New seals & bushings VS new shock

[LazyTrailRider]

Hi guys,

 

I just got a bill for R900 for replaced seals, bushings and new oil on my 2007 Manitou Swinger 4-way shock. This is the 2nd large bill I've experienced with suspension (doing the same for my Rockshox Recon Race also cost me R950 a while ago).

 

This time though, my thinking is why not buy a new one for R1600 from CRC instead?!

 

OK, seeing as this is my first air shock, my question is: how close to functionally new is a shock with R900 worth of seals and bushings? Would you have tried to find a new one on sale instead if you were me?

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

I recon you could do the job yourself for R250-00

 

Forks shouldn't require new bushings in a very long time, provided you service them frequently. A service should cost you: R280 for seals, R275 for labour, about R60 for oil and another R50 for O-rings.

 

You don't need new seals at every service, only if they leak do you bother replacing them.

 

 

[LazyTrailRider]

I recon you could do the job yourself for R250-00

 

Forks shouldn't require new bushings in a very long time' date=' provided you service them frequently. A service should cost you: R280 for seals, R275 for labour, about R60 for oil and another R50 for O-rings.

 

You don't need new seals at every service, only if they leak do you bother replacing them.

 

 

[/quote']

 

I always used to service my forks myself (I have plenty of elastomers in a box somewhere from back in the day), but I was a bit nervous after reading up on the internals of these new-fangled rear shocks, which is why I sent this in to Cycles Africa...

 

I'm wondering though whether, with seals replaced, a rear air shock (if the plunger/stanchion are in good condition) is as good as new.

 

 

[Johan Bornman]

I recon you could do the job yourself for R250-00

 

Forks shouldn't require new bushings in a very long time' date=' provided you service them frequently. A service should cost you: R280 for seals, R275 for labour, about R60 for oil and another R50 for O-rings.

 

You don't need new seals at every service, only if they leak do you bother replacing them.

 

 

[/quote']

 

I always used to service my forks myself (I have plenty of elastomers in a box somewhere from back in the day), but I was a bit nervous after reading up on the internals of these new-fangled rear shocks, which is why I sent this in to Cycles Africa...

 

I'm wondering though whether, with seals replaced, a rear air shock (if the plunger/stanchion are in good condition) is as good as new.

 

 

 

If you can bake a cake from a recipe, you can fix a shock. Nevertheless, I know you'd rather bake fairy cakes than service shocks. I respect that. (of course I should have one of those smiley things in here but I don't do smileys).

 

But to answer your question, yes. There is nothing that wears other than the stuff they'd replace routinely. I'd say an indication of the shock's end of life would be when the anodising on the plunger is so scuffed that the seal cannot hold air anymore. Other than that, they live as long as a chihauha - forever, in spite of looking pretty ratty after a while.

 

[LazyTrailRider]

Thanks Johan, that's the experienced opinion I was hoping to hear... The anodizing has one or two nicks, but they're all the way down at the end where I'm (hopefully) not going to go all that often.

 

Next time I think I'm going to tackle the job myself, of all things on a bike I like fiddling with suspension the most funnily enough. In the meantime I might order a sticker kit from CRC for R58 and something cents if it starts looking too ratty (insert wink here).

 

OK, back to the fairy cakes!

[Mecnic]

On the topic of manitou rear shoxs specifically the spv system requiers, as far as I know, that the floating piston needs to be inserted a certain depth in the piggy back and this is done with a special depth gauge that is realy the only hard part as if it wrong it won't work that well.

 

On the topic of forks they are easy and fun to service, advice for 1st time take pictures as you disassemble incase your confused on how it goes back together.

 

 

[LazyTrailRider]

On the topic of manitou rear shoxs specifically the spv system requiers' date=' as far as I know, that the floating piston needs to be inserted a certain depth in the piggy back and this is done with a special depth gauge that is realy the only hard part as if it wrong it won't work that well.

 

On the topic of forks they are easy and fun to service, advice for 1st time take pictures as you disassemble incase your confused on how it goes back together.

 

 

[/quote']

 

Hmmm, I have to admit that's one of the things I read which originally did concern me... I guess making a depth guage might not be all that hard, but sometimes one encounters little funny bolts etc which require proprietary tools.

 

Feedback on the shock I received back: It works perfectly, rebound damping is of course back, but the stroke is a lot smoother too. Before, I thought it was the SPV system which was causing an initial bit of stiction in the first bit of stroke, but it turns out it wasn't that! The service sheet lists "replaced bushing kit" which I'm presuming is actual internal bushings, seeing as the external eyelet ones are unchanged. All in all, I now have an absolutely sweet bike:

 

https://www.bikehub.co.za/forum_posts.asp?TID=85037&PID=1174373#1174373

[Johan Bornman]

On the topic of manitou rear shoxs specifically the spv system requiers' date=' as far as I know, that the floating piston needs to be inserted a certain depth in the piggy back and this is done with a special depth gauge that is realy the only hard part as if it wrong it won't work that well.

  

[/quote']

 

The special depth gauge could be a vernier, stick or piece or wire with a mark on. Am I missing something?

[Mecnic]

On the topic of manitou rear shoxs specifically the spv system requiers' date=' as far as I know, that the floating piston needs to be inserted a certain depth in the piggy back and this is done with a special depth gauge that is realy the only hard part as if it wrong it won't work that well.

  

[/quote']

 

The special depth gauge could be a vernier, stick or piece or wire with a mark on. Am I missing something?

 

The tool in question looks like this,

 

 

 

yes all of the above will work, I would however recommend a vernier as a stick or wire may be a little crude.

 

The problem comes in when you have to get hold of the actual depth in mm which isn't listed anywhere I can find it and unless you know someone who has the tool and can measure it for you. (for example my Swinger coil 6 way needs to be exactly 41.1mm deep which I found out during a visit to them)

 

It does however differ from eye to eye measurement aswell as how long the stroke is.

 

Please bear in mind that I never said it was impossible just mentioning and discussing problems which a less experienced person may incur which could result in further damage such as a broken SPV piston due to incorrect depth and pressures or even worse.

 

I further did mention that ity was on Manitou as Rock shox does list the depth in the service manual.

 

[Johan Bornman]

Thanks, I was asking because the piggyback I pictured in my mind didn't obstruct access to the piston bottom and could be measured with jsut about anything you can shove in there.

 

Do you know what the depth is supposed to be?

[Mecnic]

Unfortunately the tool measures the depth

 

As I cant seem to find a list of how deep the piston must sit as its different on every different stroke length and eye to eye measurment of rear shox manitou makes.

 

however rock shox does list the piston depths for there vivid range in the service manual.