I did my first full fork service

[Hairy]

So late Saturday night I did my first full fork service and after many

hours of gathering the courage to open up the fork to do the service,

(I can not understand why I was ever so doubtful). It really is a

realatively simple operation.

 

I do need to state though that should you feel challenged doing simple

things like building up a bike, setting gears or doing a bleed on your

brakes then you should first rather become proficient in these.

 

Thanks to Lance from Epic Bike Shop and Shane from Bowmans for some

solid advice and a really ingenius little trick from Lance RE fitting

ones new seals and then a good bit of research on the www and the

service was realitively pain free.

So from a previously neglected fork (The oil that came out of there was dark and dirty) to a newly service one and the fork now feels far better.

Now just to stay on top of general maintenance and hopefully many happy miles ahead.

 

H

Edited April 4, 2011 by Hairy

[brad890]

how about adding the option I do it myself for those of us who service our own forks

[TYGA]

Hey Hairy,

 

What kind of fork is it and how long did it end up taking you in the end? What was the cost of seals, oil etc?

[Hairy]

Damned .. I did have that option on there!

 

Will Update poll after this reply.

 

The fork is a good old solid Fox Float 32R (2007/2008 model)

 

Started just before 12pm and ended just after 1am. The service could be done alot quicker if you have done it once before and also the use of a bike stand would have been rather handy.

 

I used to tie an elastic band on the stantion in order to use it as a sag gauge (The idea of using a cable tie does not appeal to me) and this went missing on a ride .... I found it lodged between the seal and the foam rings.

 

H

[Johan Bornman]

Welcome to the club Hairy.

 

Anyone can do it. I hope you can get the carpet clean.

 

After a few, you'll learn to "read" the oil and gauge the state of your seals. No need to replace them every time.

[Hairy]

I do have a question for those though that have service a Fox fork before.

 

I flushed the old suspension fluid out of the damper and when adding the new fluid to the fork at the end of the service I never compensated for the fluid that would have been in the damper .... I just added what the Fox boys say is the recommended volume. Would this be ok or should I open her up again and add a little more fluid?

 

Regards

H

[Hairy]

Welcome to the club Hairy.

 

Anyone can do it. I hope you can get the carpet clean.

 

After a few, you'll learn to "read" the oil and gauge the state of your seals. No need to replace them every time.

 

Thanks Johan

 

The carpet is safe ... worked in my garage and used a plastic drop sheet as I knew this could have been a potentially messy job.

 

The brown filth that came out of that fork indicated just how badly the service was required. As you say I won't need to replace the foam rings or the seals every service, just the suspension fluid and give the seals and foam rings a little clean.

 

Does anyone know where I can get blue o-rings to use as a sag gauge .. the black ones are so 1992

 

 

H

[Johan Bornman]

At the bottom of the damper, just next to the bolt that holds the slider and stanchions together, are a couple of elongated holes. Push a toothpick into one of these holes. That will open a shim valve and the oil will come pouring out of the damper. Once it stops dripping. Pump the damper a couple of times (watch out for the little hole that shoots oil into your eye, located underneath an O-ring at the top of the damper body) and drain again, using the toothpick. It takes a couple of tries before it is completely empty.

[Hairy]

At the bottom of the damper, just next to the bolt that holds the slider and stanchions together, are a couple of elongated holes. Push a toothpick into one of these holes. That will open a shim valve and the oil will come pouring out of the damper. Once it stops dripping. Pump the damper a couple of times (watch out for the little hole that shoots oil into your eye, located underneath an O-ring at the top of the damper body) and drain again, using the toothpick. It takes a couple of tries before it is completely empty.

 

I flushed the damper by pumping it and needless to say there were jets of fluid going in various directions ... the toothpick trick would have been handy and will be used next time

 

Would I need to compensate for the volume of fluid that was in the damper when filling the leg up?

 

H

[Johan Bornman]

I think it isn't necessary to compensate for the extra fluid. You can check if it interferes by testing for full travel. Too much fluid (especially on top of the air piston) restricts travel.

 

However, if the oil was very dirty, you've now gone and mixed good and bad oil.

 

Decide how you want to handle that.

 

I'm worried about your midnight escapades. How did you clean the foam ring? A good soapy water wash is what's needed and getting it dry at midnight may be a problem. It needs a good squeeze in a rag and then some sunlight.

[intern]

Caveman. My S-Works brainy whatever thing has probably done about 4000km now, they say service it every ten minutes or something like that. It's still wobbling around like it should. I think; us troglodytes don't always know if it's doing what it should or just doing something....

[Hairy]

I think it isn't necessary to compensate for the extra fluid. You can check if it interferes by testing for full travel. Too much fluid (especially on top of the air piston) restricts travel.

 

However, if the oil was very dirty, you've now gone and mixed good and bad oil.

 

Decide how you want to handle that.

 

I'm worried about your midnight escapades. How did you clean the foam ring? A good soapy water wash is what's needed and getting it dry at midnight may be a problem. It needs a good squeeze in a rag and then some sunlight.

Hi Johan

 

I might now have been very clear in my earlier posts. I did the following:

• removed old seals and foam rings and tossed them in the bin
• washed out inside of stanchions / lowers with clean oil
• pumped the damper till no oil came out any more
• cleaned / wiped down the damper and air spring bodies (The air spring looks rather cool)
• re-assembled with new Enduro Seals and foam rings (Pre soaked the foam rings in the fluid for an hour or so before installation
• travel measures right when testing the day after

I can now get my 25% sag on the fork running lower pressure than before the service and the fork no longer dives like it used. The feel of the fork when forcing it through it's travel is far better than before and I am loving it.

 

Cycled in to work with it this morning, but will get it down on the dirt Wednesday to get a better feel for it.

 

H