Poll: How often do you service your fork?

Posted by: thaaad

If you're legitimately riding it once or twice a year and it's consistently losing air on the same ride with new air seals then that strikes me that the air seals are not the problem.

Unless I'm not understand what you're saying which is entirely possible considering that the story is spread out over like 5 or 6 posts with new details in every post, and troubleshooting over the internet is a nightmare at best.

Okay, you do sound like you're being genuine. I'll try to be better at explaining.

The air seals are never new when they fail, they're around a year old, but it's the same result whether they've been ridden once or 100 times in that period.

And this happens like clockwork every year?

The reason I ask, wonder if it's just coincidence / not specifically the seal and there's something else happening.

(Examples - you're flexing / twisting the fork and the air piston is on an angle for a split second causing air bypass, or there is damage super high on the stanchion and you don't encounter it until you take a big hit and then it leaks, maybe the oil in the air side gets tacky and doesn't prevent the leaking that you mentioned from the manual, something like that)

I'm not very familiar with the RS line so it's also possible there are issues with that seal or something.

Without seeing / disassembling the fork I might not be able to help. Fluid function with a much detail as you can give might be your best option.

Posted by: -Alex2-

Posted by: thaaad

If you're legitimately riding it once or twice a year and it's consistently losing air on the same ride with new air seals then that strikes me that the air seals are not the problem.

Unless I'm not understand what you're saying which is entirely possible considering that the story is spread out over like 5 or 6 posts with new details in every post, and troubleshooting over the internet is a nightmare at best.

Okay, you do sound like you're being genuine. I'll try to be better at explaining.

The air seals are never new when they fail, they're around a year old, but it's the same result whether they've been ridden once or 100 times in that period.

That should tell you that it’s not the seals that are the problem. 

Score one for having a qualified/experienced person do the maintenance on your gear.

Posted by: syncro

That should tell you that it’s not the seals that are the problem. 

Score one for having a qualified/experienced person do the maintenance on your gear.

It's only ever been serviced by Dunbar Cycles, roughly once a year until I gave up and just stuck to my more reliable older forks.

Posted by: thaaad

And this happens like clockwork every year?

The reason I ask, wonder if it's just coincidence / not specifically the seal and there's something else happening.

(Examples - you're flexing / twisting the fork and the air piston is on an angle for a split second causing air bypass, or there is damage super high on the stanchion and you don't encounter it until you take a big hit and then it leaks, maybe the oil in the air side gets tacky and doesn't prevent the leaking that you mentioned from the manual, something like that)

I'm not very familiar with the RS line so it's also possible there are issues with that seal or something.

Without seeing / disassembling the fork I might not be able to help. Fluid function with a much detail as you can give might be your best option.

It first happened roughly a year after I got it, but I can't remember the exact circumstances because it was so long ago, and then after that I always remembered to service it once a year until it became uneconomical because I wasn't able to ride much anymore. Then I stopped having it serviced, and sure enough, one day when I was riding a different bike and I let my friend borrow that bike, it let all its air out while we were cruising back home just on the road. I know that info isn't very helpful, but doesn't it still seem like it's just a higher maintenance fork than some of my 20 year old ones that have dealt with the same conditions and never had an issue?

Is that the year with the u-turn and air neg spring?

I don't know how the u-turn works, but when the older Talas forks got super old they would be unable to stay up. They would creep down to the lower position. This was commonly due to wear on the sealing surfaces and no matter how many times you replaced the seals they would still creep down because the actual sealing surface was no longer perfect. The forks never lost any air pressure but they still crept down.

Or is it possible that you were never equalizing the pos/neg springs after inflating it and the air "loss" was just air equalizing in to the neg chamber? I would still see that with very recent forks even though that tech had been around for like 10 years.

Just spitballing...

It's not the U-Turn Boxxer, although I did have that problem with my 2006 Pike Air U-Turn, which is why I eventually sold that. The Boxxer is a Solo Air, so positive and negative get inflated simultaneously, and the air loss happened a year after inflation.

Not trying to be negative. I appreciate your spitballing.

One other thing that might be relevant was that I did get stanchion wear on this Boxxer once and had to have the stanchion replaced, even though the fork got serviced once a year. Never had that happen on any other fork before even after 20 years with zero maintenance in the same conditions.

Did it do it before you had the stanchion replaced?

Some Fox forks have very slightly different stanchion internal sizes and some air springs may physically fit in but do not work.

Without opening it I think I'm out of ideas though to be honest.

Posted by: -Alex2-

I used to ride regularly, asshole. Never did any maintenance back then either, never had any worn stanchions or air loss. And the 2007 Boxxer manual says to add a teaspoon of oil to the top of the left leg every so often to avoid air loss, not drain any old oil out. That means the oil in the top of the left leg is gone.

