SuzukiSavage.com - Fork Oil?

sillydilly Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 231	Fork Oil? 07/28/11 at 15:40:06 Hey guys, just started putting my forks back together. got a couple of questions. How much oil do I need to put in each shock? exactly what kind of oil do I put in? at what stage do I put it in?
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28995 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #1 - 07/28/11 at 22:25:00 441 ml /14.9 oz Fork oil, I used 15 wt. You can put it in just before you put the cap on.
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sillydilly Full Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 231	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #2 - 07/29/11 at 10:20:34 so nothing fancy, 10w-30 would work?
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #3 - 07/29/11 at 10:39:39 Should use fork oil,Synthetic will give you smoother action.
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Boule’tard Serious Thumper ModSquad Offline Master of the Obvious Posts: 1620 Austin TX Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #4 - 07/29/11 at 10:43:09 You should buy fork oil. But if you don't want to, you can get by with automatic transmission fluid.
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dasch Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1137	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #5 - 07/29/11 at 11:51:28 My old suzuki GS' manual (1981) recommended a blend 50/50 of ATF and 10W40. I stick to that, in lack of fork oil.
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bill67 Serious Thumper Offline old tired Posts: 8517 genoa city wisconsin Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #6 - 07/29/11 at 13:18:12 What weight ATF are you guys using.
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dv8savagerider Junior Member Offline Ride safe! Posts: 88 Southern Michigan Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #7 - 07/29/11 at 13:21:12 I was at a bike show last night and overheard some guys talking about how they use bearing grease instead of fork oil- anyone heard of this?
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28995 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #8 - 07/29/11 at 13:32:16 get snotz
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dasch

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Re: Fork Oil?
Reply #9 - 07/29/11 at 13:35:59

Bill, I am not sure. It says Castrol ATF on the bottle, can't see the weight anywhere.

Bearing grease? Not quite certain how you pack it in there in that quantity... I had this Honda 15 yrs ago with slightly bent forks and we poured 90 grade differential oil in forks to stop the leak. It worked. suspension was actually just slightly stiffer than usual. Still runs. Never leaked since.

I read someplace that oil component is for friction and ATF is added because it contains anti-bubble (foam) additive. Can't vouch for either, but fact is, suzuki GS 550 manual states 50/50 ratio 10W40 and ATF.

Oh yeah, if you have fork oil available (I don't) - use it. Whatever is inside.

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28995 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #10 - 07/29/11 at 14:21:50 Clymer says straight Dextron ATF or 15w fork oil. Being that this is published and in service before a savage was ever... It must be industry standard practice. Only thing I can say is ATF is lighter than 15w. I've also read that all oils degrade due to service any way and end up around 5w.
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T2 Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 83 Frederick, CO	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #11 - 07/29/11 at 17:59:25 Fork oil also has a "seal sweller" that helps prevent leakage around the seal.
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dasch Serious Thumper Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 1137	Re: Fork Oil? Reply #12 - 07/30/11 at 05:30:35 I think ATF does too. Or god knows. But if you have fork oil available - heck, use it. No need to improvise if you have a soultion on the shelf.
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Digger

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Re: Fork Oil?
Reply #13 - 08/17/11 at 21:12:06

verslagen1 wrote on 07/28/11 at 22:25:00:

441 ml /14.9 oz......

Or, for my bike (see signature) at least, when the level is 75mm (2.95") from the top of the fork tube (when the fork tube is vertical and the spring is out). Here is my fork oil level gauge, btw:

The Vice-Grips prevent the ruler from falling into the fork tube.

If you can't easily get the fork tube vertical, just measure the oil level in the middle of the tube.

IMHO, the level measurement method is a more accurate means of assuring the proper amount of fork oil is in the forks than is adding a measured amount of said oil.

Clear as mud?

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