19 replies to this topic Post Order

[Skylark]

There are many many people on various forums that use car oil for the lowers service in forks Rock Shox/Fox ect - Manitou even recommends it in the service manual for some of its forks.

Many recommend 10w oil - Mobil 1 fully synthetic being a favourite.
I was about to use some castrol magnatec 10w-40 when I read a guy saying that although the lube properties of car oil are excellent but they may have additives not designed to interact with stanchions etc that have specialized teflon coatings etc - no need to write off my forks in the pursuit of saving R100.

But if car oil works it works and many who have been using for years say it does.

Lets make it very clear though before I get castrated for supposed stupidity :
NO ONE RECOMMENDS USING CAR OILS FOR DAMPER SERVICE ETC
ONLY FOR THE LOWERS SERVICE - DAMPER SERVICE NEEDS THE CORRECT & MANUFACTURER RECOMMENDED FORK OIL TYPE.

Please guys limit the "I would use the manufacturers specified oil" , "car oil is for cars" etc - I know that , I'm looking for the adventurous mechanics out there who may have tried and tested car oil in fork lowers.

As many of us know when the manufacturers say "Only use our expensive product on our expensive product or else" they are scare mongering to generate sales.
They are entitiled to I suppose but its normally a load of bollocks.
They are valueable guidelines though!

I want to use castrol magnatec 10w-40 on my 2009 Revelation Rock Shox Fork.
Any one used car oils themselves for lowers service and if so what make and type.
Will I damage coatings and seals in my 2009 Revelation Rock Shox Fork with magnatec?

Edited by SkyLark, 03 February 2012 - 01:38 .

[W3RN3R]

Go to Bearing Man and get the correct oil for less than R20 for 200ml.

[Robrider]

Paging JB... Paging JB...

I'm pretty sure he says its OK to use car oil, but hopefully he will see this...

[Skylark]

W3RN3R, on 03 February 2012 - 02:37 , said:

Go to Bearing Man and get the correct oil for less than R20 for 200ml.

Awesome tip W3RN3R , what must I ask for?

[The Drongo]

Just use 10w fork oil nana.

Go to Alfie Cox ptn with a little bottle and bum some.

[Skylark]

The Drongo, on 03 February 2012 - 04:09 , said:

Just use 10w fork oil nana.

Go to Alfie Cox ptn with a little bottle and bum some.

Mmm I don't know them from a bar of soap , it wouldnt be fair on them

I can just imagine the streams of durban hubbers going to Alfie Cox ptn with a little bottle day in day out for weeks and months after this is posted - all looking for a little bit of fork oil!!!

[cptmayhem]

The guys at Alfie Cox are good 'os. Go there for a chat and blag some off them. I'm sure they won't mind. Plus, you can perve over their bikes at the same time.

[Johan Bornman]

Car oil is fine for the application Skylark suggests. As thin as possible will be nice, and I think the 10Wwhatever will do the trick.

As long as the oil can splash upwards and lube the upper end, all is well.

It will NOT damage seals, coatings or the teflon coating on the bushes.

I used it for years on my own forks but now that I do this professionally I cover my arse with the real thing, even though the dire warnings that Sky pointed out burns my arse.

[Skylark]

Thanks Johan!

Interesting reading :

http://www.carbibles...eoil_bible.html

[Skylark]

I did my Castrol magnatec 10w-40 for Rock Shox Rev 140mm Lowers Service today.
Castrol worked like a bomb , forks smooth like butta!

I can see why almost any high quality lube oil at the correct viscosity will work.
All the lowers oil does is splash lube the stanchions and stanchion bushings - absolutely nothing else!

I put an extra 3ml each side (15ml specified) - this gona do any harm?
I know from past experience a little extra oil is fine becuase manufactuers desgn with a10-20% lee-way so slight over-filling won't break the item.

And to anyone hesitating to do a lowers service - Its almost the easiest bike maintenance I have every done!!!

loosen 2 bolts , light tap , out they all come , clean all important bits , long bits back in , oil in , bolts in and tighten - OVER!!!

