ATF ?

[Kurt in S.A.]

Viscosity discussions on these pages:

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ub ... er=2357402

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Automatic_ ... sion_fluid

It's pretty hard to compare viscosities and weights across different fluids. One wouldn't think that 40w motor oil is about the same viscosity as 80-90w gear oil.

Kurt in S.A.

[barryh]

The figures I have for standared Dexron II ATF are 7.1 cSt at 100 deg C and 35.8 cSt at 40 Deg C.

That makes it nominally the same as 7.5 fork oil but as fork oil viscosities are all over the place depending on brand you have to check with the fork oil you have in mind. It's also best to make the comparison at actual operating temperature which would be closer to 40 Deg C rather than 100.

On that basis ATF might be match with a 7.5 W fork oil. For example Silkolene Pro RSF 7.5W is 37 cSt at 40 deg C.

or

A 10 Wt fork oil. For example Silkolene 10W which is 34.9 cSt at 40 deg C.


Those figures show fork oil viscosities can be crazy even within the same brand depending on whether it's dino oil or synthetic. Castrol is the same with their 10W dino fork oil being thinner than 5W synthetic.

[ontic]

As discussed, they are all different weights.
read these links for more info than you wanted.
I think it is the centistrokes that is the important quality...

http://www.transmoto.com.au/enduro/prod ... ghts-Table

http://www.peterverdone.com/archive/lowspeed.htm


I'm trying some ATF in my G/S's forks at the moment, but those forks are from a more modern KTM (and big suckers that take almost a liter of oil each!)

I've gone with Penrite full synthetic ATF (not sure if you have this brand) when I bought it they were marketing and selling this product and a few others as being good for motorcycle forks and having equivalent weight listings. This ATF was listed as a 10 weight fork oil equivalent, but there was a list of things from 5, 7.5, 10, 15 and 20 weight equivalents. I had all the links to these products but the links are now dead and they've changed their online descriptions (and have now expanded their range to include actual motorbike fork oils... which no doubt cost more). There were things like different power steering fluids in that range and other oils..

Anyway, I am happy with the 10W ATF I am using so far, it is a bit cheaper, and it is a nationally available product here so it should be much easier to track down when in a pinch.

[Garnet]

WTF?

But there appear to be other meanings:

http://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/WTF

Let the degradation begin!!

Kurt in S.A.

I like:
WTF Worse Than Failure
WTF Way To Fail
WTF Where's the Fridge?
WTF White Trash Family

Jeff's fav: WTF What To Fix

Rob's: WTF What's This For?
WTF Where's the File


No explanation needed: WTF Welcome to Fun

Boxerworks motto: WTF We the Fools

ZM's WTF Women's Track and Field

[Major Softie]

I did not ask what "WTF" means, I said "WTF?" in response to ME109's suggestion to use WTF.

You guys just don't read very well. I mean, WTF?


By the way, you can go here for some White Trash Favorites: http://whitetrash.com/news/12369/

My favorite was:

I love my wife
(damn auto-correct)
I love my wifi

[Jean]

Dexron made my Honda Hawk and Kaw KZ550 real happy. OH, it's currently in the Yamaha SR185...
It is a nice RED color so you can tell what oil-thing is leaking when it leaks.
I think I put Bel-Ray 5wt in the R75/5 forks.

[dougie]

Dexron made my Honda Hawk and Kaw KZ550 real happy. OH, it's currently in the Yamaha SR185...
It is a nice RED color so you can tell what oil-thing is leaking when it leaks.
I think I put Bel-Ray 5wt in the R75/5 forks.

Thanks Jean.
If your Honda Hawk was happy maybe mine will be too.
Perhaps I will try Dexron ( or similar) first.