Jump to content

Oils for lowers service


NicoBoshoff

Recommended Posts

Ja, but I feel a bit k*k asking a guy how to not make use of his services, you know?

Andrew is nice guy - he will help - Pay him for the stuff, and see if you can get him to let you watch a for lowers rebuild - will be invaluable... :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 48
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Top Posters In This Topic

Ja, but I feel a bit k*k asking a guy how to not make use of his services, you know?

 

I make money off you either way. And I'm all for self-reliance.

 

I've got SRAM butter in stock, and it's way better than rubber grease for fork seals. 0W30 I can get, but it's about R 450 a litre - Magnatec 5W30 is a decent substitute though, and much easier to get your hands on.

 

nah bro, he'll definitely help you out. He's a good egg, despite his endless attempts at appearing a crusty old ginger. 

 

Oi. That's a carefully cultivated reputation you're trying to destroy there mate.

Edited by droo
Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

Oi. That's a carefully cultivated reputation you're trying to destroy there mate.

Reputation as a nice guy... Even I - Jhb based and all, know this....

 

Stop pretending to be grumpy.... soon you will be like me.... :)

 

(old, short on sleep and truly grumpy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 5 and 15ml was changed in the later versions of the pike service manual to 10ml and 10ml (iirc). I use pm600 on the seals, so far so good.

Oh, and it's still 5 and 15 for Pike. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Anyone know a good substitute for the FOX float fluid?

 

Am doing regular maintenance across various bikes (honda CRF250, KTM 250XCW and Merida MTB)

 

OEM fork seals for the two motorbikes were cheaper than the fox fork seals from LBS(I checked at 2 seperate shops cos I thought the 1st was trying to rip me off)

Then you look at the fluid prices and its similar issues, also irritating because the mx fork seal kits come with an oil and a dust seal for each fork not just 1 seal and a foam ring both less than half the diameter...

 

I will use motul oil in the shocks, just not sure what to use as an alternative for the float fluid?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Anyone know a good substitute for the FOX float fluid?

 

Am doing regular maintenance across various bikes (honda CRF250, KTM 250XCW and Merida MTB)

 

OEM fork seals for the two motorbikes were cheaper than the fox fork seals from LBS(I checked at 2 seperate shops cos I thought the 1st was trying to rip me off)

Then you look at the fluid prices and its similar issues, also irritating because the mx fork seal kits come with an oil and a dust seal for each fork not just 1 seal and a foam ring both less than half the diameter...

 

I will use motul oil in the shocks, just not sure what to use as an alternative for the float fluid?

 

You can use the Fox 20wt Gold, or 90wt gear oil. Just make sure you find one without seal swelling additives.

 

Or just buy the Float fluid if you're going to be doing this often it's a R 250-ish outlay and will last you the rest of your MTB career.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just serviced my Reba lowers.

Used Magnatec 5W40 and Spanjaard Rubber grease. Feels extremely smooth again; was very sticky before the service - properly chuffed with myself

The felt rings were bone dry and dirty - I cleaned them using alcohol, soaked them in oil and replaced.

Can you buy the felt rings separately or do they only come as part of a service kit?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just serviced my Reba lowers.

Used Magnatec 5W40 and Spanjaard Rubber grease. Feels extremely smooth again; was very sticky before the service - properly chuffed with myself

The felt rings were bone dry and dirty - I cleaned them using alcohol, soaked them in oil and replaced.

Can you buy the felt rings separately or do they only come as part of a service kit?

 

If the foam rings are dirty it means the wipers are dead. Replace them, and you'll get new foam rings in the kit.

 

Cleaning wipers is putting lipstick on a pig.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the foam rings are dirty it means the wipers are dead. Replace them, and you'll get new foam rings in the kit.

 

Cleaning wipers is putting lipstick on a pig.

 

Thanks!

Looking back at Strava, the dust seals are around 40 hours old - how often should I replace?

 

Referenced this video as a how-to-guide. Reba is a little different than the fork in the vid, but the basics are the same.

 

Edited by worriesnot
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks!

Looking back at Strava, the dust seals are around 40 hours old - how often should I replace?

 

Referenced this video as a how-to-guide. Reba is a little different than the fork in the vid, but the basics are the same.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0-H-Gd6QM0

Foam rings collect a little dirt even with new seals but if they are real dirty or the oil is discoloured/cloudy then your seals are toast, you've already done damage and you need to service at shorter intervals.

 

Did 1st lowers service on 2 Giant anthems for pals recently. One Recon and one Fox 32. Horror...these new forks had almost no oil in the lowers from the factory. About 100h of riding later at 2nd service the Fox still had clean oil and just a smudge of dirt on the foam rings.

 

Sent from my SM-G935F using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Ok so 1l of 0w50 is R650 which is a total ripoff when you only use 20ml of the stuff at a time. By the time I used up a whole 1l i'll be too old to ride anyways. I have 5wt30 Magnatec full synthetic oil that I previously used on an old Lyrik with great success. 

 

The service also calls for the Rockshox Dynamic Seal Grease. I have SRAM Butter. 

 

The fork in question is a 2020 Pike Ultimate RC2 Charger 2.1 140mm.

 

Will the 5wt30 and SRAM butter be good for my lower service? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Ok so 1l of 0w50 is R650 which is a total ripoff when you only use 20ml of the stuff at a time. By the time I used up a whole 1l i'll be too old to ride anyways. I have 5wt30 Magnatec full synthetic oil that I previously used on an old Lyrik with great success.

 

The service also calls for the Rockshox Dynamic Seal Grease. I have SRAM Butter.

 

The fork in question is a 2020 Pike Ultimate RC2 Charger 2.1 140mm.

 

Will the 5wt30 and SRAM butter be good for my lower service?

 

Sram butter is fine but if the fork is new and they warranty it and find the synthetic oil in side you can kiss the warranty goodbye

 

 

The oil will work fine tho, I'd recommend motorex supergliss tho

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sram butter is fine but if the fork is new and they warranty it and find the synthetic oil in side you can kiss the warranty goodbye

 

 

The oil will work fine tho, I'd recommend motorex supergliss tho

 

Yup. Fork is under warranty. 

 

For the price of the oil I could send the damn thing in to get the lowers serviced but how do I know it gets the right oil or if I'm going to get it back in time. 

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup. Fork is under warranty.

 

For the price of the oil I could send the damn thing in to get the lowers serviced but how do I know it gets the right oil or if I'm going to get it back in time.

 

Thanks for the feedback.

Send to cape cycles or stoke or cogent

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
Settings My Forum Content My Followed Content Forum Settings Ad Messages My Ads My Favourites My Saved Alerts My Pay Deals Help Logout