not sure about the oil...but i usually ran fill stiff on front and rear! hehe or as i liked to call it kidney killer! lol not really that stiff but it was a sweet ride. I never got the adjustment tool so i used pliers...sometimes it might get really stiff to use the tool...or it is for me atleast. you'll love em though. try em out full stiff for a while...if its too rough ease it up a bit untill you find the right setting for you.