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Fork servicing
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hi Team
Just a quick search for advice and experience: how hard/technical is it to service your own forks? Rather than paying someone else to do it on a regular basis is this something that can be tackled by a competent home mechanic? I'm assuming a regular service would be seals, oil and a general clean-up, is that right?
The forks in question are Rock-Shox SID Race
thanks in advance
danny
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Pretty easy to do, there are service manuals on the Sram website or you can watch video's on youtube. Once you have done it you will wonder why you didn't do it before.
As said above, all rock shoxs forks are very easy to service. Jump on there website and download the service manual. It takes you step by step through it. No special tools needed.
Some Fox forks can be harder.
I did my 09 boxxer teams myself and found it fairly easy to do. The manual didnt have an exploded diagram which is a nice thing to have, however if you are careful pulling it apart it will be simple to put back together.
What is the actual point of servicing? Is it replacing the oil because of age/dirt? O-rings?
Also, where is the best place to get these from. Oil from your LBS, motorbike shop?
Thanks!
I serviced & replaced the oil in my Rock Shox Recon Race forks for the first time a couple of months ago.
Its not terribly difficult if you already have the basic tools & the servicing instructions from the Sram website. A bike stand comes in very handy! As long as you're careful & have plenty of time, you should be right.
The only issues I had was removing the circlip that holds the lockout knob onto the top of the leg - I didn't have any pliers small enough that fit into the little holes & ended up scratching the surface of the knob. No major dramas as its only cosmetic.
Getting the proper oil was a hassle as my forks require 2x different types 5wt & 15wt that I couldn't seem to get in one place, I had to visit a few different car parts shops to get both types.
Also - don't tip out your used oil on the lawn or you'll kill the grass. I've still got a "C" shaped brown patch that hasn't yet recovered from my mistake.
the oil gets contaminated and wears the anodising off the fork legs and the bushes,
I use synthetic motorcycle fork oil.
I'm not sure what tools are required for the SIDs, but either someone on here or a quick google will let you know what you need. Make sure you have the right or equivilent tools.
Any decent motor bike shop has good quality synthetic fork oil. Seals from LBS. As said, just take it easy and don't rush it and you'll be fine.
specifically, the DT Swiss XC 100. as easy or not? their rear shock for the spark needs to be taken to an aurthorised service centre, not just the LBS. wondering if the forks are the same.
http://www.dtswiss.com/Products_2010/Suspension/...
cheers
tate.
Make sure you get a proper torque wrench, or be VERY careful when tightening the bottom nuts as those rods are fairly fragile (a quite expensive mistake I did the first time I serviced my Fox).
The first time always takes a bit longer but the manuals and videos on the net should help. Air shocks take a little longer than the coil ones but are no harder.
You don't need to change the seals every time.
Make sure you measure the oil exactly and a good set of snap ring pliers are important.
Looks like I'll give it a shot. I've got all the tools and 15w fork oil already for my motorbikes, I'll just have to do it without a fancy workstand
I'll be interested in the feedback on the DT Swiss forks as my mate has the same ones and has just paid a motza to have them serviced. It seems they have quite a short service interval
I managed to take apart a pair of boxxer teams pretty easily. The only thing I couldn't manage was getting the dust seals out. I was using a motor bike tire lever (getting the point of flexing it) and the seals wouldn't even come close to moving. Has anyone else has this trouble or am I just not pushing hard enough?
b.utters i just wiggled the seals from side to side and they slid out slowly.
What did you do that with? The only way I could think of doing that would be to grab the top dust seal with a pair of pliers and try moving it.
You are talking about the dust seals, as in the uppermost grey ones? they came out quite easily gently using a flat screw driver from memory.
It doesnt matter if you damage them as you would be replacing the seals anyway.
As Pants said you can remove the grey dust seal and black oil seal with a flat blade screw driver. You need to be very carefull not to scratch the inside of the lowers though.