I was petrified that it was a small parts falling everywhere job - not at all.

How hard is the damper and and dual air service?
I've stripped many a motorbike to every last part - it cant be that hard.
Do you need any special tools?

[Cassie]

SkyLark, on 07 February 2012 - 09:57 , said:

I did my Castrol magnatec 10w-40 for Rock Shox Rev 140mm Lowers Service today.
Castrol worked like a bomb , forks smooth like butta!

I can see why almost any high quality lube oil at the correct viscosity will work.
All the lowers oil does is splash lube the stanchions and stanchion bushings - absolutely nothing else!

I put an extra 3ml each side (15ml specified) - this gona do any harm?
I know from past experience a little extra oil is fine becuase manufactuers desgn with a10-20% lee-way so slight over-filling won't break the item.

And to anyone hesitating to do a lowers service - Its almost the easiest bike maintenance I have every done!!!

loosen 2 bolts , light tap , out they all come , clean all important bits , long bits back in , oil in , bolts in and tighten - OVER!!!

I was petrified that it was a small parts falling everywhere job - not at all.

How hard is the damper and and dual air service?
I've stripped many a motorbike to every last part - it cant be that hard.
Do you need any special tools?

So...how dirty was your oil??

I'm interested to know as to when to do my fork service(ja, I know what the ACTUAL specs are ~50hrs or so...)..but, .been putting it off for some time now...

[Skylark]

Cassie, on 08 February 2012 - 08:25 , said:

So...how dirty was your oil??

I'm interested to know as to when to do my fork service(ja, I know what the ACTUAL specs are ~50hrs or so...)..but, .been putting it off for some time now...

My oil was crystal clean , hasn't been changed in a good 12 months or more.
But the fork stanchions have been meticulously cleaned after every ride and maybe even during rides if I see a good build up of grit on the stanchions - cause the grit is the enemy!!
And the bike has not been ridden often in radically muddy/dusty conditions.

The oil's lube properties will be maintainted for a good few years so thats not the issue.
Contamination getting into the lowers is - I can see now why guys stnachions and bushings get ruined.

Contamination in the lowers basically means there's a grinding paste wearing away at the stanchions/bushings with every stroke , if that paste is nice and gritty and combined with some good solid riding its not going to take to long to absolutely ruin things

Edited by SkyLark, 08 February 2012 - 12:06 .

[Skylark]

Anyone? How hard is the damper service?

[mazambaan]

Um, no more Alfie Cox in Pinetown, you'll have to haul out to Cato Ridge. RBS close to Alfie's old shop in Pinetown might just help you.

[Johan Bornman]

SkyLark, on 09 February 2012 - 11:50 , said:

Anyone? How hard is the damper service?

The damper service is not hard but it helps to have someone around the first time to calm the nerves. Beer also works.

Rock shock dampers and air pistons use O-rings as seals and you need some experience in measuring these up using a vernier. Some O-ring rules regarding hardness (measured in Shore), size tolerance and inspection, is required if you want to do things properly.

Come and service your shock at my next Cape Town shock service workshop. Its on a Friday afternoon. Skive off work and come through to Durbanville.

My schedule and details are posted earlier on here.

[Skylark]

Johan Bornman, on 11 February 2012 - 08:53 , said:

The damper service is not hard but it helps to have someone around the first time to calm the nerves. Beer also works.

Rock shock dampers and air pistons use O-rings as seals and you need some experience in measuring these up using a vernier. Some O-ring rules regarding hardness (measured in Shore), size tolerance and inspection, is required if you want to do things properly.

Come and service your shock at my next Cape Town shock service workshop. Its on a Friday afternoon. Skive off work and come through to Durbanville.

My schedule and details are posted earlier on here.

I would dearly love to come but I'm in Durban!!
Can I buy a damper seals kit for the rockshox revalation with all the correct seals needed?