RSP Plummet/Satori Sorata Pro dropper post – I can't put it back together!

Help me somebody please…!

I have the above post, tried to fit a longer cable but couldn’t get to the 2.5mm grub screw to release the old cable… so I unscrewed the collar under the boot, partially dismantled it and was able to get to the grub screw and attach the new cable.

But now I can’t get the bloody thing back together. The problem is this: There are 3 small rods that obviously sit in 3 corresponding grooves on the inner post. It looks like when you insert the inner post into the outer body, these 3 rods will slide up and down 3 grooves set inside the outer body. But I can’t get the inner post into the body with these 3 rods in position, it just doesn’t fit.

I’ve tried setting the rods into grease but they slip out of place, so I even tried a tiny dab of glue to hold them in position, but then the whole thing just seems to get jammed as if the inner post plus rods is too wide to fit.

Does anyone have any experience of this post please? I’ve made sure that the cable pull is actuated, so that the retaining pin is out of the way. And I’ve tried it when it’s not on the bike in case the seat clamp was distorting the shape of the outer body. Nothing works!

If anyone can provide me with a step by step guide or point to something I’m obviously doing wrong I’d be really grateful… I’ve given up!

Thanks.

Not sure it’s relevant, but to be specific it’s a RSP Plummet.

I bought one a while back from Tredz and like you, had to strip it from new due to the cable snapping and not being able to access the grub screw to free it at the post end. This is because the post isn’t in one of it’s 3 positions. The grub screw is accessible when it is. I found the recommendation to strip it down somewhere on the interwebs, set about doing it and had exactly the same problem.

The three silver rods sat, with a bit of grease, into the grooves but as soon as I tried to put the whole thing back together, they locked up – refusing to fit inside the outer. It seemed to be that the track the smaller front facing rod was supposed to sit in looked shallower than the other two – which might have been why the post felt stiff to start with and caused the cable to snap.

As an aside, I think I did read that you’re supposed to have the lever depressed to activate the cam as you put it all back together – have you tried that?

Tredz swapped the post out straight away and the new one’s fine, if a little in need of a strip down from the off, but I’m a bit reluctant because of the problems I had before. I think I’ll have to man up and go for it, but just don’t fancy the faff. Reading on here though, it does seem that it shouldn’t be too difficult to strip and rebuild, so maybe I’ll have a crack at it at the weekend…

Hope that’s some insight? I guess if it looks like it’s the same problem as mine, a chat with the shop might be in order?

Thanks for that gonetothehills. Yes I had the lever engaged when I was trying to put it back together, so that’s not the problem. I’m relieved to hear I’m not the only person with this issue – just need to get it sorted now…

I accidentally dismantled mine. It was a bit tricky to get back in, but I managed it without too much hassle.

First off, make sure you’ve removed the spring. No point fighting against it. You can reinsert it later from the bottom. Next make sure that the latch mechanism is released by fully tensioning the cable with the barrel adjuster at the lever.

Get a bit of grease to help stick the rods to the inner post, stick the rods in place and then attempt to insert (make sure you have that brass ring in place beforehand, too). When inserting be gentle and slow, much like you would with a lady. Giving it a bit of slow gentle a wiggle can help. Just keep persisting, in and out, until you can get it all the way in.

I found the front rod gets caught on something, a lip or whatever, whilst inserting so small movements can work it past the obstruction. Just keep trying.

As I’d only had it a week I took it back to the LBS and they kindly put it back together for me! Didn’t realise you could open it up from the base, is it simple to do? That would make life easier when I want to add some more grease to it. Thanks for the help.