# 545... Experiment needed...



## Warp (May 24, 2004)

545 (or anyone who cares about the matter)...

I've been thinking about the oil change we did on your fork.
We mixed oils and theory says it works. Some people have gone that way and they say it works.

I just have something in the back of my head... please help me out making a little experiment.

Take a little bit of 5wt and 10wt oils and mix them, just like we did. Leave it rest for a few days... check if there is any separation between the oils. I know in normal MTB riding gives enough agitation for the oils to mix properly... but what if you leave the bike without use for a week or so... in such case, the worst it may happen is for oils to separate and give uneven damping in the initial stages of the ride.

I would do it myself, but you took the oils with you. Sorry for the bother, I just can't stop thinking about it. Especially now I may work on Rito's fork... and Rene's... and mine.... and... 

I'm gonna start up my shop... 
I wish I had the time. 100 bucks a fork each saturday, may give me enough money for parts.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Yeah you should start a shop seriously prophet warp, you are like a bike encyclopedia with feet... but.... 100 bucks is damn to much for a fork service, unless you mean "pesos"


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

tacubaya said:


> Yeah you should start a shop seriously prophet warp, you are like a bike encyclopedia with feet... but.... 100 bucks is damn to much for a fork service, unless you mean "pesos"


Well... I meant Mexican bucks.... that's pesos. :blush:


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## ritopc (Jul 3, 2004)

Warp2003 said:


> Well... I meant Mexican bucks.... that's pesos. :blush:


I could afford that

It's a shame friends don't make business of friends:nono: :nono:

hahahahaha.....j/k.:thumbsup: ... you could be like a bike advisor (and charge for your time, instead of your work)


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

ritopc said:


> I could afford that
> 
> It's a shame friends don't make business of friends:nono: :nono:
> 
> hahahahaha.....j/k.:thumbsup: ... you could be like a bike advisor (and charge for your time, instead of your work)


Nah... I don't really know that much, and I don't really have the time to make money out of it.

I'll keep just working my arse for my friends, just for being friends... if they have some confidence in me (Tigerdog shouldn't ).


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## mtbgiovanny (Feb 13, 2006)

Yeah exactlly
besides you are our prophet!!!!


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## 545cu4ch (Aug 11, 2005)

Ok, I'll try it today.:thumbsup:


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

545cu4ch said:


> Ok, I'll try it today.:thumbsup:


Thanks!!!
Before next time we meet, please remember me to give your tyre back to you.


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## Captain Jack Sparrow (Jan 26, 2006)

My Fox Vanilla 125 it´s in the wait for you FREE service  :rockon:


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

ROCKY_RENE said:


> My Fox Vanilla 125 it´s in the wait for you FREE service  :rockon:


Unfortunately oil supply is not part of the service... that's something YOU have to buy!! 

(Maybe the next Fox owner will get free oil from the leftovers from your oil change... but you have to get the oil this time!)


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## Captain Jack Sparrow (Jan 26, 2006)

Warp2003 said:


> Unfortunately oil supply is not part of the service... that's something YOU have to buy!!
> 
> (Maybe the next Fox owner will get free oil from the leftovers from your oil change... but you have to get the oil this time!)


jejeje Yeah!:smilewinkgrin: :drumroll: I have two Vanillas Fox :ihih: 
The next change of oil is for me too !

Eso suena bien! :headphones:


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## FxFvD (Jan 26, 2006)

can i have a serivce on my rigid fork? hahahahahaha
just kidiing?!!!

congrats for your new buisness warp:thumbsup:


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

FxFvD said:


> can i have a serivce on my rigid fork? hahahahahaha
> just kidiing?!!!
> 
> congrats for your new buisness warp:thumbsup:


I guess you didn't get it...

Dije que me gustaria poner mi taller y hacer negocio, pero no tengo tiempo y para ser un asesor como recomendo Ritopc, me falta conocer mucho mas.

Gracias de cualquier modo!


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## mountainking_71 (Sep 17, 2005)

now I know where to sen my fork when it needs to be service,

you see where I live the most sofisticated kind of service they di is fixing flats.

Imean where else can you have your fork serviced for free.


