trans fluid or trim fluid

[Destroyer]

Originally Posted by THEFERMANATOR

Last I checked ATF was the same stuff except dyed red and had friction modifiers in it that trim fluid doesn't have. You could also substitute power steering fluid if you're in a pinch.

Exactly correct. ... AND, like MJ said, jack oil will also work. In fact, ANY hydraulic oil will work. We buy 55 gal drums of hydraulic oil for our bulldozers and excavatrors and etc, and you can use that stuff also. THEFERMANATOR hit the nail on the head, the only difference in all of them is the different additives that manufacturers put in the oil for different reasons. And any water, in any oil, makes a mess that has to be cleaned out, because it makes oil loose lots of it's friction and corrosion fighting properties. (Although technically, you could use water itself as a hydraulic fluid in a cylinder.. the friction and corrosion that would result would ruin the cylinder in a short time, but in an emergency you could use it.)