Rockshox Reba RL dirt + oil lik

kire76

Hi, I own a 2013 Rockshox Reba RLT fork, today after going to a ride it ended up with dirt + oil on the upper tubes, the left tube has a mark of coating gone (you can see on the pictures). This fork has like 3700 miles, and like 1200 miles ago I made a maintenance where the dust seals, foam rings, oil seals and oil was change. Is this normal? or I need to worry about it. Here are some pics that I took today.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0w9k ... TFqZ254VFU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0w9k ... 3hhelBlbkU
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0w9k ... HNHUzNIb1k
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0w9k ... VNYaUlYcm8

Thanks

cooldad

Pics don't work.

The Rookie

Hosted on google, you need to give permission for us to access them.

rockmonkeysc

You should be servicing them more than every 1200 miles if it's off road miles.
Are there any scratches in the stanchions?
Do you keep them clean? Do you apply a very fine film of lube to the stanchions every couple of rides?
What was the oil like last time you serviced them? I'm guessing not much of it and what was in there was a horrible black sludge.

kire76

Sorry, the images are ready

Yes, there is a part on the left stanchion without the original coating (you can see it on the pictures), About your questions: 1) After every ride I clean the stanchions, 2) every couple of rides I lube them with prime line oil, 3) on the maintenance the oil was dirty but not that much, just normal. It wasn't sludge because I smell it and it was oil plus dirt.

The Rookie

Looks like you've not been cleaning the stanchions properly, classic stanchion wear due to the fine grit collecting on the top of the seal.

Not sure what oil you've been using, but the wrong type will just attract grit and turn it into a grinding paste.

Full strip and service and keep them going as long as you can, but the uppers are now just going to get worse I'm afraid.

kire76

Ok, which kind of oil do you recommend? And how is the proper way of cleaning the stanchions?

supersonic

The left side wear is common on many forks - it is often caused by brake flexing and twisting the lowers - the stanchion rubs hard on the bush and seals. Any dirt in there accentuates it, as mentioned above. Some older Fox forks were buggers for it, used to happen very quickly.

Is there any play in the forks?

The Rookie

I wash with either plain water or with some natural soap (NOT washing up liquid as it contains salt), cycle the forks to help lift the grime out the seal and wipe off, dry and then I use a little fork oil on a cloth to wipe the stanchions, removing any excess.

kire76

No, there is no play just the normal sag on the fork

rockmonkeysc

I use a dry silicone based lube on my stanchions. Lower lube change about once every 2 - 3 months. New seals once a year.

kire76

RockmonkeySC, Which brand of oil do you use? and which are the maintenance intervals that you think are the correct?

rockmonkeysc

Going by the service intervals for my forks in the Rockshox manuals I service my BoXXers once every eight rides (lower lube only) and Pikes every three months (again, lowers only).
Takes about 20 minutes. I use Juice Lubes Fork Juice every couple rides on the stanchions and for lower lubes I use TF Tuned lower lube mix.