forkin' it over for fork oil

[chopwatchagot]

I've tried to research this topic in the forums here but I haven't seen anything that really amswers my question. So just what is it that makes "fork oil" fork oil? Aint it just oil? I shouldn't be such a tight a$$ but I hate paying premium prices for something that just has different words on the label but comes out of the same huge vat as the cheapo stuff that is supposedly for a different application. Maybe somebody (preferrably not a Yamaha parts salesman ) could wise me up.

[trbig]

Awww... C'mon!! You know motorcycle oil is WAAAYYY better than regular oil! lol... Bet that starts a fight! lol..

Tod

[Dragonrider]

It's just oil. Normally straight 10wt (for the XS-1100, yes, 10wt). Any good quality oil will do the trick. The important thing is you change it once and a while.

[prometheus578]

Probably labeled as fork oil... as it'd be hard to find straight 5W, 10W or 15 W anymore. Not enough call for any store to stock it. And don't waste your money on any synthetic crap, either.

[MAXIMAN]

Aww heck fellers!!! Tain't no diffurnce tween oils. Thayz all the same.

That's why we don't pay no never mind to our transmission oil. Yeah yeah GM recommends Dexron but ain't no diffurnce. Just put ye some good 'ol 10w-30 in it. It'll wurk jist az gud!

[Goin Commando]

Forks
It's more of a hydraulics thing than a lube thing. If you have to be cheap or live some place where you can't get fork fluid, you could always use automatic transmission fluid, it's about 10w and it works just fine. If your forks feels a little loose with the trans fluid set at the recomended levels, add a little extra, it will tighten up.

[Goin Commando]

I've tried to research this topic in the forums here but I haven't seen anything that really amswers my question. So just what is it that makes "fork oil" fork oil? Aint it just oil?

To answer your question, fork oil is a hydraulic fluid and is made to be squished and squirted at high pressures and resume it's original form emedeatly after doing so.
Motor oil cannot do this, it is made to bond together for high friction and for high heat purposes. It doesn't work well as a hydraulic fluid, it aireates and froths then becomes goop instead of oil.
This is the best description of the differences that I can come up with, without doin a Google.

[red bandit]

So hydraulic oil should work good then ...right??
One of my manuels lists transmisson fluid for one of the XS'S, don't remember witch one.

[Pat Kelly]

My 78 Honda recommended auto trans oil in the forks

[mro]

originally posted by Goin Commando
To answer your question, fork oil is a hydraulic fluid and is made to be squished and squirted at high pressures and resume it's original form emedeatly after doing so.

Since about the early/mid 80's many equipment manufacturers have switch from "hydraulic" oil to 10/30 or 15/40 motor oil (like delo 400). Most of these machines hydraulic pressure do not exceed 2500 psi under normal loads tho....


mro

[planedick]

Hydraulic oil...

Hydraulic oil is a working fluid with no real lubrication properties without the specific packages added that make it hydraulic oil. There is a special package to impart lubrication to moving parts like pistons, valves etc. Additionally there is a "Water dispersal" package of components to kelp keep water from emulsifying with it. Also there is a "Anti foam" package to prevent the foaming and gumming of regular oils. I shuld think that any good hydraulic oil or power steering fluid or ATF should be OK for those of us that are so frugal. Personally I would prefer as an alternative, industrial type hydraulic oil.

[50gary]

Use fork oil in forks. It has compounds that make it "seal friendly." anti foaming properties, and that will make for less stiction. One of the reasons telescopic forks don't work all that well is the large amount of stiction inhearant tothe design. All the more reason to use genuine fork oil. As far as expence how many times in your life have you changed fork oil? it's not somthing you do each week? When someone changes their oil in an antique car they don't put in antique oil they use modern technology in a can, things get better with time and oil (fork) is one of them.
Cheers, 50gary

[Goin Commando]

Automatic transmission fluid has alot of the qualitys that Dick and Gary have stated to be "the good stuff" but in a nut shell Gary has said it best.

As far as expence how many times in your life have you changed fork oil? it's not somthing you do each week?

[HobbyMan]

I was wondering how long you should go before changing it. The PO of my 80G put in some REALLY HEAVY oil. It smelled and felt like 90wt hypoid. Well, I changed it out about 5k miles ago and now my seals just went out. When I drained the old fluid, it was already black. Is this normal?

[chopwatchagot]

So I came up with a novel idea. I'll git me some REAL fork oil (that's erl to you, Cody ) and try it out. Probly won't break the bank and I might jus' like the way it works!