The general consensus on just about any forum, is that any product suggested by any manufacturer is the least desirable product to use.

 

Yeah it sure seems that way!!

 

http://www.mediaturbo.com/clients/ma...iscosity2.html
This is fork oil, now if that is not confusing enough look up ATFs.


Better - Softer or firmer - the oil will only do so much, the Harley stock suspension is very limited.

 

The only reason he feels a difference is because the "ATM" fluid is a different viscosity than the fork oil he replaced with it. He would have felt the same difference with a similar weight fork oil.

I wouldn't use "ATM". It was designed for transmissions and I'm sure there are different additives needed in a trans that are are unnecessary in a fork and may even hurt the seals over time. The fork oil is designed for the performance and components in fork. I see no reason to "jump ship" to another type of oil.

I have experimented with different weights of BelRay fork oil and viscosity does make a difference in these old Harley forks...... I even changed weights in my OEM air shocks (again with BelRay EVI shock oil) and it made a difference.

 

Budda, is your buddy an old timer? He probably uses ATF in his primary too. That was the 'hot setup' back in the day. But today we have a lot of better choices, no reason to keep it old school...

 

Harley fork oil looks like atf. Anything is better than the old stuff that most just leave in there forever. I prefer a good synthetic fork oil myself, want to try a 12 weight next time.

 

replaced front fork oil with atf oil worked like it was the real McCoy......sunday afternoon and everything is closed and you want to ride...that can of atf just sitting there, hell yeah I'd use it.

 

ATF is nothing more than hydrolic oil. Forks have seals, springs, different orifice sizes, valving... Just like a transmission. Holds up to high pressure and high temperature. Shock oil is hydrolic oil too. I don't see an issue with it for this purpose. No... I wouldn't run it my primary though some have and do. Yeah, I understand it doesn't say "fork oil" on the bottle but in this case it doesn't make it wrong.

 

So do whatever you wish. This pretty much another oil thread - by a different name.

 

Got my forks rebuilt at 55,000 because of irregular wear on my tire , used Screaming Eagle heavy fork oil. What a good difference that made , better than new!