Crazy corrosion in fork bottom - but does it matter..?
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Posts: 36
Hi all.
In an effort to work out what the hell is going on with both an apparent oil leak (thought a seal had failed - the fork clearly hadn't been used for a while...) and the crazy amount of visible fork upper, I thought I'd give servicing them a crack (the bike is the one in my sig, Rock Shox Judy 2s. Is the year the one printed on the underside of the crown? If so, they're 05s...)
So - 1st punter error: the suspected oil leak was on the left-hand stanchion. Hmm. The one without any oil in it... :oops:
On removing the fork bottoms, though, the amount of corrosion visible on the protruding 'spring shaft assembly' was gob-smacking. I've tried to take pics of it, though they aren't that clear...
IMG_1334 by Ian Garforth, on Flickr
IMG_1336 by Ian Garforth, on Flickr
The whole thing looks like it's come off the sea bed. There's a smooth bit worn down that looks as it should where it's contacted the fork upper. The rest of it - man. But I'm wondering how bad that is..? I mean, obviously, it's not ideal, but the worst that I guess is happening is that the little bits of corrosion are flaking of, getting mixed up in the grease, and finding their way through the dust seal on to the fork upper - and it was this that I mistook for an oil leak.
I don't suppose this is doing the fork seal a whole lot of good - but are there any other downsides that I'm missing? Not that there's a lot I can do about it - I gather Rock Shox never made spares for the fork lowers on this model..? Nice one, chaps...
I figure now I've got it apart this far, I might as well service the damping side as well - not that I think there's much of a prob with that, other than the bike/frame's previous owner - a certain Mr H Munster - seemed to have continued with his hobby (crossing threads) on the preload cap, setting at twice the maximum preload. Sorted now.
Even so, I don't think this had any bearing on the cray travel. As far as I can tell, what sets a theoretical maximum limit must be the length of the spring shaft assembly, as this can't disappear into the fork upper, as it's screwed to the fork lower. This puts it at about 130mm travel, which accords well with what I've found about the red spring stack - 125mm. This would mean, as far as I can tell, that if it reached it's theoretical maximum, there would be about 20mm left of visible stanchion leg which is - I guess - about right. Therefore, I guess I've just got the 125mm version (even though it looks bigger than that, and even a random shop assistant in an LBS today couldn't help but do a double take at it as he walked by today).
Why anyone would put a 125mm on this bike is another matter - but I guess it's not as bad as I thought...
In an effort to work out what the hell is going on with both an apparent oil leak (thought a seal had failed - the fork clearly hadn't been used for a while...) and the crazy amount of visible fork upper, I thought I'd give servicing them a crack (the bike is the one in my sig, Rock Shox Judy 2s. Is the year the one printed on the underside of the crown? If so, they're 05s...)
So - 1st punter error: the suspected oil leak was on the left-hand stanchion. Hmm. The one without any oil in it... :oops:
On removing the fork bottoms, though, the amount of corrosion visible on the protruding 'spring shaft assembly' was gob-smacking. I've tried to take pics of it, though they aren't that clear...
IMG_1334 by Ian Garforth, on Flickr
IMG_1336 by Ian Garforth, on Flickr
The whole thing looks like it's come off the sea bed. There's a smooth bit worn down that looks as it should where it's contacted the fork upper. The rest of it - man. But I'm wondering how bad that is..? I mean, obviously, it's not ideal, but the worst that I guess is happening is that the little bits of corrosion are flaking of, getting mixed up in the grease, and finding their way through the dust seal on to the fork upper - and it was this that I mistook for an oil leak.
I don't suppose this is doing the fork seal a whole lot of good - but are there any other downsides that I'm missing? Not that there's a lot I can do about it - I gather Rock Shox never made spares for the fork lowers on this model..? Nice one, chaps...
I figure now I've got it apart this far, I might as well service the damping side as well - not that I think there's much of a prob with that, other than the bike/frame's previous owner - a certain Mr H Munster - seemed to have continued with his hobby (crossing threads) on the preload cap, setting at twice the maximum preload. Sorted now.
Even so, I don't think this had any bearing on the cray travel. As far as I can tell, what sets a theoretical maximum limit must be the length of the spring shaft assembly, as this can't disappear into the fork upper, as it's screwed to the fork lower. This puts it at about 130mm travel, which accords well with what I've found about the red spring stack - 125mm. This would mean, as far as I can tell, that if it reached it's theoretical maximum, there would be about 20mm left of visible stanchion leg which is - I guess - about right. Therefore, I guess I've just got the 125mm version (even though it looks bigger than that, and even a random shop assistant in an LBS today couldn't help but do a double take at it as he walked by today).
Why anyone would put a 125mm on this bike is another matter - but I guess it's not as bad as I thought...
You don't really care what bike I have, do you..? Oh, go on, then... 
Current build cost = £73.37
Current build cost = £73.370
Comments
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some infos for you
http://www.sram.com/en/service/rockshox ... subcatID=3
down load and have a read.
and this one
http://www.sram.com/_media/techdocs/95. ... 0Rev_A.pdf"Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Thanks Nick. From the service info, it seems to suggest I have two possible options with regards to springs - the 125 option, or the 80-100 option.
Have I got that right? Reducing the travel would be awesome. That said, in the spares catalogue, it doesn't list Judy's at all, other than generic parts including bushings (which the Sram 2006 Judy Service Guide catagorically states are not available :? )You don't really care what bike I have, do you..? Oh, go on, then... Current build cost = £73.370 -
I'd be tempted to get a new fork. The spares from Fisher are expensive (when available), and it looks like it is at the end of its life.0
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TBH I would give TFtuned a call on tuesday and see what can be done.
but yes there are two versions as you say.
but something might be doable with some spacers and some shorter springs."Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
Parktools :?:SheldonBrown0 -
Cost more to repair than the fork is worthWhy would I care about 150g of bike weight, I just ate 400g of cookies while reading this?0
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Yeah, in the end, this morning I woke up and thought (kinda radically for me) rather than spend all day fannying about on forums, online shopping and ebay planning purchases for a bike that was necessarily cheap because I don't have much money, why not - and here's the radical bit - go and ride the damned thing and enjoy it.
So I did.
And I did.
The fork was fine. Bit bouncy, but everything else about it, including the bushings, seems fine. So I figure I'll just ride it for a bit and see what happens. If a cheap shorter travel fork or something with remote lockout comes up cheap, great. If it doesn't, not sweat...
Nice weather today, too
You don't really care what bike I have, do you..? Oh, go on, then... Current build cost = £73.370 -
Yeah, in the end, this morning I woke up and thought (kinda radically for me) rather than spend all day fannying about on forums, online shopping and ebay planning purchases for a bike that was necessarily cheap because I don't have much money, why not - and here's the radical bit - go and ride the damned thing and enjoy it.
So I did.
And I did.
The fork was fine. Bit bouncy, but everything else about it, including the bushings, seems fine. So I figure I'll just ride it for a bit and see what happens. If a cheap shorter travel fork or something with remote lockout comes up cheap, great. If it doesn't, not sweat...
Nice weather today, too You don't really care what bike I have, do you..? Oh, go on, then... Current build cost = £73.370 -
did you wake up and hten fall asleep.???
dunno how worn your ork is but you should see the one my friend is riding :shock: you can almost slip in a pencil between the stancion and slider!!!0
