Damper Oil Replenishment

[Trickydicky]

Hi Everyone,

Today I flushed out the old oil from my front dampers and refilled them, the question I have is, rather than using oil as a flushing agent could parrafin be used to flush out the old oil before refilling them?

Thoughts anyone?

[cadetchris]

emm, not sure on that one. You would have to flush out the paraffin with the new oil, so essentially you would be flushing the thing out twice instead of the once. so if i where re-doing it i would personally just use the new oil. it might take a little more oil, but its probably quicker

[MarkyB]

I agree stick with oil, maybe drain a bit out after a few weeks of use so you can see if it's got dirty enough to warrant changing again.

[Trickydicky]

Thanks for the advice everyone,

As I said it was just a thought, I based it on the fact that I did not know when the oil was last changed so was thinking that something thinner would be a better flushing agent to help get all the old oil and any debris quickly, time really is not an issue as at most its just a couple of hours work.
Also rather than use a funnel to refill the damper I found a srynge with tubing attached worked better than a funnel.
Not advertising but I got them from here, http://www.fibretechgb.com/products/measuring-syringes.

This week its the turn of the back dampers......

[bmcecosse]

Fill and drain at least twice - and of course SAE40 oil - which is NOT SAE 10W40......

[Trickydicky]

Thanks bmcecosse, I did that and as per previous posts I will check them after a week or so.
The reason I asked regarding the parrafin was that I thought it would clean out any debris from the cylinders quicker than straight oil, at least then you can see the clean oil when you reflush.

I can understand people think using parrafin is a longwinded way of cleaning the dampers but as they say if a job is worth doing do it right.....

[MarkyB]

My concern about paraffin was more to do with being sure you got it all out before refilling with oil.

[bmcecosse]

And it could ruin the seals - don't do it.......

[Fingolfin]

Hahaha, the joys of being separated by a common language. We call what you're talking about kerosene, and paraffin is a petroleum-based wax...so at first I was mindboggled why anybody would try and run hot wax through a damper!

Definitely do as above -- run SAE 30 or 40 through at least twice, and top up after a week of use. How often to replenish thereafter, fellas?

[bmcecosse]

Every couple of years if you wish...... but likely it will be good for ten years. Yes - we have paraffin wax, and we have kerosene too (aircraft fuel) . But our liquid 'paraffin' is neither of these..

[Fingolfin]

Oh? Well what is your paraffin, then...?

[MarkyB]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kerosene