FOX FORK FAILURES - SURVEY « Singletrack Forum

Bike Forum

[closed]

FOX FORK FAILURES - SURVEY

97 posts & 72 voices | Started 2 years ago by Drillski | Latest reply from Coleman

Tags:

No tags yet.

Pages: « Previous 123 Next »

MidlandTrailquestsGraham - Member

32mm Talas bought second hand. Slight scoring on one stanchion and tiny oil leak when I bought them which gradually got a bit worse. Sent them for repair via my LBS and they came back with new sliders, stanchions, crown and steerer for £180 (ie. just the old internals reused)

32mm Talas Terralogic bought second hand. Tiny leak from one seal. Asked about replacement seals at the Fox distributor stand at Mountain Mayhem last year. They stripped the forks and fitted new seals free of charge while I waited. No problems since.

Posted 2 years ago #
hopster - Member

Float RLC 03 Regularly removed seals and added float fluid to foam rings. Stanchions show a little wear but are fine. Seals keep blowing though which is annoying.

Posted 2 years ago #
khani - Member

04 to date vanilla rl's=flawless
05 to date talas rlc's=flawless
06 to date talas 36 rc2's=flawless
09 to date (6 months) talas rlc's= flawless
09 to date (5 months) talas 36 rc2's=flawless
all serviced infrequently with a quick oil change and float fluid on foam rings and the 05 talas pushed in 08 by tf
EDIT i also run some paper between the seal and stantion to pull any dirt/grit out when the seals are lifted

Posted 2 years ago #
yossarian - Member

lol, so who's going to mail a link to this thread to fox?

Posted 2 years ago #
auricgoldfinger - Member

Like I said, regarding the service intervals, like it or lump it. If you think it unacceptable buy something else.

Anyway, doesn't look like there are too many takers for the consumer crusade.

Posted 2 years ago #
DickBarton - Member

F80X / 2004/5
Christmas 04 / EBC
Did you follow the service guidelines? Don't think so, they were washed down with the rest of the bike, the seals lifted every 3 months and fluid added to them, but that was it - never sent off for a service.
Problem, costs associated, and fox's response to any warranty issues - none, they were great forks if a little pricey!

F100RL / 2005/6
Nov 05 / OEM on Giant Trance 1
Did you follow the service guidelines? Doubt it - washed with rest of bike, seals lifted every 3 months and fox fluid added - sent off to Mojo once in the 4 years I had them.
Problem, costs associated, and fox's response to any warranty issues - only 1 issue - rode at Laggan and after getting to car park, shock oil was all over bottom of fork - sent to Mojo and serviced - repaired for free and rest of service done.

2009 / Fox F120 RL
May 2009 / OEM on Marin Mount Vision 5.8
Did you follow the service guidelines? Nope, washed with rest of bike, not lifted seals yet and not sent them for a service yet - not issues with them so far though. Service will be done in May.
Problem, costs associated, and fox's response to any warranty issues - no problems so far.

If I didn't have them with the bike when bought I suspect I wouldn't be riding Fox forks - they are good but very pricey compared to competition and from what I've tried, seen and read, the competition is just as good if not better (being cheaper).

Posted 2 years ago #
0pt1cal - Member

Fox 32 Van - never serviced and never had problems for 2 years. Flawless.
Fox 36 Van - seals changed by LBS and kept clean by me. No problems and great performance.

The above two forks were ridden daily in all sorts of foul weather and muck.

Fox 36 Talas - seals swapped and serviced by LBS/Mojo. No problems and great performance.

My Totems, Pikes and Lyrik DH's have all followed similar servcing and have been flawless as well.

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Haha, the fox backlash backlash begins! This thread would have gone quite a different way about 6 months ago...

That said, I've got a set, reasonable use in manky conditions, look perfect. BUT thats because I've been doing the 15 hour service, and like TandemJeremey, I'm not so happy about having to service them every fifteen hours, simple or not.

I'm going on a 15-20 day off road tour in may, at an average of 5 hours riding a day in typical Scottish Highland's conditions. Am i going to have to remove the lowers, clean and lubricate 5 times in that period? I'm not about to throw a bottle of 7wt suspension fluid in with my camping gear...

Tandem, do you notice any difference to the performance by adding oil to the spring side? Based on my experiences with old (read good) marzocchis, adding oil would affect the performance (as the remaining air volume compressed).

