Tora forks - help needed.

DR1V3R

Hi all

I have a bit of a problem with my Tora 302 coil forks. I started to get a clunking when the forks extend which is probably due to the rebound damping not working correctly. The adjuster on the fork leg doesn't seem to make any difference and the lock out doesn't work either.

I stripped the forks down and couldn't see any thing wrong all o rings seemed intact, I rebuilt them and put new oil in but the problem is still there.

Any ideas? Without comparing the internals with another set of forks I am not sure if everything is as it should be.

Cheers

DR1V3R

Schobiedoo

Perhaps a fault with the rebound mechanism in the fork. Some 08 Toras seem to be at issue. I got my forks repaired under warranty for this same reason. Worth a chat with the shop you bought them from and if it is this problem they can send them for a warranty repair.

DR1V3R

Thanks for the reply I had almost given up hope!

Yeah I know there is a a problem with the damping I am just trying to figure out what it is! I always like to fix my bike myself and the forks are out of warranty anyway I was kind of hoping someone might have had the same problem and would have a fix. I would just like to get the rebound working again so that I can sell the forks on as I am going to be upgrading anyway but they are worth nothing unless the damping works.

Cheers

DR1V3R

darcyj82

hey, i have the same problem,

see http://www.bikeradar.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=15370536#15370536

i have rebuilt the forks and no change, i now know that it is a problem with the rebound adjuster, not doing any damping at all! This week i will take that leg apart again.

i was thinking about blowing through the rebound adjustment assembly whilst turning the valve, to see if that does any difference....will let you know.

also, after filling the top of the damper leg with oil, are you supposed to remove all the air also in that leg before doing it all back up again? sort of bleed it somehow? this was one step that was not mentioned in the manual.

does anybody know how the rebound adjuster works? or figure out a way of testing (when dissassembled)

cheers all

DR1V3R

Keep me posted!

As far as bleeding the leg when you put the fork back together, the air must come out somewhere or when you let go of the lock out adjuster it would come out due to the air pressure?

DR1V3R

Good news, kind of.

I have got the lockout working now, after thinking long and hard and taking the top on and off a few times I figured out how it works and realised that it had to be lack of oil. When I serviced the forks I measured the 130ml of oil in a measuring jug which maybe wasn't very accurate (or hygenic!). I have now added a bit of oil at a time until I ended up with about 10mm of travel with the forks locked out, IMO this must mean I have the correct amount of oil in now.

This hasn't affected the lack of rebound damping though, but I now think that the o ring on the damping rod must be passing and the oil will be taking the path of least resistance and going round the o ring rather than through the damper. It will be a couple of days until I get a chance to strip them totally and change the o ring, but I will not be beaten! (ok maybe I will)

DR1V3R

darcyj82

Hey DR1V3R,

i did notice that since i did the service on my fork, that the lockout was not working as well (or as instantly). pre service, when locked out there would be about 5mm movement, the after the service, there could be up to 30mm movement, which would decrease with a half dozen compressions reducing the travel to 10mm;
this was there reason for my question concerning the air in the right arm (air compresses - oil doesnt)


anyway, back to the Rebound Adjuster, is there anybody that knows how to test it (when dissassembled) ? or how the thing actually works? - i would normally be able to work out what is wrong with something, once i know what it should do, ie. open/close in what ever position.

there is not much information on the web concerning internals such as this.

thanks all

darcyj82

Hello DR1V3R,

OK, took apart again tonight to try and understand. Below is waht i have come up with... but i cant test untill thursday night. Logically though, this should be the remedy for my problem, and hopefully yours... i really think now that my suspension has alway been faulty!

sry pics are a little dark!

Pic 1. RockShox Tora 302 - Rebound Adjuster - when i removed it:


Pic 2. RockShox Tora 302 - Rebound Adjuster - when removed - close up
The black plastic ring part should be supporting the spring, allowing it to push the rubber "seal" against the blue plastic "vavle" bit - (it does not create a complete seal - see slots in blue vavle bit )

But clearly this shows that it is not supported at all, and when gravity would be involved, the rubber seal and spring would fall down away from the blue "valve" and be no where near the correct placedoing nothing at all.

The diamond seration on the chrome tube shows that it should grip black ring into position, makes sense to me.


Now the next two pictures are with the black ring in the correct position - so i believe
Pic 3. This picture shows the Rebound Adjuster in the "TORTOISE" position, ie, that little slot is closed to allow LESS oil pass through when extending


Pic 4. This picture shows the Rebound Adjuster in the "HARE" position, ie, that little slot is open to allow MORE oil pass through when extending:


Can't wait to try this out now, these friggin forks have been do my nuts for ages.....KLONK, every time i drop the tiniest of curbs! let me know how you get on and i will do like wise.

d

DR1V3R

Ah! Yes that makes sense, my forks looked the same when I took them apart the first time, I did wonder if that was right hence my original post.

I will try to find the time to take mine apart again tonight and let you know how I get on.

Thanks again

DR1V3R

SORTED

Darcyj82 you were spot on there. I have just stripped mine down and tapped the black bit fully up, rebuilt them and they are working again.

The reason why I couldn't figure it out was because the black bit was covering the slot on my forks, as soon as I saw your photo I realised how it worked so I just had to go and sort it - sod the gardening I told the wife I was going to do!

My forks are working better than ever now with new grease, oil and a set of seals.

Thanks again for your input and I hope it sorts yours as well

DR1V3R

darcyj82

Yeah man, all good and put together now, like you said, it seems better than before.

One thing though, do you know how much more oil you put in to sort out the lockout spongyness?

Or the level of the oil compared to the damping oring?

Cheers

DR1V3R

I started with approx 130ml and they wouldn't lock out at all so I added about 20ml more and they locked out with maybe 50mm of travel so I just kept adding maybe 5 ml at a time till I got about 10mm of travel locked out.

BTW I got new seals for the stantions from TFTuned and they were only £15 not the £30 it looks like on their website, because the 302 Toras are "just cheap forks they don't bother with" they don't do the seals seperatly (the more expensive Toras have better seals apparantly). They said just to order Manitou Evil Genius 32mm seals and they would fit - and they did!

Just a bit of info in case you needed some seals anytime and were put off by spending another £30.

HTH

DR1V3R

dav1

sorry to bump an old topic but I have just done this and it works.

My fork was topping out, lockout was fine but the rebound damper had lost a bit of performance. Pushed the ring down (very tough to do but got it there in the end) and a quick test run down the road showed everything is back to normal.

cooldad

Even more awesome thread resurrection than the other one. Six years?

Plenty of info on the RS site.