suspension fork fluid options

[ishaw]

I'm looking to service a few forks in the near future, and buying genuine Fox and sram fluids looks to be quite expensive, so I was wondering if there are alternatives that do the job? Mostly looking for 15w and 5w as I have some 10w from a while ago, what are my options?

The reason I'm balking at spending on the branded stuff is that this will be my first time at servicing anything modern, and I'm sure mistakes will be made so don't want to be pouring expensive stuff down the drain, fuguritively speaking, as I will of course be disposing of responsibly!

Cheers

 

[FluffyChicken]

Buy oils you can blend.
For example the 15W and 5W SAE you are choosing will give 10W and 7.5W (good for bombers)
You have retro forks covered there too, apart from some odd ones that need 20W


My current ones are Rock Oil, you can buy in 0.5 and 1L options.
A lot of it is re-branded so motorcycle fork oil will do the job as well if you find what is what. There are list on the web and many of them linked in the oil thread dotting retrobike.

If you make a mistake, keep the oil still as it comes in useful, say if you need to top some up to blow forks apart (probably more a retro thing, don't know anything about modern) But the oil is the same stuff you'll be using.
It's also useful to clean parts and flush forks out.

If you're doing lots, really lots, see what you can buy in 5L and 10L options.

 

[ishaw]

Thanks fluffy, the thought of mixing have me an idea to at least test some forks. Not ideal for the long haul but free - I decanted the fluid from both sets if forks I'm hoping to make one good set from and got just over 100ml of 15w fluid (assuming this as that's what it should be). Topped up to 123ml with some 10w, put it all back together and it seems the fork now works and the lockout function is back in action.

In terms of the oil you mention, where would be a good place to buy it? I've got three forks to service and want to replace the hybrid oil I created for the above test.

Cheers

 

[WD Pro]

I went for this stuff off the net :

Cant remember the seller though sorry ... I think it might have been a motorbike shop on eBay ?

WD

 

[ishaw]

Cheers, will see what I can find.

 

[FluffyChicken]

For the Rock oil, I just buy from CRC as its a good price and has always come quickly.

The shop on ebay costs about the same, At least when I was last buying it.

There are plenty of other to choose from so it comes down to preference.
I use it in Rockshox MAG/JUDY Marz XC/Bombers. I have nothing newer but will still use it.

CRC £5.49 0.5L 5/7.5/10/15 SAE
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/rock ... p-prod8399

As far as I remember mixing half half technically might not be half the viscosity when mixing different viscose liquids, but it's close enough for what we do.
They might have more on their website http://www.rockoil.co.uk/cm/

Try a local distributor http://www.rockoil.co.uk/cm/distributors/uk-motorcycle

Ebay
http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_odkw= ... n&_sacat=0

I don't know how it compares to others in 'performance chart' e.g. temperature stability, life, anti foaming, librication. but it works for me.

 

[jimplops]

I've used Putoline in the past, but as already said, any reputable motorbike shop will sell differing grades of shock oil.

 

[EarlofBarnet]

I buy my fork oil from my local motor bike shop. It's a few quid a bottle cheaper than the 'Fox' etc branded oils. No problems here in all the years I've done this.

 

[mattr]

This is a script I use for mixing RC car oils, should give you an idea for mixing shock oils.
http://scriptasylum.com/rc_speed/oil_mixer.html

 

[Mindmap3]

Motul stuff is supposed to be really good (it's the closest stuff to the the oil that BOS use) and should be readily available from motorbike shops and is about fifteen quid a litre.

I've used that Rock Oil stuff in the pic above and it seems fine.

Fox fluid is supposed to be really good but isn't cheap.

The only thing to bear in mind is that some forks are more sensitive to oils than others (Fox, BOS) whereas Marzocchi seem to work well on anything.