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Fox servicing

HenryTheHooverHenryTheHoover Posts: 126
edited November 2015 in MTB workshop & tech
Afternoon Gents.

I am somewhere around 60 hrs runtime on my Anthem. Having ridden fully Ridgid previously it's my first foray into suspension servicing. I have a Fox float 32 performance fork and a Fox performance shock ( with boost valve ) .

I have already done a complete strip, clean and rebuild of the forks once. The guy I Spoke to at Mojo told me I shouldn't really need to put new seals / wipers in every 30hrs and to wait until a full service as long as they are maintained properly.

So far I haven't touched the shock. It is holding pressure fine and seems active. I am considering getting it push tuned at its full service because I think I am a bit heavy for the tune and can sometimes feel too much give when the boost valve kicks in. The push tune will replace the boost valve with a shim stack which seems to make sense.

So my questions are:
1. Does it seem reasonable, like mojo have suggested, to run the same seals/ wipers for a year ( given they will be stripped and cleaned regularily )

2. What sort of realistic servicing schedual should I be doing on my rear shock?

3. Is it worth swapping out the seals in the rear shock in between full services if it's holding pressure and not sticking? Or will a decent clean, grease and oil suffice. ( Due to the shock being upside down My thinking is it is Unlikely the seals will dry out)

4. Am I barking up the right tree r.e. The Push tune or is it worth considering an alternative? For example I could get the tune upped from Medium to Hard ( Mojo say I am right at the top end of a medium tune ) I am currently 220 lbs fully kitted out but really need to get down to 200 which might be relevant here.

Any input appreciated, Ta.

Posts

  • cooldadcooldad Posts: 32,599
    I would listen to Mojo. I have RS and Magura forks, but my Fox shock has had three home services in six years and works perfectly.
    What I would have spent on 'recommended' services would buy me a couple of new shocks.
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  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Reusing fork seals is fine. Just give them a good clean, grease the dust seals and soak the foam seals in oil before refitting.
    Sounds like a tune would work for you. TF Tuned would be my choice for PUSH tuning.
    I only ever serviced my Fox shocks once a year and did it myself.
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  • HerdwickHerdwick Posts: 523
    I would trust mojo as well, I did not use their services so far but I spoke on the phone with one of their guys and was really helpfull and thourough on how to solve a specific problem.

    With your weight I would recomend to use a thicker oil on the fox float 32, is a crappy fork, flexy and prone to dive to much and the heavier the rider the worst still!!!
    I used motorex w10 fork oil in a fox 34 o/c damper and now the dampening is more consistent and smooth with out diving much, which helped to set the fork
    “I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
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  • HerdwickHerdwick Posts: 523
    Also I always use the dust seals until fall apart, new seals cause a lot of stinction and hinders forks performance by the time they bed in new service is due and you never going to get it to work ok
    “I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Mojo don't do PUSH tuning.
    Using a heavier oil isn't the way to tune for a heavier rider, it will ruin the damping.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • HerdwickHerdwick Posts: 523
    as far as the o/c damper fox uses is the only cheap way, actualy on open setting there is no dampening at all to ruin, if you use a slightly heavier oil will work better in all conditions,
    “I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut
  • rockmonkeyscrockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    If there's no damping then how will a heavier damping oil help?
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • HerdwickHerdwick Posts: 523
    the heavier oil will do
    “I am a humanist, which means, in part, that I have tried to behave decently without expectations of rewards or punishments after I am dead.”
    ― Kurt Vonnegut
  • HenryTheHooverHenryTheHoover Posts: 126
    R.e. The forks I swapped to using fox 20wt gold oil on my first service. It's all still a steep learning curve for me but in hindsight I should have serviced them on purchase of the bike. Basically because I now think the seals dry out when bikes are stored.

    Bar the sealed FiT damper I have stripped and slick greased every seal/ wiper. I have also experimented with reducing the amount of float fluid from 5 ml to 2 ml in the air chamber to increase air volume to see if I get closer to full travel. Considering one of the main selling points of the Anthem SX is an extra 20mm travel upfront it is a bit frustrating that, in reality, it is more like a decent 100mm fork and a 20mm spacer.

    The above is all based on the Trail setting which seems a bit poor over small bumps but fairly good when pushed harder. I had previously given up on Descend mode due to brake dive. I think maybe the ideal might be somewhere in between.

    I don't get the time I would like to ride and really appreciate the input, Thanks for taking the time to add your thoughts







    D
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