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## 545cu4ch (Aug 11, 2005)

Update: I did a mix of 5wt and 10wt and left it to sit on monday afternoon. I checked it today and it doesnt appear to have separated.:thumbsup:


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## REYEXbike (Jan 30, 2006)

*Why mix oils?*



545cu4ch said:


> Update: I did a mix of 5wt and 10wt and left it to sit on monday afternoon. I checked it today and it doesnt appear to have separated.:thumbsup:


 I wonder why you need to mix oils guys?
Bike oils have different caracteristics one to the other depending where belongs, in this case, suspension forks and shock oils, needs different SAE Number, that means, different viscosity to work well or change the performance of some s. fork models.
For example: the old R.S. JUDY fork, comes from factory with SAE 10 oil, this oil number have versatile viscosity for almost any condition, the point where this oil works is at compression and rebound (no matter how you are using the rebound control dial), but if you want to get more sensible compression and quick rebound change your SAE 10 (medium viscosity) to SAE 5 (ligth viscosity) or if you want less sensible compression and slower rebound change to SAE 15 (heavy viscosity).
But my recomendation is: Always use any SAE number Oil recommended by the factory and follow their instructions and correct amount of oil.
Density's oil is one of the most important part of overall suspension forks and shocks performance, if you experiment something on it, could be a mistake, because all suspension factorys and brands do all the experiments for you before launch their products to the market, and the oil recommended from them is the one who makes the best performance of your fork.

See you, next time.


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## Warp (May 24, 2004)

REYEXbike said:


> I wonder why you need to mix oils guys?
> Bike oils have different caracteristics one to the other depending where belongs, in this case, suspension forks and shock oils, needs different SAE Number, that means, different viscosity to work well or change the performance of some s. fork models.
> For example: the old R.S. JUDY fork, comes from factory with SAE 10 oil, this oil number have versatile viscosity for almost any condition, the point where this oil works is at compression and rebound (no matter how you are using the rebound control dial), but if you want to get more sensible compression and quick rebound change your SAE 10 (medium viscosity) to SAE 5 (ligth viscosity) or if you want less sensible compression and slower rebound change to SAE 15 (heavy viscosity).
> But my recomendation is: Always use any SAE number Oil recommended by the factory and follow their instructions and correct amount of oil.
> ...


See... there are several reasons to do it.

1st - Marzocchi Factory oil is 7.5wt and is not found from any other brand widely distributed in Mexico but Marzocchi themselves. Actually, what marzocchi uses is Golden Spectro oil. 
2nd - By mixing different oils, you affect their viscosity... that's what refineries do. They don't have distillation tower or process specific to each oil. They have a base oil and then add some thinners/thickeners until they get the desired characteristics.
3rd - Bicycle fork oils are ridiculously expensive. Not even synthetic engine oils are as expensive ml by ml.
4th - Because of 1, 2 and 3... I (and many others, check the shocks board) have mixed different weight oils to get the desired weight we need. This is standard practice on Motocross and other motorsports too. There is not such thing as 6wt oil from any factory and there may be some valving systems/applications/riders needing that precise weight. Changing oil weight (as you noted) is much easier than change the valving of the dampers.

Also... I'm not using any oil. I'm using Fork Suspension Fluid from a recognized brand, which in this case is Yamaha. It works well for either a R1 or their YZF dirtbikes... what of those forks go thru more demanding conditions? The race bike, the dirt bike or the MTB?

It is precisely because Marzocchi recommends 7.5wt oil that I've decided to mis oils to get the right oil viscosity I need. In the end, any fresh fork oil works better than the best fork oil recommended by the factory with tons of dirt inside.

One more topic... Rider's weight for a MTB fork can wildly variate between 45kilos to 130kilos... the factory oil is a compromise to try to accomodate a rather thin range of rider weight. Depending if you're lighter/heavier your needs may differ from the recommended oil.

Despite all the testing they do, sometimes long term usage is better and provides further knowledge. You may find insteresting that Manitou has a semi-bath oil recommended, but some users have found that a heavier synthetic engine oil works better as semi-bath oil.

The Magura fork I had, used grease lubrication in one leg. I swapped it to oil lubed... it works better now. The seals and bushings are the same specification, hence capable of working with the same oil used on the other side, which is SAE 5. I used SAE10 for better protection of the upper bushing and better performance than grease.


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