Dart 3 Oil - Alternatives

butcher of bakersfield

I'm fixing a bike up for a mate, just so he can plod about on it - nothing serious. The bike's been sat out in the rain for hell knows how long, but all in all it's surprisingly not too bad...once it's all regreased and donned with a new chain, it should be pretty much ready to go. But the forks were in a tragic state..

Up or down. No in between - like they were on a ratchet. So I've taken the opportunity to discover the internal structure of a spring loaded Dart 3. And now of course they have been free'd of oil.

Since this guy has no money, and I don;t want to shell out for someone else bike (I've got my own to deal with!)...I'm looking for alternatives. And I know right now what people will say....but...

Unless anyone can convince me that it's dangerous, I can only assume it will improve performance over it's prior state. So I've been looking at what available oils I have...

Cod liver Oil.
Olive Oil.
10w 40 Motor Oil.
ATF fluid.
Etc.

This is a serious question

Dirtydog11

10/40 + forks should remain consistent over a wide temperature range

butcher of bakersfield

This is for the dampening I should add.

I'm a little confused if there was supposed to be oil in the feet too, for lubrication. ...there wasn't when I took it apart. But I'm less bothered about that anyway, lubrication's lubrication.

supersonic

Fork oil - 5wt from a motorbike shop.

felix.london

Olive oil - as long as it's extra virgin. Cholesterol-free & unsaturated :P

butcher of bakersfield

supersonic wrote:

Fork oil - 5wt from a motorbike shop.

That involves money

supersonic

Nothing else will work as well I am afraid.

supersonic

http://www.nielsencdg.co.uk/acatalog/Ca ... 791_2d7199

Very much worth it.

The Rookie

Halford fork oil, £5.99 for 0.5L, not a bank breaker!

Simon