After a few years of working solely on suspension, I have learned that the bushings are usually _not_ the cause of a sticky fork.
Chassis alignment is a much bigger issue than the bushing fit. In 75% of forks that need work, it is the alignment between stanchions and lowers that is the problem.
Once the seals are removed and the lowers are clean and dry, drop each stanchion in _individually_ to check the bushing fit. They should drop to the bottom with close to zero friction. That is the bushing/stanchion fit.
Now bolt your front wheel in the lowers and drop the stanchions in together. If it is now tight and the CSU will not drop to the bottom on it's own, you have a chassis alignment issue.
It is all too common for shops to go crazy on the bushings when in fact it's that chassis that is the main problem. In my experience, very few of even suspension only shops are dealing with this correctly. Fluid Focus is one that does it right;
[https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h09OCvxnf/](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h09OCvxnf/)
Dec. 20, 2023, 6:41 a.m. - the prophet
After a few years of working solely on suspension, I have learned that the bushings are usually _not_ the cause of a sticky fork. Chassis alignment is a much bigger issue than the bushing fit. In 75% of forks that need work, it is the alignment between stanchions and lowers that is the problem. Once the seals are removed and the lowers are clean and dry, drop each stanchion in _individually_ to check the bushing fit. They should drop to the bottom with close to zero friction. That is the bushing/stanchion fit. Now bolt your front wheel in the lowers and drop the stanchions in together. If it is now tight and the CSU will not drop to the bottom on it's own, you have a chassis alignment issue. It is all too common for shops to go crazy on the bushings when in fact it's that chassis that is the main problem. In my experience, very few of even suspension only shops are dealing with this correctly. Fluid Focus is one that does it right; [https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h09OCvxnf/](https://www.instagram.com/p/C0h09OCvxnf/)