How do I lock this thread? This is pointless.

I get that you are getting some negative feedback in that you were hoping to find out what fork you do not have to service and everyone is telling you to service your fork. To be fair though, you opened a thread about how often people service their forks, which would attract people interested in fork maintenance. The guy who called you a goon was not saying it to you specifically, but to people who don't maintain their bikes. And goon would not be so much an insult as a description, as "goons" tend to carry on no matter how beat up they get. Kinda like riders who keep riding their bike despite it being completely trashed. I don't think he was trying to insult anyone either, he was jokingly telling people to take care of their shit. 

To be honest, the way this thread unfolded is totally bizarre and I really don't think anyone was trying to insult. It seems you have some people really trying to help you with your fork issues. I don't think calling anyone asshole is necessary. 

As for the topping up oil business, I think that was when seals kinda sucked and through use, oil would slowly creep out of the lowers along the stantions. A fork that is ridden 3 times a year shouldnt lose oil. I also may be misunderstanding what you meant. 

Finally, I must say there is nothing like a fresh fork. That being said I am always disappointed how fast the "fresh fork feel" dissipates. Any tips how to keep the fork feeling fresh between oil changes?

Posted by: RAHrider

Finally, I must say there is nothing like a fresh fork. That being said I am always disappointed how fast the "fresh fork feel" dissipates. Any tips how to keep the fork feeling fresh between oil changes?

just go the route of the op - never service your fork and then it'll get bad enough that you won't be able to tell if it's under performing.

Posted by: RAHrider

Posted by: -Alex2-

I used to ride regularly, asshole. Never did any maintenance back then either, never had any worn stanchions or air loss. And the 2007 Boxxer manual says to add a teaspoon of oil to the top of the left leg every so often to avoid air loss, not drain any old oil out. That means the oil in the top of the left leg is gone.

How do I lock this thread? This is pointless.

I get that you are getting some negative feedback in that you were hoping to find out what fork you do not have to service and everyone is telling you to service your fork. To be fair though, you opened a thread about how often people service their forks, which would attract people interested in fork maintenance. The guy who called you a goon was not saying it to you specifically, but to people who don't maintain their bikes. And goon would not be so much an insult as a description, as "goons" tend to carry on no matter how beat up they get. Kinda like riders who keep riding their bike despite it being completely trashed. I don't think he was trying to insult anyone either, he was jokingly telling people to take care of their shit. 

To be honest, the way this thread unfolded is totally bizarre and I really don't think anyone was trying to insult. It seems you have some people really trying to help you with your fork issues. I don't think calling anyone asshole is necessary. 

As for the topping up oil business, I think that was when seals kinda sucked and through use, oil would slowly creep out of the lowers along the stantions. A fork that is ridden 3 times a year shouldnt lose oil. I also may be misunderstanding what you meant. 

Finally, I must say there is nothing like a fresh fork. That being said I am always disappointed how fast the "fresh fork feel" dissipates. Any tips how to keep the fork feeling fresh between oil changes?

Ol' Alex here has had a big first day on the board eh lol. No where to go but up...or out.

Fresh feeling, maybe could try:

WPL fork boost lube helps to pull some of the dirt out from behind the seals between oil changes, applies easily to stanchions.

SC1 sprayed on the stanchions makes them slippery as hell, but pull the wheel first don't want that stuff anywhere near your pads.

Religiously cleaning the dust and grime off the stanchions to keep that crap from sucking down into the fork as much as possible is key imo.

Posted by: Hepcat

Ol' Alex here has had a big first day on the board eh lol. No where to go but up...or out.

Fresh feeling, maybe could try:

WPL fork boost lube helps to pull some of the dirt out from behind the seals between oil changes, applies easily to stanchions.

SC1 sprayed on the stanchions makes them slippery as hell, but pull the wheel first don't want that stuff anywhere near your pads.

Religiously cleaning the dust and grime off the stanchions to keep that crap from sucking down into the fork as much as possible is key imo.

lol

Re putting lube on  the stanchions, instead of pulling the wheel just spray the lube on a rag or shop towel and use that to wipe down the stanchions. I agree that keeping the stanchions clean is key, I've made the mistake of not doing that or regular maintenance before and ruined a fork because of it. Then again, I was riding that bike just a bit more than 2-3 times per year.

Yup, wiping stanchions and regularly packing dropper post seal with grease best maintenance tips I've ever been given.

SC1 is liquid gold, my rag gets none. $30cad a can brother!

My ‘99 Bomber Z1 BAM has never been serviced and still feels as good as when I got it in ‘02.

For realz.   I’m terrified of what the oil smells like so refuse to open it  

The rest of my forks get cleaned and lube oil changed at home every few months.   So easy, so cheap,  so worth it.