FOX Stanchion wear (with pics)

[Johan Bornman]

As I've got one of those elasto-crap shocks and still a shock-noob' date=' is an Air & Coil shock better than a coil one when it comes to service intervals, etc.

Reason asking is I'm in the market for a new shock soon (and on a budget)
[/quote']

 

No, they're no better or worse than air or spring-only forks. Make your choice based on other considerations.

[Johan Bornman]

Ok....we have two bikes....four Fox shocks....

That's R1k in services a go...every 40hrs.........

JB....when is the next fork/shock service course running in the WC in 2010....

I'll pre-register' date=' etc....
[/quote']

 

I should be in a position this weekend to sort out my life and committ to dates. I'll post new schedules over the weekend on my website.

 

If you want an e-mail notification, send me an e-mail to johanatyellowsaddledotceeodotzeda.

 

I'll reply with a schedule.

 

 

Cape Town fork classes have traditionally been on Friday afternoons. Is that still OK?  In other words, do you still have some sick leave?

[Ken.s]

Lefty

 

Whats attitude got to do with it, if you take a close look at the lower picture of the worn stantion, you can clearly see the pattern of the bush. You will see straight lines with no wear in between them, those are the recess channels in the bush where the oil is suppose to flow through and lube the stantions and bushes. In your opinion do you think 30mm of fluid is enough to move around the inside of that slider through 2 bushes and lube the complete inside of that slider. I guess only a fraction of that oil gets to the top bush, unless you turn your fork up side down alot.

Whats JD got to lose, they can only turn him down.

Sorry one more thing, can you give me a step by step explanation how you do a 120 hour fox damper fluid lube, and why is the left leg 30 - 40 hrs and the damper 120 hrs. Just curios.

Ken.s2010-01-28 14:08:11

[Cassie]

OK ' date=' would you mind servicing my shock ? Lefty will definitly not do it !![/quote']

 

Of course I'll do it but I'll go one step better. I'll open it when you're here and I'll pour the oil in a clean container and you can see for yourself what's inside. We'll post the pics, comparing the new oil to what came out of your fork.

 

I see you're in Gauteng, so make a date: 0823086847

 

 

Great one Johan!!

 

I'm willing to bet a case of frosties that oil (if there are any left...is either dark /black and smelling so foul it will clear out your workshop for a while!!)

 

Any takers?

Just to entice you all....two pitchers taken from Johans workshop....guess which one is good and which one is bad???

 

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

 

 

cut cut cut

 

 if you take a close look at the lower picture of the worn stantion' date=' you can clearly see the pattern of the bush. You will see straight lines with no wear in between them, those are the recess channels in the bush where the oil is suppose to flow through and lube the stantions and bushes. In your opinion do you think 30mm of fluid is enough to move around the inside of that slider through 2 bushes and lube the complete inside of that slider. I guess only a fraction of that oil gets to the top bush, unless you turn your fork up side down alot.

[/quote']

 

Ken, this is purely speculative. Thinking deep about it (during my morning meditation), those scratch mark do seem to match the bush groove pattern and of course, once the fork is open, all shall be revealed.

 

But by my calculation (measuring and scaling using a rule on the PC screen), those scratches in picture number two are 75mm long, excluding all the bits cut off by the framing of the photo.

 

Considering that the bushes are another 60mm or so inside the slider, it would seem as if the rider continuously used most of the fork's stroke, making me think it is plain old grinding past inside the wiper seal.

 

As for wheter 30ml, or indeed, 20ml as in some forks (and nothing in RST forks) of oil is enough to splash about and keep the foam ring wet. Absolutely. I am yet to open a fork where the top was dry. One would need to model the action with a glass fork in a jig in the lab, but my take is that the oil splashes everywhere from each bump in the path.

 

Cyclists also lie their bikes down flat, occasionally invert them etc etc. Those foam rings retain oil very well and never drain dry.

 

 

[TYGA]

With regard to stanchion wear and servicing, does the same sort of issues and service intervals count for the shock on a dually as well?

 

Johann I would be interested in that fork workshop. Sick leave a-plenty!

[paulvs]

 

With regard to stanchion wear and servicing' date=' does the same sort of issues and service intervals count for the shock on a dually as well?

 

Johann I would be interested in that fork workshop. Sick leave a-plenty!

[/quote']

 

 

put me down 2

 

[dirtrider]

Thanks Johan I will make an appointment .

[GoLefty!!]

 

 

cut cut cut

 

 if you take a close look at the lower picture of the worn stantion' date=' you can clearly see the pattern of the bush. You will see straight lines with no wear in between them, those are the recess channels in the bush where the oil is suppose to flow through and lube the stantions and bushes. In your opinion do you think 30mm of fluid is enough to move around the inside of that slider through 2 bushes and lube the complete inside of that slider. I guess only a fraction of that oil gets to the top bush, unless you turn your fork up side down alot.

