Fork lockout issues

[Jules]

I have a Suntour XCR which I'm quite fond of due to its simplicity and ease of service. However, my lockout has started playing up recently. It works by a little metal pin. Push the pin down and the lockout is on. Release it and the lockout is off.

 

 

 

My trouble is that the pin is relatively easy to push in but it no longer releases. It now requires much coaxing with a pair of pliers for it to release.

 

 

 

Is there any way of fixing this? I took the damping cartridge (to which the pin is attached) out and it has a sticker saying "don't open because there is compressed nitrogen inside".

 

 

 

Unless I can fix this by Sunday, I'm gonna be doing the Sun City MTB race with no lockout, and it's the type of race where you want a stiff fork now and again.

 

 

[Matchstix]

usually one can remove the top cap that screws into the nitrogen cartridge.

You should see a line where the two joins near the top.

 

[Jules]

Thanks Matchstix. Would it help to remove it, you think?

[Matchstix]

from what I knoe most of these cartridges are the same and that only the locking or adjuster mechanisms differs.

the cartridges I know is usually locked by the turning of an 3mm allen key.

Ido not know the fork that you have but what I suspect is that the pushdown mechanism activates something that turns something on the inside and that the dirt or ploblem might be there. but check for yourself.

have you tried googling it?