Redline Like Water Suspension Fluid

[sngltrk]

I am considering running Redline Like Water suspension fluid in the inner chamber of the fork and in the shock of my '99 CR250. I run Mobil 1 ATF in the outer chamber of the fork. The Mobil 1 ATF is inexpensive, readily available, and great at lubricating the fork, but it's a little thicker than I want to run for damping purposes. I have run Honda HP 5wt. in the inner chamber with good results.

I want to try a full synthetic fluid with a lighter viscosity, than Honda HP 5wt. So I started looking for fluids that fit what I was looking for. While researching I compiled the data show below. From the data is how I came to considering the Redline Like Water suspension fluid. Now I would like to hear the real world experiences and opinions of Redline Like Water fluid and/or any others from the data table.

Thanks for the help
Scott

P.S. I hope this data can help other as it help me.

Suspension Fluid Specifications
Properties
Brand Name Vis. @100'C Vis. @40'C VI Pour Synthetic Price
(cSt) (cSt) Point 100% ($/Qt.)
(mm^2/s) (mm^2/s) (F) ($/Lt.)

Redline Like Water 2.30 5.50 344 -15 Yes 11.99
Redline Extralight 4.00 9.80 402 -17 Yes 11.99
Silkolene RSF 2.5wt. 5.83 13.5 464 -37 Yes 10.99
Honda HP 5wt. 3.45 15.06 140 ? ? 9.99
Amsoil STL 4.38 15.68 210 -54 Yes 8.75
Maxima 5wt. 85/150 3.51 15.90 150 -25 No 7.49
Spectro Cart. 85/150 3.82 16.90 150 -25 Blend 11.99
Motul FL 2.5/5wt. 4.24 18.30 138 -49 Yes ?
Redline Light 7.10 18.40 407 -21 Yes 11.99
Spectro 5wt. 4.40 21.70 119 -28 No 6.50
Spectro Cart.125/150 5.25 26.10 150 -20 Blend 11.99
Maxima 7wt. 125/150 5.36 26.70 150 -8 No 7.49
Silkolene RSF 5wt. 9.46 26.70 372 -45 Yes 10.99
Amsoil STM 7.33 32.08 205 -48 Yes 8.20
Mobil 1 ATF 7.60 35.00 198 -54 Yes 4.99

 

[sngltrk]

Well, as I feared all the data is reformatted when posted. I hope you can figure out how I tried to the present the data.

 

[marcusgunby]

to get the data to come out in the correct order you will need to put lots of ....... instead of spaces.

On redline like water-i know someone who runs it in Wp shocks and they are about the most demanding dampers around.

 

[sngltrk]

Here is another attempt to format the data I compiled

Originally posted by sngltrk
Suspension Fluid Specifications
Properties
Brand Name.............Vis. @100'C...Vis. @40'C...VI...Pour...Synthetic....Price
..................................(cSt).............(cSt)..............Point......100%....($/Qt.)
...............................(mm^2/s)......(mm^2/s)..........(F)....................($/Lt.)

Redline Like Water..........2.30.............5.50......344...-15........Yes........11.99
Redline Extralight............4.00.............9.80......402...-17........Yes........11.99
Silkolene RSF 2.5wt.........5.83.............13.5......464...-37........Yes........10.99
Honda HP 5wt.................3.45..............15.06....140.....?..........?............9.99
Amsoil STL.....................4.38..............15.68....210...-54........Yes.........8.75
Maxima 5wt. 85/150.......3.51..............15.90....150...-25........No...........7.49
Spectro Cart. 85/150......3.82..............16.90....150...-25........Blend.....11.99
Motul FL 2.5/5wt.............4.24..............18.30....138...-49........Yes............?
Redline Light..................7.10..............18.40....407...-21........Yes........11.99
Spectro 5wt...................4.40..............21.70....119...-28........No............6.50
Spectro Cart.125/150.....5.25..............26.10....150...-20........Blend......11.99
Maxima 7wt. 125/150.....5.36..............26.70....150.....-8........No............7.49
Silkolene RSF 5wt..........9.46..............26.70....372...-45.........Yes.........10.99
Amsoil STM...................7.33..............32.08....205...-48.........Yes...........8.20
Mobil 1 ATF...................7.60..............35.00....198...-54..........Yes..........4.99

 

[marcusgunby]

So is the 1st column roughly meant to be the wt at 100oC the 2nd is the wt at 40oC and the last is the VI??