Posted 2 years ago #
thisisnotaspoon - Member

I always thought it would be a cool idea to biuld an oil pump into forks, just a pipe with a non-return valve (or two for relibility) in it, so that when the fork compressed if would displace the small ammount of oil up to the area between the seals and bushings, the fork extending would then create a partial vacumn in the lowers, sucking the oil back down through the bushings.

Posted 2 years ago #
stuartanicholson - Member

Tandem, do you notice any difference to the performance by adding oil to the spring side? Based on my experiences with old (read good) marzocchis, adding oil would affect the performance (as the remaining air volume compressed).

Shoudlnt do has fox seals arent designed to hold air (like marz seals are). I would think 150ml is over the top, but im sure putting 30-50ml in wouldnt do any harm.

Posted 2 years ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

13th - it ramps up a bit maybe - the seals did not blow. There is a lot of empty space in the non damper side - I estimated around 400ml so 150 ml of oil didn't cause hydraulic lock. You could add oil till it was full and work this out but I guestimated on 150 ml. With the fork fully compressed the oil level is around the top bush and the whole of the stanchion above this is still empty space

You can tell it works 'cos there are oil rings appear on the stanchion on the worn side showing oil is getting to the top bush

Posted 2 years ago #
b r - Member

Fox 36 Talas bought on a s/h 06 Enduro.

The lowers cracked where the pinch bolts are (warrantied by Mojo) in mid-08, even though I only had a s/h receipt (thanks to my LBS - Bucks Bikes). Serviced at the same time.

Only used intermitantly since as I have a pair of 'trail' forks. Probably could do with another service as the Talas is 'struggling'.

Good quality product, but need far more tlc than my everyday RS forks.

Posted 2 years ago #
TandemJeremy - Member

The seals do still hold air - not totally airtight perhaps but you do not get air whooshing out every time the fork is compressed

13th - the other thing to do is invert the bike every night - the dribble of oil will get to the top bush that way

Posted 2 years ago #
dasnut - Member

they don't make a fork to compare with totems, so I can't comment.

2 pairs of PUSH'd pikes here with no issues.

lots of Fox forks spewing oil in the alps last time I was there, seems to me a seal issue rather than anything else (dust + water = bunged up seal).
Suspect the anodising thing is spin.

Posted 2 years ago #
juan - Member

I know of one old pair of 125mm Vanillas that must be 5 years or more old, still in perfect nick, still in very regular use.

Well I have the very first model of vanilla 125. It's fubar, but only after 6 years of intensive riding and only 2 change of seal.
The 3 other fox I have/had are so far perfect.

Posted 2 years ago #
timmys - Member

You're probably all pros, but I came across this how-to guide on servicing Fox Forks a couple of days ago that has a nice pictorial walk-through.

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/article/workshop-service-the-seals-on-your-fox-32-fork-25020

Posted 2 years ago #
auricgoldfinger - Member

Drillski has left the building...presumably to go and buy some float fluid?

Posted 2 years ago #
mr plow - Member

Fox 32 Van 06
Still on original seals and bushes
Puffered, 10 undered and 5ft to flat dropped,
Flawless.

Posted 2 years ago #
13thfloormonk - Member

Thanks Tandem, I think I'll go for 60ml or so and just invert them every night.

I'm sure a mid-trip service wouldn't be out of the question, but last time I serviced them I knocked the bike over, cue huge flood of suspension fluid from the damping side. Do that on the trail and things could get intesting...

Posted 2 years ago #
coffeeking - Member

offers superior durability, hardness, and less friction

In reply to the post above that said the new coat was for friction only, not from the link.

I don't own any fox forks, my bombers have lasted me 10 years with sod all servicing, no problems

Posted 2 years ago #
DezB - Member

Haha, this thread is an awesome fail!

2006 Vanilla Rs - no problems or wear, serviced once (+new seals) Sold to mate, still ok.
2007/8 Vanilla Rs - no problems or wear. Bought 2nd hand. Not touched.
2007 Float Xs - no problems or wear. Low mileage though.

Posted 2 years ago #
richc - Member

just a quick question to all the people with flawless forks, how are you checking for wear? as if you don't pull the lowers off you can't always see the damage.

LBS's I use comment on the durability of fox forks, as they see lots of knackered sets, however they all agree that they do work the best, even if you pay a huge for it

Posted 2 years ago #
DickBarton - Member

Depending on the year of fork, inverting them might cause damage...earlier forks - pre-07 can be done, but later forks apparently can cause damage - but I'm not clear what damage. I have noticed if I store my bike on it's back wheel my lockout fails to work for a few big compressions to get everything back in place, I'm guessing it's down to oil being in not quite the right place or something.