[/quote']

 

Ken, this is purely speculative. Thinking deep about it (during my morning meditation), those scratch mark do seem to match the bush groove pattern and of course, once the fork is open, all shall be revealed.

 

But by my calculation (measuring and scaling using a rule on the PC screen), those scratches in picture number two are 75mm long, excluding all the bits cut off by the framing of the photo.

 

Considering that the bushes are another 60mm or so inside the slider, it would seem as if the rider continuously used most of the fork's stroke, making me think it is plain old grinding past inside the wiper seal.

 

As for wheter 30ml, or indeed, 20ml as in some forks (and nothing in RST forks) of oil is enough to splash about and keep the foam ring wet. Absolutely. I am yet to open a fork where the top was dry. One would need to model the action with a glass fork in a jig in the lab, but my take is that the oil splashes everywhere from each bump in the path.

 

Cyclists also lie their bikes down flat, occasionally invert them etc etc. Those foam rings retain oil very well and never drain dry.

 

 

 

 

Bushing score marks tend to be deeper and more rough edged that these wear marks. its the nature of metal to metal contact.

 

Ken, which fork fdo you have and what damper is fitted. I have tended to fiddle mostly with X-TT dampers from Fox.

[ChrisH]

My RS Reba fork has gone 5064km in 318 hours and my rear shock 7461km in 509 hours. Neither has ever been opened.

 

 

 

Perhaps I should have them checked before Sani. Mind you that's only 300km round some hills in Natal, I'm sure they will last till Christmas.

 

 

 

Until then I'll expect GoLeftys assassin to come knocking on my door.

[dirtrider]

Chris looks like we got similar problems . And what is even more scary is that it's not just this one fork but the ones on my other bikes also seems to go on forever without a service .

[Ken.s]

Hi JB and Lefty

 

I guess we could debate this for ever, all points taken. JB if you have a look at the top photo, that stantion has compressed 90mm. The top bush on that fork sits right below the foam ring, approx 15mm below the toplip of the dust wiper seal. Hence the 75mm wear line on the lower picture. Just maybe he is running this fork a little soft.

 

Lefty: I agree that the wear grooves are deeper, but they have to get there. The longer its left the more its going to wear. I just feel this fork is just starting to pick up and it needs new bushes, hence send it back to a fox agent and see what they say.

 

Just done a RL 100, Both stantions were badly worn with wear patterns from bushes. Top left stantion (same as this fork in question) had worn so badley the groove from the bush pretruded a mm on the stantion. Sadley this fork was never serviced before. Real Shame.

 

Have a good weekend Guys.

[WillemT]

Go Lefty

 

On a completely diff shock... do you think it would be wise to open a headshok yourself and how difficult would it be te get new seals etc for it?(not that there is many of them) I lube it more or less once a month but I just feel that it should be opened and checked sometime. And what oil do you use to lube your lefty with?

[GoLefty!!]

For ny headshok fork, Lefty or Fatty a lift of the boot and some finishline wet lube does the trick. Theres lots of other special stuff out but the wet lube works well.

 

To open a Fatty you will require a cannondale castle tool for Fatty and a bit of patience. Its easy getting it apart but once you fill it you have to bleed the airout completely.

 

Once bled and there no play the lock out works 100% you're good to go.

 

 

Ken, it may well be the bushes are on their way out but thats probably because the oil is dirty and that has accelerated the wear. Root cause is still poor maintenance. Worn bushes is just the symptom.

 

I've seen the same problem on the F100X but there it becomes obvious the oil is shot because the inertia vlave either jams open or shut, wrecking the forks damping and performance.

 

Don'tlisten to ChrisH, he is actually a triathlete so his bike is only ridden on the road while he trains in his underpants. Sometimes he wears his blue skin suit and wear his red g-string on the outside just to take the p*ss.

 

Dropped by the RS agents earlier today and they had a reba in there with stanchion scoring. Ownerclaism he services it regularly. they said when the fork was opened the oil was black and the sand stayed behind. The owner had the audacity to try and claim a new fork via his insurance!! LOL

I;m sure there's going to be a rant&rave posting in this soon

 

[ChrisH]

Don'tlisten to ChrisH' date=' he is actually a triathlete so his bike is only ridden on the road while he trains in his underpants. Sometimes he wears his blue skin suit and wear his red g-string on the outside just to take the p*ss.

 

[/quote']

 

 

 

Well!! I've never been so insulted in my life, blue skin suit indeed.

 

 

 

I only wear that when I use the Wife's My Little Pony figurine to act out the love scene from Avatar.

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

cut cut cut cut cut

 

 

I have read that correctly designed stanchions have a surface texture that allows a film of oil to by pass the seal to keep it lubricated. 

 

Now you've seen it with your own eyes too. Here's a Fox' stanchions close-up. I took these photos before trying to polish out these scratches that kept on damaging the seal.

 

Johan Bornman2010-01-30 05:25:57