Hi all

Has anyone changed a damper body on a Monarch 3? I sent mine back to Planet X (off my El Guapo) as mine was losing air. So its then been forwarded on to their supplier who has found that a scratch on the body is causing the air loss. I can’t say for certain if I did the scratch or if it was there when I bought it. So anyway the upshot is they want £100 to repair it.

To me that seems excessive. (especially as a new EG frame and shock would only cost £600) I have found a genuine damper body for sale at £28. So they would get it a lot cheaper than that, yet they want £100, and they are saying that is already half normal price!?

So I am thinking of getting it back and changing it myself. I’m fairly handy on the tools and have the confidence to tackle it. I have already downloaded the service manual from SRAM, however I was just wondering what it is like to change in reality?

Also, does anyone else think that £100 is excessive or not?

Any help much appreciated

A TFTuned shock service is £89. Without any spare parts.
I’m looking into your problem for you, but I’m not sure I can help out.

Update :: your frame is around 9 months old?
The £100 is our price from Fishers, the SRAM importers.

There are some video tutorials on Youtube – have a look and see if you’re comfortable with the procedure

Thanks Brant, yeah I realise its the Fisher price, I’m not unhappy with Planet X about it. I bought it in December last year, so about 9 months old. I actually fancy a new EG frame as it happens as I like the geometry changes and longer top tube!

I will speak to Alex shortly to discuss further, I’ve missed a couple of calls from her.

Thanks jota I’ll check them out

In my mind you should ideally be looking to service your shock around the 12 month point anyway.

If, as Brant say, your frame is 9 months old then £100 for effectively a service and a £28 part seems reasonable.

Please note I said reasonable 😉

If you try a DIY repair and something doesn’t work you will only have to shell to to fix the problem.

“Fisher price” 😆

Pathetic of me, I know.

Damper body change will mean an oil bleed and (nitrogen?) recharge to finsh the job (although air will work fine). This can be pretty difficult to pull off depending on the shock, your available tooling and skills

I realise its the Fisher price,

Should you really have bought a shock from Fisher Price?

Is it a bit on the basic side?

The Monarch is one of the few (if not only) rear shock that can be easiley serviced at home. It doesn’t required charging with Nitrogen, but you just need to buy the IFP valve adaptor (around £15).

😆 @ Fisher Price comments

It all sounds very fair to me.

The shock has been ridden for a while, some grit has got caught in the seal, it happens.

You should be looking to do an air can service atleast every 6 months anyway, this could have prevented this.

Just to take off air can, clean and relube, all of 10 mins.

Dean, highly unlikely a service would have prevented it. If it was a piece of grit, then it would have got on there during a ride, and got dragged past the seal when the suspension was moving.