Posted 2 years ago #
khani - Member

i do pull the lowers off to change the oil and they are fine, but i do the paper/stantion thing when just lifting the seals and putting float fluid in the foam rings and you can see the muck being pulled out so worth doing imo

Posted 2 years ago #
LoCo - Member

After inverting the forks or laying the bike down for any period of time for that matter, you need to bleed the damper cartridge if they're not FIT carts. that is.
Put the rebound to full slow and compress slowly 3 or 4 times job done.

Turning your forks upside down will not cause damage either.

Posted 2 years ago #
franki - Member

My 2003(?) TALAS lasted for 5 years with pretty much no effort on my part.
Finally started leaking oil and I noticed loads of wear on the front and rear of one stanchion.

I'm not too upset after that length of time, but on the other hand, the 2001 Marzocchis (now on my hack / commuter)are still showing no wear at all.

Posted 2 years ago #
orena45 - Member

2008 Float 32 RL
Changed the oil once in the last two years. Still original seals.
Tend to store bike upside down when not in use.
No signs of stantion wear and no problems whatsoever.

Posted 2 years ago #
amedias - Member

2x 200? - original Vanilla R 125mm, god knows how old....never really serviced, just kept clean around the seals

one set sold after 3 years to a friend, who also never serviced them but i belive did change the oil in 2008? still working perfectly

the other set I still have, I took the lowers off last week and changed the oil, still seem to be the same as when i got them on the inside, most of the paint has chipped off the outside but you can't really blame fox for that

Posted 2 years ago #
lunge - Member

2007 OEM Vanilla 32's - lubed the seals once but nothing more, completely faultless, great forks.

Posted 2 years ago #
jonnyvegas - Member

stuartanicholson

LOL NO ITS NOT.

Mate of mines Had them 3-4months light work nothing too drastic tho, & then started sticky,feeling Knotchy,etc .
Few stantion wear marks LIGHT at 1st so i serviced them for him..
& WOW these were lurking under the lowers LOL

Posted 2 years ago #
AlasdairMc - Member

2004 Talas - ridden on an Enduro for three years, then put on my commuter. No maintenance, and no wear, but bushings are probably shot, and there is oil leaking out of the seals.

2008 Pikes - stanchion wear after 14 months of fortnightly usage, this with oil changes and services regularly.

Posted 2 years ago #
cp - Member

yeah, you really need to take them apart to know whether you've got the stanchion wear as it isn't usually obvious on the exposed bits of an assembled fork

Posted 2 years ago #
stuartanicholson - Member

Mate of mines Had them 3-4months light work nothing too drastic tho, & then started sticky,feeling Knotchy,etc .
Few stantion wear marks LIGHT at 1st so i serviced them for him..
& WOW these were lurking under the lowers LOL

Cant believe thats from 3-4 months light use! I serviced a mates pike last year...06 pike air, never serviced, powerwashed to death and ridden alot...it had 2" mud (yes mud, not gloop!) in the bottom of the spring leg...looked pretty similar to those.
You can see where the bush and seals sit, and that there is a massive wear patch above those. Not saying that it all occurs above, but mose wear will come from the top bush, which just happens to be the one that slides over visible stanction.

Posted 2 years ago #
Thurman Merman - Member

Bought a pair of very basic '06 Vanillas in '05. Had two big issues with them:

1) Rode them in the Alps in '05 not long after purchase and the damping stuck 'on' halfway thru the holiday (forks would compress, but take 30seconds to rebound...). Sent them back to the shop under warranty who sent them off for repair. Some manufacturing grease had clogged the little hole, by all accounts.

2) Not long after, I sent them to Flooksy for a service. He told me the stanchions were fooked. Anodising had worn off and new ones would cost a couple of hundred quid. Think the 203mm rotor (to which the forks WERE warranted - I checked) create too much torsion and the bushing scraped away at the stanchion.

I didn't bother kicking up of a fuss. It was about the time that everybody else was complaining and Fox were being very unhelpful. Just decided to run them into the ground. Five years later and they're *just* about to expire :O)

Posted 2 years ago #
shepleg - Member

Jonnyvegas, do you mates use jet washes and muc off or other caustic bike wash by any chance??
That white oxidation would suggest so.
Bike cleaner is a degreaser! so ain't great inside forks.
I expect Mojo told them the same thing.

Posted 2 years ago #