keepemflying Friends in need By Matthew Parkhouse #13272
I’VE HAD A FEW reminders of the old days as fall closes out our warm summer weather. First, my friend Marlo dropped off
his R 60/6 for some long overdue service and to get the headlamp lighting up again. The headlamp proved to have a loose wire in the power supply wire that leads to the pair of relays in one of those “heavier wire and relay gets you more light” modifica- tions. With that repaired, I undertook a major service. He ended up with new fork
boots, throttle cables, cleaned-out carbs, a tune-up and all new fluids. I’ve been working on this particular
Slash Six for quite a while. Marlo bought it from BMW of Colorado Springs in the early 1980s, where it had been a trade-in. Before he actually purchased it, I came in on my own time and tore into it to make sure all was well. I remember Doc Baum, the owner, being not too happy when I announced that the bike really should have a new clutch put in before we sold it to any- one. Anyway, Marlo bought it and has been riding it (and I’ve been working on it) for over 30 years. It’s a typical airhead: a bit worn, but stone reliable. As I prepared to take apart Marlo’s fork
assembly to clean things out and renew the boots, I went down into the basement to grab a couple more bottles of fork oil. I’ve been using the 7.5-weight BMW oil for many years. About two years ago, while at our local shop, I decided to pick up a cou- ple of bottles to have on hand. I couldn’t find any on the shelves, and when asked,
Setting the valves (first time in several years!) on Marlo's R60/6. He bought the bike, a trade-in at the Doc's BMW of Colorado Springs, in the very early 1980s. Just a good, old reliable airhead.
My current collection of airhead fork oils. Left to Right:
Spectro 7.5 oil. -
branded oil so I'd trust this stuff. The BMW 7.5 - This is still available at a few dealers, at $29 a bottle. Phillips 66 Aircraft Hydraulic Fluid. When I ordered some "AreoShell Fluid 4" from Chief Aircraft Suppliers, they called to tell me they were out of the AeroShell but that the Phillips 66 product is identical.
As I transferred the old-
fashioned can into a bottle, it did indeed seem to be just like the AeroShell I remember from thirty years ago.
It did work well back then; so I'd feel
comfortable using this in any 1984 or earlier airhead. I just don't know how it does in the 1987s and later front ends.
48 BMW OWNERS NEWS December 2016 They made the BMW
TECH
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