for those of us that do ALL of our riding on the street (hey, it's not fun off-roading with a Wing ), comfort is also important. I read through most of the link that 82Shafty gave. One line in there really hits home for me. It said something about using the lightest oil that will still give adequate damping, since about 98% of the time, a street bike is using the low-speed damping circuits. Progressive usually recommends using 15w fork oil when their springs are installed. When I bought my Wing, the previous owner had installed Progressive fork springs and 15w oil. I soon found that on longer day rides, my wrists were hurting as soon as half an hour into the ride, depending on how smooth the roads were. I realized that it was because of the harsh jarring they were receiveing from the handlebars. I drained the oil and installed 10w fork oil and noticed an immediate improvement. 4-500 mile days are no problem at all, at my wrists were still feeling good after the 760 mile days on my way to and from Mississippi last year.

.

 

[49er]

Pardon the pun, but ... "different strokes for different folks."

BrainBucket figured that "such a fat bike needed the thickest stuff there was." What he did not figure was the the system was designed around a much thinner oil. It helps to know how the system works and what it was designed for before throwing your own concoction in there.

On the other hand, for those of us that do ALL of our riding on the street (hey, it's not fun off-roading with a Wing ), comfort is also important. I read through most of the link that 82Shafty gave. One line in there really hits home for me. It said something about using the lightest oil that will still give adequate damping, since about 98% of the time, a street bike is using the low-speed damping circuits. Progressive usually recommends using 15w fork oil when their springs are installed. When I bought my Wing, the previous owner had installed Progressive fork springs and 15w oil. I soon found that on longer day rides, my wrists were hurting as soon as half an hour into the ride, depending on how smooth the roads were. I realized that it was because of the harsh jarring they were receiveing from the handlebars. I drained the oil and installed 10w fork oil and noticed an immediate improvement. 4-500 mile days are no problem at all, at my wrists were still feeling good after the 760 mile days on my way to and from Mississippi last year.

.

Good advice.

It depends on how aggressively you intend to ride over your intended period in the saddle.
I run Progressives on my 850, with Silkolene 15w oil. I have increased the pre-load slightly and find it's perfect for moderate to flat surfaces through the tighter stuff. Heavy ruttlng does upset my lines through corners, but not alarmingly/dangerously so. I found 10w just marginally too soft for the bike and my style of riding.

The riders weight and fitness should be factored into the decision too. I'm just a "racing sardine" compared to some on this forum!