Any options to stiffen the steerer tube on a Fox 36 fork?

Posted by: thaaad

I am fairly sure Tim is correct. I'm also fairly sure that the Fox Grip2 and the Marz Grip2 are the exact same cartridge but with different knobs.

Aside from the footnuts and topcap threads the Grip2 damper doesn't touch the inside of the fork uppers or lowers at all. The wall thickness should not matter.

But I stopped working at OGC before any of the new Marz stuff came in so I don't know 100%.

This. Because the marz fork uses an e bike csu.

As far as I remember they use the Rhythm CSUs and air springs, not the e-bike parts.

Edit - I just looked it up on the Marz site, for 2020 it's a Marz Grip damper, not labeled as Grip2, and a Rhythm CSU and air spring. Doesn't seem to be any Grip 2 dampers on their site but i didn't comb it very well and I just don't remember. I haven't looked in to that stuff since I left...

https://www.intend-bc.com/products/fork-tuning/stiffler/

Might help?

I felt the Z1 to be noticeably stiffer than a 36 as well. Loved the way it felt.

Posted by: deadweight

https://www.intend-bc.com/products/fork-tuning/stiffler/

Might help?

That looks super promising as it promises to eliminate the crown race ‘cracking’ noise I currently experience. However, the fact that only one shop in Germany is authorized to install the new steerer would likely make it cost prohibitive with shipping to / from Canada.

I also wonder about the viability of pressing out the old steerer and pressing / bonding in a new one. Without knowing the exact engineering behind the original steerer assembly process I wonder what the chances of the crown casting being damaged, weakened or otherwise compromised during the process. I’m not sure I’ve heard of anyone else doing something like this.

Still a really cool idea. Anyone have an idea what a Fox 36 CSU is worth in Germany? Since I’ve got scratches on one stanchion already, maybe I could get these Lemonshox guys to supply a new CSU with this steerer already pressed in and save shipping one way.

Outsider Bikes in the stateside dual crown guys. 

Aaron is a good guy to chat with.

Posted by: ChazzMichaelMichaels

You could go balls deep on the Mezzer? I'm not one to pontificate about stiffness but noticed no difference in flex between my Pike RC and Mattoc Pro. Just the difference began a non-functioning and functioning fork.

After some research the new Manitou Mezzer does sound like an interesting option as well and some of the marketing they have released for it does seem to back up my personal experience on the stiffness of the Fox 36 versus the RS Lyrik as well.  I never had issues with the Lyrik's stiffness or headset creaking like I've had with the Fox, although I could still feel flex under certain situations.  The Mezzer (which has 37mm stanchions) claims to be significantly stiffer than the Fox 36 and slightly more than the Lyrik according to this:

https://forums.mtbr.com/attachments/shocks-suspension/1250154d1557152619-manitou-mezzer-image001.png

I wonder if the damper would be anywhere near as good as the Fox.

Here's how I stiffened my steerer tube:

^ 😂 Nice.

How does it fit in your NSR-4 though? 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Looks good. Which frame is that?

Considering a lowered Boxxer or NeroR for my G16 front end

Norco Range.

I’d wager Fox and Rock Shox will come out with new enduro specific fork platforms (under the same 36 name maybe) in the next two years which will be based on a truly E-MTB proof base (not a 36 with thicker walled stanchions and 34 innards as a short term fix). And they’ll market them for regular bio-bikes to save the cost compared to different platforms.

And for once e-mtbs have ONE positive aspect for non-e-folk.

some key ideas from an armchair engineer:

more volume in general to make room for more negative volume without restricting positive volume and the need for complicated hollow shafts and enough lubrication oil

a new steerer standard for a bigger steerer crown interface, maybe integrated into the headtube to keep a-c at bay (Specialized had something like this on their carbon Sworks brand forks and frames, no crown race etc)

more bushing overlap for sure

200mm postmounts

speedlube ports like on the totem would be rad and could double as bleed valves for burping

proper axle diameter, new front wheel standard

properly prepared bores for press-in fits and an investment in better bonding agent (both Fox and Rock Shox had to replace three CSUs for me under warranty „because of failed bonding agent“ in their words, that can’t have been cheap for them - I’m 76kg and not a crazy sender, but I DO warranty stuff when it really doesn’t hold up for at least a fair amount of riding)

more weight (maybe 2300g for a 170mm 29er fork?) -right now an enduro freeride 29er long travel fork weighs roughly the same as a 140mm trail fork and not THAT much more than common trail/xc forks, something's not right there :)

^^^ Nearly all of those ideas were achieved with my setup in the picture above! ;)

New dual crowns seem to be BOOST 20. Could they go 25 or 30mm axles; who knows? 

Word has it that MOJO has a 36 dual crown mod as well as the 40 reduced offset crowns. 

Don’t know if front axle size is the issue so much as the rear axle being only 12mm ¯\(ツ)/¯

Posted by: rwalters

^^^ Nearly all of those ideas were achieved with my setup in the picture above! ;)

I too thought “just run a Boxxer”.

rwalters did you cut a bit of length off the spring, or is it air?