Pike RCT 3 problem???

Aitken

Dear forum users,

I have some problem with my fork. I am enclosing a video about the problem. There is a weird noise if I pull out the fork to get rid of any SAG. Also I feel wobble/moving in the right side. If I let the fork have SAG under its own weight the weird sound nearly disappear.

Please be kind to reply what should I do? I dont have much experience with forks. Is this a problem or it is normal? The fork still have warranty. But I have to post it back 600 km away. Nearby I dont know any experienced bikeshop.

I did not use the fork more than 100km. I am just used on flat surface, no on mountains at all.

http://indavideo.hu/video/Pike_RCT_3

Any help is welcomed!

Than you!!!

supersonic

What percentage sag are you running and what air pressure? All forks make noises when they move, damper valves etc.

There shouldn't be a wobble though. Can you explain this in more detail>?

The Northern Monkey

Watching the video, it sounds like a problem with the internals. Are the bolts at the bottom of the fork tight?

supersonic

Didn't see the video! The noise is very likely the solo air valves opening. Hard to tell though.

Aitken

supersonic wrote:

What percentage sag are you running and what air pressure? All forks make noises when they move, damper valves etc.

There shouldn't be a wobble though. Can you explain this in more detail>?

In the beginning there was no such a noise. After a few months (2-3) it appeared. I always oiled the stanchion and cleaned after every ride. I use it with 25% SAG and around 80-90 psi. I have to check it, I am not sure so I will check that later. I am not home at the moment. I am 80kg. It is a little bit over the recommended value, but it is feel fine for me. I feel secured against the bottom out.
The wobble feeling is in the right leg at the seal. It feels like something hitting the leg's wall. Maybe something is loosening up? On the sram site there is only an exploded view about the Solo Air RC3 not the RCT3. So I don’t know how its look inside. I think the cartridge tube, but this is more like metal sound and the cartridge tube is definitely not metal.

Aitken

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Watching the video, it sounds like a problem with the internals. Are the bolts at the bottom of the fork tight?

I will check it. Thank you.

Aitken

supersonic wrote:

Didn't see the video! The noise is very likely the solo air valves opening. Hard to tell though.

What do you understand when you says valves opening. Please explain it. Thank you!

Dick Scruttock

Some pikes have had problems with bushings that are far too loose. Might be worth getting those checked if there is play in one leg. The other noise is the solo air function as air bypasses the positive air chamber via a pocket in the stanchion to equalise the negative and positive air chamber pressures.

Aitken

Rick Draper wrote:

Some pikes have had problems with bushings that are far too loose. Might be worth getting those checked if there is play in one leg. The other noise is the solo air function as air bypasses the positive air chamber via a pocket in the stanchion to equalise the negative and positive air chamber pressures.

Is it true for the 2014 model? I forgot to tell my fork is the 2014 model. If the bushing is too loose it have to be replaced. Am I right? If I put my finger on the stanchion and the seal there is no moving. It's feels like something hitting the leg's inside. I feel it a little bit under the seal if I grab the leg. I am waiting for the warranty reply at the moment.

poah

first noise sounds like the fork is not sitting in the headset properly so needs more preload. the second noise is the damper working that's all all very normal. if you add more rebound damping it will get louder, its just the squelch of the oil going through the damping circuit.

is the maxel on properly?

Aitken

The Northern Monkey wrote:

Watching the video, it sounds like a problem with the internals. Are the bolts at the bottom of the fork tight?

I checked the bolts at the bottom. Everything is tight.

Aitken

POAH wrote:

first noise sounds like the fork is not sitting in the headset properly so needs more preload. the second noise is the damper working that's all all very normal. if you add more rebound damping it will get louder, its just the squelch of the oil going through the damping circuit.

is the maxel on properly?

I checked the headset a few times and also the maxle. Everything is fine and tight. The noise comes at the right side at the seal.

The Northern Monkey

TBH, I'd either take it back to where you got it from or to your LBS to check it out.

Cqc

Sounds like loose bushings to me

Aitken

Thanks everybody for the help. I am already written to the company 1 month ago. They are sad that they will make contact with me. Nothing happened. I write them again 1 week ago and they ask for the video again. Now I am waiting. Few days later I will try to phone the company. I hope for the best.

Terrytibbs

If it feels loose on the right leg only then I can only presume you have a bushing problem. Try removing all the air and try again with the fork leg compressed. Then try putting more air in and see if it's the same.

Aitken

Terrytibbs wrote:

If it feels loose on the right leg only then I can only presume you have a bushing problem. Try removing all the air and try again with the fork leg compressed. Then try putting more air in and see if it's the same.

If I removed the air and tried this way there was nearly no noise. The leg's wall hitting feeling is also nearly dissappeard. With more air there is still noise.

The company sad that I can send back the fork for warranty check up.

Aitken

I got the warranty response. I can send back the fork for service and check up. The next question is that I read on forums the Solo Air is problematic and the Dual Air version is more stable. I can ask for a warranty upgrade from Solo Air to Dual Air. If the service denies that I can pay for an upgrade. Is it worth it? Does anybody have any experience wit the Solo Air vs. Dual Air issue? Dual Air has construction advantages? Or it is just the travel adjustment?

supersonic

Dual air is not available on this fork.

Aitken

supersonic wrote:

Dual air is not available on this fork.

"AVAILABLE SPRINGS Dual Position Air, Solo Air" I copied this data from the sram website. Maybe my explanation was not clear.

poah

supersonic wrote:

Dual air is not available on this fork.

quoted for the giggles


http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/rock ... prod109669

cooldad

POAH wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Dual air is not available on this fork.

quoted for the giggles


http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/rock ... prod109669

I think the joke's on you.

supersonic

Dual Air and Dual Position Air are two different systems. Dual air uses two valves, dual position air on the pike is a single air valve with external travel adjust.

Dual Air is now dropped on newer forks.

poah

cooldad wrote:

POAH wrote:

supersonic wrote:

Dual air is not available on this fork.

quoted for the giggles


http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/rock ... prod109669

I think the joke's on you.

I didn't mean the dual air system of being able to pump up the negative spring independently though.

cooldad

In that case I missed the joke.