 

[sngltrk]

Yeah basically that's what it is. Only not SAE weights. It is the kinematic viscosity numbers. I found that the SAE weight that manufactures give their products is really just a labeling exercise. In order to really compare fluid viscosities you need the kinematic viscosity numbers. The order of the columns from left to right are viscosity at 100'C, viscosity at 40'C, Viscosity Index, Pour Point, Synthetic or not, Price that I can buy it for in quarts or liters.

You mentioned a friend who uses Redline Like Water in their WP damper, do they like the action, does the fluid have good durability?

 

[marcusgunby]

As far as i know its works well in the Wp and if so, its a very good oil.

 

[shaggy829]

sngltrk
the redline oil is very good i have used lots of it and presently use it in my engines , i have not been using it in my shocks to explore other oils.

i know you are looking for a super good synthetic for your forks and shocks . i am curently useing torco light in jap shocks and moterex 2.5 or redline 2.5 in pds shocks . in theory the thinner the better due to fade in thicker oils . hoever it is more important to use better oil in the shock , invest in redline or motorex or torco for your shock .but use a cheaper oil in the forks the syntetic won't last any longer and it cost more . think about how the lighter oil will effect your rebound and if your are running your clicker in a lot like 5-7 you will need to add a little low speed rebound to compensate i think 7-10 is good range for rebound clickers on showa . in short the lighter oil will fade less but you may need valving changes to make it work .
shaggy

 

[NO HAND]

If I understand well what I've been reading elsewhere (from Shocknut), the shock fluids that have a very high VI rating (around 400) have most likely too much polymers (vi improvers) and are the ones likely to have a short life; since too much polymers affect the service life of the fluid, just as too much anti-foam agents. Would that mean products from redline would be short lived?

 

[NO HAND]

...i am curently useing torco light in jap shocks and moterex 2.5 or redline 2.5 in pds shocks...

Hi Shaggy,
I know PDS shocks see more heat than most other shocks, does that mean the oils you use in the PDS are the better ones. I was wondering why isn't Torco good enough to go in PDS shocks.

 

[LogicTech]

I have been using Red Line light weight 5wt in WP shocks for years. In back to back comparison with Silkolene RFS 5wt. The Red Line came out clear after one season in use. The Silkolene was very deteriorated, stinky and dark. I still use the silkolene in the fork though. This test was done on two different bikes at the same time.

Logitech

 

[Jeremy Wilkey]

Jeff Howe is the resident oil expert.. I've learned a lot from him, and he helped me quite a bit as we talked about my issues with PDS shocks..

I would not use Motorex 2.5 fluid in any shocks, its not a good shock fluid.. It seems very good in forks, and we run it exclusively.

Some thing about fluids and fade.. Lighter fluids fade.. Its just they tend to have a shallower line if you plot viscosity between high end and low end temps.. The flatter the line the better the fluid works as far as "resisting fade" concerned and while I don't under stand the math function, the higher the VI number as well.. VI basically equates to a slope of a line I from what I've gathered.

When I was working on PDS shock fluids the big issue was the natural occurring VI verse a modified one.. You want the highest natural in a Synthetic base you can get or it will get torn to bits in a PDS shock..And most shocks are similar, only PDS units tend to do it faster..

BR,
Jer

 

[russ17]

PDS Major Shearing

 

[svi]

I use Silkolene RSF5 and 2.5 in shocks and find that it performs in all ways far better than Ohlins oil for 1/2 the cost.
The deteriation of the oil depends also a lot on the build quality of the shock, on hard anodised shocks the oil comes out real clean, on steel bodied or non anodised shocks the oil does get black quick no matter whose oil you use.

 

[OCCRA_Racer]

Jeremy

Name some oils/weights you recommend in a PDS shock please?

 

[FlyingBob]

Jeremy,
How about oils/weights for a Sachs shock?
Thanks