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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
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Message started by gdrseeker on 02/10/13 at 00:50:45

Title: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by gdrseeker on 02/10/13 at 00:50:45

I am replacing my fork seals sometime this week. Any suggestions on what type of fluid I should replace in the fork tubes? I haven’t looked in Clymers yet, I would guess they list it there, but I know sometimes there are alternatives and better products.

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by Gyrobob on 02/10/13 at 02:51:14

Any standard motorcycle fork oil, or, for way cheaper, ATF.

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by Dave on 02/10/13 at 03:17:35

The manual call for 15w fork oil......but Gyrobog is right.....ATF can be used if you don't go buy fork oil.

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by Serowbot on 02/10/13 at 07:46:01

ATF is about 13wt... and will work fine...

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by verslagen1 on 02/10/13 at 08:51:44

This is one of those things that you hopefully will never have to change again... so choose wisely my friend.

ATF is required for my honda, so I wouldn't hesitate to use it if that's all that could be gotten.

Fork oil can be had in many flavors. So if you're unhappy with the current action now's the time to think about it.

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by ZAR on 02/10/13 at 19:22:04

514255544B4640424916270 wrote:

Good point Versy! Over on the KZ400/440 site most of the guys are building cafe style scooters,many of them for street or vintage racing. They have used a wide variety of oils in the forks,testing them for many speeds,styles of riding and even weather conditions. It's amazing the difference between types and weights of oils as they function to absorb shock and the speeds they compress or release the tubes.

It appears fork oils/springs/lengths and rake is a complete science to itself.

Title: Re: What type of fluid do I put in my front forks.
Post by WD on 02/10/13 at 21:15:40

I run Dexron 3 in mine, have for several years. I'm 230 pounds, BUT, I probably run more than the book calls for volume wise. I drained the forks, collapsed them and filled the tubes to the top. Then extended them, dropped in the fork guts and reassembled. Almost as stiff as a dirt bike fork for a couple years, has gradually softened up as the oil has aged. I'd try Type F but it will compromise the fork seals and mine have been leaky since the day I bought the bike brand new in 1998. Something about pulling the front end off the ground that our fork seals don't like... actually, flying them is fine, they don't like coming back down too well... ::)