revtothelimit - motorbike forum

May as well use the downtime wisely - providing the seals turn up today, i will be doing a lower leg service and changing the travel ...
Wish me luck ...

I'm wishing for pics.... something i've never delved into but really ought to.

I generally just buy new forks/bikes instead.

Okay - will try and do so.
I had an immense fear of forks ( in my head i had the whole mechanics completely wrong)

Done some Revs before - this will be two sets of Pikes

weeksy wrote: Mon Apr 06, 2020 8:43 am I'm wishing for pics.... something i've never delved into but really ought to.

I generally just buy new forks/bikes instead.

I've only ever worked on rockshox forks and fox shocks, both straight forward to work on. Rockshox provide a good set of instructions for dismantling and rebuilding.

Download a manual from here for Rockshox.

https://www.servicearchive.sram.com/service/rockshox/7

Lowers services are a doddle. I've only done a couple before but just bought a new set of Pikes and wanted to check the oil level in the lowers before I used them. The lowers service took about half an hour, maybe 45 minutes tops. I'm glad I did it as there was next to no oil in the lowers.

You can bulk buy packs of 50 crush washers from eBay or Amazon for a couple of pounds which will last a lifetime!
For fork oil, just get the correct weigh oil from Halfords or a motor factors rather than the hugely overpriced "cycle specific" stuff.

Re crush washers - good tip. But I think Halfords is guarded by the Marines these days and a no go area.
Re oil - yes, indeed. Buy from halfords wherever. TBH in the lower legs it makes very lints different as it is just there as all round lube- but in the damper both weight and air space are important.

Bits haven't turned up yet - so went out for ride on the deserted downs instead . ( at a sensible pace so I wouldn't fall off, 2 metres from anything living). Didn't see many people

YouTube is also great for servicing videos

Need to get really brave and work out how to replace the bearing in the FlareMax - as they are 2-3 years old, and have done a reasonable mileage.

It was a right pain the arse - so no photos ...
Fitting the new air spring was easy.

The problem came because I thought it would be a good idea to do a lower leg service - and as the wiper seals were 2.5 years old , I would do them.
The wiper seals were perfectly good - and then I tried to remove the fuckers. I guess once you have done it you know what is behind the seal / how it is made / what to can / will damage.

After 1.5 faffing around with rings spanners as levers. I used pliers - and they came out . Partially. FFS!. It then took a flat blade screw driver the lever them out - with loads of force.

So putting the replacements in will be a piece of piss. No chance - won’t push in, won’t be manipulated in. But STW forum tells me a Hope Pro 2 tool is the correct fit. I have a hope 4 - that’ll do. Twat hard with a soft mallet etc.
There is no hard stop to the seal - the manual says stop when they are flush or else you will compress the foam rings. How about put a fucking rebate on the SRAM.

Foam ring in (piece of piss). All ready to assemble . Trying to get the uppers through the new seals was a fucking nightmare, they kept folding in on themselves ( i now know to take the springs off and roll up the upper leg and position later.
Finally, its there. So I prime the lowers with oil - but it won’t go in one slide, so I tug the lowers ... and they separate!!

Get them back together prime with oil (once with the wrong oil, second time with the right one.

Now back in the bike - not sure if it was worth it for 10 mm more travel - but forks travel looks huge !!
Let’s see tomorrow ...

Looked at the Manitou forks on wife's Giant XTC and thought for 30 seconds about servicing and how long they've been fitted. Then put it back in the garage....

I’m over it now - and it rode really well this morning over the Downs...
Don’t think I need a Rocket now