short shifter

Started by love2drift · Aug 2, 2004 · 10postsSMF 2010–26

love2driftAug 2, 2004, 11:05 am · #1

what kind of oil do I use in the shocks?

Alex FrostAug 2, 2004, 11:10 am · #2

what kind of oil do I use in the shocks?

Like for the engine there are different viscositites of oil for the shocks...I used to able to get it at Napa, but haven\'t tried lately, and a shop that deals with suspension should be able to get the oil that you need. You will probably want more viscosity, but what the factory was, and how much more stiff you should go, I haven\'t a clue...

KeithAug 3, 2004, 3:32 am · #3

Yeah...........the only thing the \'84 FSM says, is to use \"NISSAN GENUINE STRUT FLUID\" or equivalent. Not much help there.

love2driftAug 3, 2004, 3:53 pm · #4

I have the answer. I called nissan this morning and the guy told me he\'s never heard of it and refused to look it up. so I called tokico and the tech person there said use ATF or motorcycle fork oil would work fine as long as it was a light weight( ie 10w). hope this helps people in the future

KeithAug 3, 2004, 4:03 pm · #5

Good to know.......I haven\'t a clue what the tech put in my Tokico inserts when I got them put on a few years ago......but their pretty damn firm!!

love2driftAug 3, 2004, 4:06 pm · #6

well the oil for heat transfer, not for stiffness keep that in mind when buying an oil

Alex FrostAug 3, 2004, 6:04 pm · #7

The oil is for dampening...the shock is a hydraulic cylinder, and the end plate has holes in it...different weights determines the viscosity of the oil, lower the viscosity the esier it travels through the holes, and the easier it is to compress the shock...it is also important in the rebound dampening, and many shocks have different chambers, and this is another way how you can have adjustable shocks...When the shocks get warm is when it starts to not perform the way it should...this is another reason why some shocks have an external reservoir, the more volume the more heat it takes to warm the fluid, and thus makes a more consistent shock. Another reason for having an external reservoir it is for dampening purposes...they are also know as being a piggy back system...Cool

sidewaysAug 3, 2004, 6:43 pm · #8

has anyone actually refilled the shocks? and what do you do if something breaks in the process. i am sure nissan does not stock a .12 cent rubber plunger anymore. i want to refill my front ones when i get the new ones on the back but i am kinda sticking to if it ain\'t broke don\'t fix it. they seem to be doing fine now but i am not sure if taking the chance is worth it.

love2driftAug 3, 2004, 7:06 pm · #9

the factory service manual states that the oil in between the cartridge and the housing is for heat transfer. The tech at tokico confirmed that. And the piston in the cartridge is the only moving part of the shock. So I stand by my previous statement thinner oil dissipates heat faster.

PavementAug 4, 2004, 7:15 am · #10

I stand by love2drift. Some people will try to use thicker oil to stiffen up the strut response but this is not the best way to go about things and was never intended to be done. Its up to the owner of the car though.