dampers - free upgrades and questions

http://www.tunachuckers.com/blog/index.php?p=97&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#c707

Try a google search on "suspension fluid chart"

Also, check

http://www.redlineoil.com/Products.aspx?pcid=18

Lots of good info out there.

HTH

jimbbski wrote: The only oil you should use is motorcycle fork oil! Any other kind of oil will not work and will most likely blow out the seals. This trick has been done for over 30 years. I did it to a set of stock struts on a Capri. A friend did it first using some kind of motor oil and blew out the seals. I used 10W motorcycle fork oil and had a set of struts that had higher damperning and didn't blow out the seals! The ports on a shock piston are very small. Trying to force 90W oil through them just will not work!

A lot of motorcycles use ATF in their forks, so I think you can add ATF to the list of appropriate fluids.

In reply to 16vCorey:

That's only if the valving is set up for an oil with the flow characteristics of a specific ATF. These are small orifices and they're kind of picky. You can't throw ATF into a shock that is designed to live happily with 5wt shock oil.

Most high quality MC fork oil has anti-foaming additives. This keeps the shocks from fading. My experience on this is limited, but the crappy oem Escort struts that I put 5w fork oil in are still better than the KYBs I helped my buddy install.