Forks - nitriding
Jim Lyon
Posts: 72
Hi!
I've just picked up a set of Pace RC36 Evo Pro
Class forks off ebay to replace the ones I had trashed
when T boned by a car. I coudn't help noticing that
the nitriding (gold finish) on these stanchions has
been worn off over most of the length of the travel.
So, in trying to decide whether it's worth the hassle
of getting the nitriding recoated or simply getting a
new set of stanchions from Pace (i.e. chrome ones as
they now no longer have any nitrided ones left), I
can't help wondering if nitriding is actually up to
the harsh environment of mountain biking? i.e. is this
just a "one off" because the previous owner was simply
too lazy to use the grease nipples that Pace provide,
or in getting them recoated, would I simply be buying
myself into as laod of hassle & throwing good money
after bad?
If anybody has any experience of this, I'd
appreciate their input. - TIA !
Cheers,
Jim
I've just picked up a set of Pace RC36 Evo Pro
Class forks off ebay to replace the ones I had trashed
when T boned by a car. I coudn't help noticing that
the nitriding (gold finish) on these stanchions has
been worn off over most of the length of the travel.
So, in trying to decide whether it's worth the hassle
of getting the nitriding recoated or simply getting a
new set of stanchions from Pace (i.e. chrome ones as
they now no longer have any nitrided ones left), I
can't help wondering if nitriding is actually up to
the harsh environment of mountain biking? i.e. is this
just a "one off" because the previous owner was simply
too lazy to use the grease nipples that Pace provide,
or in getting them recoated, would I simply be buying
myself into as laod of hassle & throwing good money
after bad?
If anybody has any experience of this, I'd
appreciate their input. - TIA !
Cheers,
Jim
0
Comments
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Nitriding hardens the surface to a reasonable depth. If your forks had worn through the nitriding there would probably be noticeable movement.
I've never seen nitriding with a gold finish, I would wager that the outer gold layer wearing through will cause you no problems at all.
Do the forks perform ok?Wheelies ARE cool.
Zaskar X0 -
Seperatley the bushings could be worn too.0
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The nitriding wears off motorbike forks as well so it not an uncommon problem. The RC36's do suffer from worn bushes even if you grease then after every ride like i did.0
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MattBlackBigBoysBMX wrote:Nitriding hardens the surface to a reasonable depth. If your forks had worn through the nitriding there would probably be noticeable movement.
JL - Nothing obvious whebn I check by hand
I've never seen nitriding with a gold finish, I
JL - It's what Pace use(d ?) e.g. with regard to spare stanchions, they no longer stock ti. nitrided ones. So I'm not sure if that means they've simply run out or gave it up as a "bad idea"?
would wager that the outer gold layer wearing through will cause you no problems at all.
JL - Except for the fact that they now look decidedly NON bling!
Do the forks perform ok?[
JL - I've only given them a waggle across the bushes & bounced them up & down by hand . Apart from not yet having decided what to do, I'm going to have to fit a new steering tube as the one on the second hand forks is to short to fit my bike.
/quote]0 -
Rockhopper wrote:The nitriding wears off motorbike forks as well so it not an uncommon problem.
JL - How common a problem is that? As in, if I were to go to the expense of getting them recoated, do you think I'd merely be throwing good money after bad?
The RC36's do suffer from worn bushes even if you grease then after every ride like i did
JL - What kind of mileage is that @? On my original ones I'd done about 10K+ miles & the only wear was a slight polishing of the nitriding where the bushes rubbe (that was with lubing every 50-60 miles using their Pro gel). Do Pace still insist that the (carbon fibre) sliders have to be sent back tio them to get new ones fitted?
While I personally think they're easily the best XC forks I've come across in my (admittedly limited) experience, I couldn't help feeling that the screws were made of poor quality material e.g. despite the low torque settings & being careful, the allen screw heads would chew up all to easily!
Any other problems to look out for?
.0 -
Just buy some shock boots, no-one will ever know!Wheelies ARE cool.
Zaskar X0 -
MattBlackBigBoysBMX wrote:Just buy some shock boots, no-one will ever know!
Pace forks weren't intended to be used with shock boots, they'd be crushed between the crown and sliders at maximum compression.
In other words, if set to 90mm travel, there's only 90mm of stanchion visible at full extension.
I had a pair of RC36 Pro Class forks, and in seven years use, I only managed to get slight fading of the titanioum nitride coating, despite being occasionally lax with the regreasing..."Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe." (Albert Einstein)0 -
I don't know that its norml in the motorcycling word but i've certainly seen it happen and i've seen it lots of times with older Pace forks. A typical trick is to put them back to normal travel if they have been run at 90, this hides all the wear!
My bushes were shot after not very much mostly dry riding, it was very obvious if you put the front brake on and rock the bike backwards and forwards. The cost of replacing them coupled with the fact that i found a crack in the carbon leg convinced me not to bother with them so they went on ebay. I was never very impressed with them as a fork anyhow.
I'm guessing Pace have no new uppers left becasue the forks must be seven years old now and have been out of production for ages.
If i were you i'd stick them back on ebay and buy something more modern.0