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front shocks
- Thread starter bruiner
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[ QUOTE ]
Guys, I'm fine, and busy. Thanks for thinking of me! Mineral oil is baby oil, great for tanning and a few other household chores, but not meant for shockers.
Peter
[/ QUOTE ]
Reminds me: If peanut oil comes from peanuts, and corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from...?
Sorry - couldn't help myself!
Guys, I'm fine, and busy. Thanks for thinking of me! Mineral oil is baby oil, great for tanning and a few other household chores, but not meant for shockers.
Peter
[/ QUOTE ]
Reminds me: If peanut oil comes from peanuts, and corn oil comes from corn, where does baby oil come from...?
Sorry - couldn't help myself!
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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[ QUOTE ]
Guys, I'm fine, and busy. Thanks for thinking of me! Mineral oil is baby oil, great for tanning and a few other household chores, but not meant for shockers.
[/ QUOTE ]
So, what do you recommend?
Guys, I'm fine, and busy. Thanks for thinking of me! Mineral oil is baby oil, great for tanning and a few other household chores, but not meant for shockers.
[/ QUOTE ]
So, what do you recommend?
kennypinkerton
Yoda
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Any oil will eventually destroy the rubber seals in a shock... I don't car what you use - even if it's peanut oil... but, the shocks were never designed to last over 25+ years... but they will (amazingly) with a rebuild (if needed), or even just topping up with your favorite medium to light weight oil.
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Kenny - the shocks under my '79 are still there & have never had anything done to them - they ride correctly & don't leak! Of course, this is also the car that - when I picked it up new - the service manager at the MG dealership told me to use auto trans fluid in the ZS carb's dashpot & clear mineral oil in the shocks. And he also told me to use only high octane gas...I've done all 3 religiously for over 100,000 trouble free miles!
Well, the air pump did go out somewhere on the Alaska highway & I had to rebuild the carb after the car was in storage for 3 years & the original electronics in the distributor died....but other than normal maintenance, that's about it! Until this week - I think my distributor has finally gone TA!
But, I'm up for learning something new everyday.
Well, the air pump did go out somewhere on the Alaska highway & I had to rebuild the carb after the car was in storage for 3 years & the original electronics in the distributor died....but other than normal maintenance, that's about it! Until this week - I think my distributor has finally gone TA!
But, I'm up for learning something new everyday.
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I use mineral oil in my shocks and they work just fine! If something works, it works! Why argue with the facts? Why pay 5 times as much, plus shipping and handling, then waiting 3,4, or more days for it to be delivered, when you can run to the local drug store and get a bottle of just plain ole mineral oil. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cheers.gif PJ
[ QUOTE ]
Any oil will eventually destroy the rubber seals in a shock...
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't understand that statement. I agree that any seal will eventually perish (entropy), but I don't think the oil is at fault. Anyway, the reason you check that there is a need for oil is because some may have leaked out. It doesn't burn, or disappear for any other reason. The shock should be a closed environment. The Armstrong shock lasts a very long time. If for some reason grit, salt, etc get onto the shaft seal area, the life of the seal (atually a packing) is compromised. Then they leak. There may or may not be a rubber piston seal inside. At most only 1. Never two, and often no piston seal at all by design. It is possible to overfill the shock such that when the oil expands due to heated use, it will weep from the shaft seal. There is meant to be an air-space. When that happens, that area becomes likely to attract the grit, etc. Best not to overfill. Changing the oil every decade or so is probably a good idea. I recommend a hydraulic oil as used in hydraulic heavy equipment. It has the antifoaming ingrediants and is quite stable. I suspect it's what is sold as fork oil. They are designed for hydraulic systems under pressure and heat. Available in many grades. We use 20w for road use, and 30w for racing, along with other tweeks to the valves.
But, I can't argue with your successes. It speaks well of the durabilty of the shock.
Peter
Any oil will eventually destroy the rubber seals in a shock...
[/ QUOTE ]
I don't understand that statement. I agree that any seal will eventually perish (entropy), but I don't think the oil is at fault. Anyway, the reason you check that there is a need for oil is because some may have leaked out. It doesn't burn, or disappear for any other reason. The shock should be a closed environment. The Armstrong shock lasts a very long time. If for some reason grit, salt, etc get onto the shaft seal area, the life of the seal (atually a packing) is compromised. Then they leak. There may or may not be a rubber piston seal inside. At most only 1. Never two, and often no piston seal at all by design. It is possible to overfill the shock such that when the oil expands due to heated use, it will weep from the shaft seal. There is meant to be an air-space. When that happens, that area becomes likely to attract the grit, etc. Best not to overfill. Changing the oil every decade or so is probably a good idea. I recommend a hydraulic oil as used in hydraulic heavy equipment. It has the antifoaming ingrediants and is quite stable. I suspect it's what is sold as fork oil. They are designed for hydraulic systems under pressure and heat. Available in many grades. We use 20w for road use, and 30w for racing, along with other tweeks to the valves.
But, I can't argue with your successes. It speaks well of the durabilty of the shock.
Peter
jlaird
Great Pumpkin
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You work it in raising and pushing down on the arm slowly. It will get very stiff but work smooth in both directions. Mostly, the heaver the oil the tougher the movement. PeterC is the expert and he says max is about 30W without changeing the jetting.
If you need shocks reworked he is the guy.
If you need shocks reworked he is the guy.