Is there a replacement for Ford shock fluid?

[moonraker]

What can be used to refill Houdaille shocks? Motorcycle fork oil? ATF?
It's really a pain to get it shipped overseas so I hoped for a more common replacement. Any ideas?

 

[drolston]

This link covers the topic:
https://www.fordbarn.com/forum/showthread.php?t=71052&highlight=houdaille

I could not tell for sure what was in my '41 shocks. I used hydraulic jack oil about a month ago, and so far, so good.

 

[Kurt in NJ]

I was looking too and found a test of motorcycle fork oil, atf tested as good or better as most fork oils, but is thin, depending on the wear in your shock thicker oil may be needed, I put atf in my model a shocks, ---

 

[flatheadmurre]

10w forkoil is real close to hydraulicoil 32 which is often sold as jackoil....
I used 10w straight oil that we use for converters on the heavy equipment that worked fine...Stiffer oil gives you a tuffer shockabsorber...depends on if youre going racing or not.

 

[corvette8n]

I used straight 20wt. Oil in my loader hydraulics on my Ford 8n for over 10 years, never had an issue.

 

[VeryTangled]

Hi Everyone. Andrew Falandes, my shock rebuilder, who took over from the legendary Bill Wzorek, sent this when I asked the same question.

"The correct oil for Bills and my rebuilds is gear oil 85-140w or as close as you can get. I recommend putting a little sealer on the fill plug when tighten it. I use permatex #2 form a gasket"

 

[moonraker]

Thanks everybody for your input! I decided to use fork oil.