I went for a blast around Glentress today on my Rocky Mountain Slayer, which doesn't get out that much. I noticed in the garage the other day that the Fox 36 TALAS R forks seemed to be a little bit less plush than I remembered them being. By the end of the red route, the forks weren't moving whilst I was riding… when I got off to manually compress them, they moved but very reluctantly.

So, they obviosuly need a service. My initial googling seems to suggest it's a lack of oil in the semi-bath. So do I just need to do an oil and seal service, or do I need to do a full service? – According to Fox I'd need the IFP tool to do the full service. If I need a full service, any idea where I'd get this IFP tool?

The IFP tools are pretty difficult to get hold of and cost a lot. Apparently you can use a football inflation needle instead and that works pretty well. Personally I didn't have the bottle to muck around like that with my TALAS 32s. Sent them to TFT and got them fully serviced by the for about the same cost as the IFP tool.

I don't mind servicing forks, do my REBAs quite happily, it's just the special IFP tool and the fact the TALAS side can be a pig to setup properly afterwards (from personal experience after messing, confirmed by my LBS and TFT).

Bummer! Was hoping to avoid the £100+ service costs…

Starting to think the 36s weren't a wise choice now…

I recently serviced my 32 TALAS,followed the Fox online instructions,& even on there they say you can use a football inflation needle,so thats what I used,pressurised the IFP (Internal Floating Piston)to 150psi with it.No problems whatsoever.

They may need a full service, mine certainly did, some of the seals had swollen which was making them sticky and stopping them from returning properly when I put the travel back up.

I've 36 RC2 talas's, and mine seem to need a service when they won't automatically move back to full travel after been 'talased' down – like they are now…

About every 10-14 months.

Gary_C – was it a faff to use the football needle adapter, or was it pretty easy. Someone over on pinkbike seemed to suggest you needed three hands and an infinite amount of patience…

Stumpy – thanks for that. Swollen seals would probably explain the symptoms, although they were making a slight clunking sound towards the end which might also suggest a lack of oil

b r,Thats exactly what happened to my 32's,wind down the travel,climb the hill,wind back up again,pop a wheelie or two,nowt happening,so had to stop & pull the lowers down manually.
Bought a Fox seal kit off my lbs,used some Float fluid & fork oil that I already had,the Fox online service guide (which is excellent btw),& the football inflator as previously mentioned.Total cost about £20.
The forks are performing the best they have been for a while,well worth diy'ing imho.

Kevin – think we saw you this afternoon, grey n black Slayer?

we have a needle.

kevin,no,I didn't find it a faff at all,(perhaps I was just lucky?).
Just unscrewed the red IFP plug,& under there is a rubber 'bung'(with a small slit in it)that the needle inflator pushes into,pump to 150psi,remove needle,job done.
Okay,the above was on a 32 TALAS,so check the Fox website service instructions incase the 36's are different.

Bikechain – nope, mines is a blue and white one. Some other Slayer owner with a poorly 36 in the same area? Must be some bad luck in the area 😉

Gary, thanks for the re-assurance. I'll do some digging to compate the 32 and 36 service instructions

ah well, not you then.

my glasses were pretty muddy mind so it might have been blue!

Ah – if it was Glentress, it probably was me 🙂 Did I look like I was on the verge of a heart attack? Grey Race Face jacket? T'was me! Roughest I've felt at Glentress ever. Thought my virus had gone, but was really struggling on every incline. Forks probably didn't help, but the engine was definitely in a bad way… 😳

My forks have same symptoms – just been sent off to Mojo for servicing 🙁

How often do you get yours serviced etc? Not technically proficient myself