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MG MGA - Shock Absorber Fluid

Anyone been successful using any other hydraulic fluid besides the one Moss is selling. I'd like to know if I can walk into a local store somewhere and buy fluid of some kind without ordering from Moss. Time (one week ground) does not permit me to wait for it to come across the country.
Joe Wiley

Joe, hydraulic jack oil or motorcycle fork oil will do the job.
Lindsay Sampford

Motorcycle fork oil, at least for the older Triumphs bikes (1960's) is usually ATF, although use of 20w engine oil is not uncommon. I have brought fork oil from MOSS for the MGA but you have me thinking - would ATF be satisfactory? ATF is 15w or so. Does anyone have more insight to share?
Bill Haglan

Motorcycle fork oil is perfect. That said, a bottle of Armstrong Lever Shock Oil as sold by Moss and others should last a lifetime. If your shocks are leaking badly then they need to be rebuilt anyway!
Steve S

The shocks have not been serviced since I restored the car in 1995. The shocks are not leaking but only need topping off. I am afraid to mix anything else with the existing fluid (Armstrong)I bought from Moss. My question is will it hurt to mix fork oil with the stuff I bought from Moss 16 years ago? I have to make a decision today.
Joe Wiley

If you put 15W in instead of 20w, does it get circulated through the dampers and hence give a softer ride or just sit at the top of the fluid level to 'top up'?
J H Cole

20W engine oil works in a pinch. The significant difference with hydraulic oil is anti-foaming ingredients.

It is a hydraulic shock absorber, so use hydraulic oil. Hydraulic jack oil is commonly available where hydraulic jacks are sold, at most auto parts stores, and quite often (cheap) in your local discount department store. For more information on shock absorber oil see here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/suspensn/fs110.htm
Barney Gaylord

Thanks Barney. I just didn't know whether the Armstrong fluid (that's in them now) was like regular hydraulic fluid or something special. Thanks.
Joe Wiley

Motorcycle shock oil is essentially the same stuff, and very available - comes in light (20W) and "heavy duty" (50W), IIRC...

In my MC days, we used to use ATF for fork oil all the time and it worked great.

JIM in NH
AJ Mail

I bought "Gunk" Hydraulic Jack Fluid (MS 33-12). It doesn't say what viscosity it is but I'm going to try it. I researched last night all of the websites for this fluid and found nothing on viscosity. Oh well, I guess I'll find out how stiff the shocks are when I head out today.
Joe Wiley

Over here we use Gunk to REMOVE oil. Hope your Gunk is different to our Gunk!


Lindsay Sampford

I have been using the same oil I put in the engine 20W50. Also been using it in the gear box as well.
Mike Razor

The same goes here, Linday. Our ordinary "Gunk" also is an engine degreaser, but its manufacturer has begun making a hydraulic oil for jacks. I can see problems arising from this synonymy.
Ken Korey

This thread was discussed between 04/07/2011 and 11/07/2011

MG MGA index

This thread is from the archive. The Live MG MGA BBS is active now.