Front fork Issue Help solve the crime HAHA

rorylofthouse · October 2013

Hi

I know the title is misleading but its hard to describe is such a short title

Ok so i have a dawes hard tail 2011 bike only really getting ridden to work mainly road work and slight bit of hardcore pathing & under 1/2 mile x4 daily.

Recently the front forks feel as what i can only describe as say 5/6mm of empty space before they soak up any bumps, its quite a harsh bump and bang when it happens.

The forks are RST Gilas so i appreciate that they are only a really cheap fork but if i can solve this then i'd be over the moon.

The allen bolt at the headset is tight and it doesn't feel like any movement in the head set, so can only put this down to a fork issue, any help would be appreciated

Thanks

The Rookie · October 2013

When were they last serviced? Could be they are binding up and then a big enouigh hit is shocking them into moving?

rorylofthouse · October 2013

They've never been serviced, as i thought with them only been cheap forks it would be pointless, im guessing it should be easy to get them to bits

cooldad · October 2013

And probably pointless.

The Rookie · October 2013

Nothing to be lost by splitting them and adding a good dollop of grease to the bushes, you'll either see they are FUBAR or fix them (for a while at least), that or prize the seals off and drizzle in salty water to seize them up completely!

rorylofthouse · October 2013

gonna pull them to bits tonight, should i look for anything in particular

bails87 · October 2013

Dirt, rust and water I imagine.

The Rookie · October 2013

Plus signs of binding (wear) between the stanchions and bushes!

rorylofthouse · October 2013

cool cheers, i'll take a look then tonight im guessing that if the top bushes are f*cked then theres not alot i can do

Cheers

rorylofthouse · October 2013

well i took a look last night and they where in pretty good nick. greased up and they seem loads better. how ever my pre load leg doesn't seem to twist anymore so might need to look into this. but it wast a right pain to screw in from the outer leg so guessing it could be a slightly bent rod

arnego2 · October 2013

Hopefully its not a thread jack, I have a similar problem and the bike, a Jamis Komodo is new. My forks are RST Dirt and they have that feeling of an empty space since new. I'm thinking of using a heavier oil but need to know what amount of oil those forks are use.

The Rookie · October 2013

Probably none at all.....

arnego2 · October 2013

Could well be

Went to hardest setting and have no damping at all. Later I try and see what I can do.

arnego2 · October 2013

Nothing can be done really, adding 200gr of grease made a slight difference. There is no damping body. Its basically a Spring in grease in a tube. Little grease. Any recommendation for a mediate fork anyone?

The Rookie · October 2013

Cheapest fork worth upgrading to is a Suntour XCM or XCR with a hydraulic damper, but a Raidon or Rockshox Recon is much better as they have a 'proper damper and not the cartridge of the XC's.

arnego2 · October 2013

Thx a lot I appreciate it.
Searching ebay on used stuff I found some internals hopefully I can modernize that "fork" I have.
Problem being that the stanchions of the seller are 28mm and my set up is 32.

cooldad · October 2013

Not happening

arnego2 · October 2013

Why no? Care to elaborate?

cooldad · October 2013

arnego2 wrote:

the stanchions of the seller are 28mm and my set up is 32.

Plus you can't just add a random damper to a fork not designed for it. There is a damped Dirt so you could work out what the difference is.

arnego2 · October 2013

Basically those 28mm stanchions could well fit in the 32mm Stock stanchions.

cooldad · October 2013

arnego2 wrote:

Basically those 28mm stanchions could well fit in the 32mm Stock stanchions.

Good luck then.

The Rookie · October 2013

With 4mm of slop, riding and steering response will be hilarious!

arnego2 · October 2013

Thanks,
I would have loved to try it, if hilarious or not. Seeing that some lower end forks are nothing but tubes, coil rubber and bolts improvement should have come if I'd won those parts. Unfortunately for me it did not happen.

Hoping to get a Suntour Durolux TAD or Raidon as a replacement of the RST Dirt it should be an upgrade

cooldad · October 2013

You got lucky.

The Rookie · October 2013

arnego2 wrote:

Thanks,
I would have loved to try it, if hilarious or not. Seeing that some lower end forks are nothing but tubes, coil rubber and bolts improvement should have come if I'd won those parts.

Despite the uppers slopping around in the lowers like your obvious in a shirt sleeve......do you understand how forks wok at all?

arnego2 · November 2013

Doing suspension work on my YZ250 and RM260 I think I have an idea.

cooldad · November 2013

Front fork Issue Help solve the crime HAHA

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