FOX Stanchion wear (with pics)

[Cassie]

Johan, what did you use to polish it with?  Was is succesful?

[Johan Bornman]

I used a dremel and one of those little polishing heads and some of that polishing paste you get in the kit.

 

Was it successful? I dunno. The anodising was so hard that I could not see an improvement after 15minutes of polishing. I convinced myself that I could feel an improvement if I rubbed my finger over the scratch.

 

The fork came in 'cause it was leaking oil there and the owner thought the scratch was damaging the seals. We'll have to ask him.

 

I'll PM him and ask him to comment.

 

What I should have done was taken a photo afterwards but I didn't. In fact, I only came across this photo on my memory card many months after the job and realised how nicely it showed the texture of the stanchion.

 

The colour here is a bit messed up. The stanchion is golden brown but the scratches did show silver.

[GoLefty!!]

the surface finish is design to retain oil, similar to the honing marks on the walls of an ICE cyclinder.

 

 

 

scratch that or create a flat spot and the oil is not retain in that area which promotes wear on the seals, speeding up wear.

 

 

 

Hence I don;t know why forks are supplied without protective boots

these days. its a bloody good idea to fit boots that protect the

stanchions.

[Johan Bornman]

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']

 

OK, hereby the dates I'm coming to Cape Town.

 

Repair and Maintenance Cape Town
27 & 28 February
1 & 2 May
7 & 8 August
8 & 9 October
4 & 5 December

Fork Maintenance Workshop Cape Town
&26 February
&30 April
&6 August
&7 October
&3 December   I'm updating my website now.

[Bos]

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']

 

OK, hereby the dates I'm coming to Cape Town.

 

Repair and Maintenance Cape Town
27 & 28 February
1 & 2 May
7 & 8 August
8 & 9 October
4 & 5 December

Fork Maintenance Workshop Cape Town
&26 February
&30 April
&6 August
&7 October
&3 December   I'm updating my website now.

 

Johan, Can or do you put together "tool kits" for fork services?

[Johan Bornman]

Johan' date=' Can or do you put together "tool kits" for fork services?

[/quote']

 

Yes I do. I do all bike tools and tailor the package specifically to either the bike or the fork.

 

If you send me a blank e-mail, I'll reply with a price list and suggestions for which tools you need for your fork. I have to know if it is Rox or Fox or whatever.

 

You need surprisingly few tools to service a fork, just a heap of rags, a few allen keys, a mallet etc.

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

I used a dremel and one of those little polishing heads and some of that polishing paste you get in the kit.

 

Was it successful? I dunno. The anodising was so hard that I could not see an improvement after 15minutes of polishing. I convinced myself that I could feel an improvement if I rubbed my finger over the scratch.

 

The fork came in 'cause it was leaking oil there and the owner thought the scratch was damaging the seals. We'll have to ask him.

 

I'll PM him and ask him to comment.

 

What I should have done was taken a photo afterwards but I didn't. In fact' date=' I only came across this photo on my memory card many months after the job and realised how nicely it showed the texture of the stanchion.

 

The colour here is a bit messed up. The stanchion is golden brown but the scratches did show silver.

[/quote']

 

I got some comment from the fork owner. He says it still leaks oil, but seemingly less than before. Neither comment surprises me. That it leaks less oil means the sharp bits were polished away and now don't damage the seals anymore. However, there is still a gap in there where oil can leak through.

 

Next step would be to experiment with some sort of filler.

[SwissVan]

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.

 

 

Any ideas what caused those marks?

Looks like a #1 plain screw driver to me...