Just changed oil, cleaned and lubed one set of Rebas, after putting it together it all works fine.

So I thought, I’ll have a go at the other broken two I’ve got. I had two faulty ones I wanted to make into one working set. One has worn uppers, other has borked damping. Swapping stuff over was easy, old oil was drained, foam rings soaked in fresh oil, etc etc, oil levels were the same as on my old one and same as in RS manual, 15ml to both lowers and 110ml to the damping side upper. It holds air fine, rebound adjustment works as it should but the lockout doesn’t work. I checked on google and it suggested oil level might be too low. Gave that a check and it’s 110-115ml as per the manual but still no lockout.

Any suggestions on what I’m doing wrong or how to get it to work? Could that be some seals in the MC damping unit or something else?

if the moco unit isnt leaking try putting 10ml more in the damper. Worked for me

if the moco unit isnt leaking try putting 10ml more in the damper. Worked for me

Worked on mine to, not that I measured the ‘extra’, just chucked it in 🙂

Were both forks remote or crown mount lockout?

One was remote, second one was crown mounted. Would that be the problem?. Checked other forums, took them apart again and I “think” that the rebound seal is letting oil to lowers and that’s why the fork doesn’t lock out even when the oil is topped up, it seems it just leaks through.

Looks like I’ll need a seal kit for the MC unit then.

Do the forks have “gate” adjustment on the top of the rh leg?

I’ve been caught out by that before. Thought I’d buggered the lockout and in fact I’d just set the gate too low and the forks couldn’t be locked out. Just needed to adjust it.

I thought it might be it but checked and the gate was set at the max. Seems the seal is the only thing that is left. Will have to get a MC service kit then.

I had the same problem. The newer models with Blackbox damping take 125cc instead of 110. Try taking out the damping cartridge and measururing it with a tape measure from the base of the threads to the bottom of the unit. Then use the same measurement from the oil level to the top of the stanchion. The oil level should just touch the bottom of the damping cartridge

If it’s not the “gate” and when you remove the lowers, dry the shaft that goes to the lowers with some kitchen roll and repeated pump the shaft up and down (maybe a dozen times) does the shaft eventually become moist (no double entendre intended!). If so it’s probably the lower inner damper seal – I’ve been there a few times.

“One was remote, second one was crown mounted. Would that be the problem?. “

yes i believe it could be. i’m no expert by any stretch but i know that i had to get a different damper and install it to enable remote lockout as the fork had the crown lockout damper fitted.
the 2 look identical by the way.

do you now have a spare set of lowers by chance with fair bushings?
if so id gratefully buy them off you.
🙂

Couldashouldawoulda thanks for that, I should be able to tell 100% whether it is the damper seal.

Flebby, there is a difference between the compression dampers as the remote lockout one has a spring inside and a different knob at the top so that it enables the compression adjust to return when the pop lock is released, apart from that everything seems to be the same on both dampers, seal at the bottom etc. I think that with some tinkering and a SIS shifter You would be able to do a remote lockout on a crown mounted fork, it would spring back like a pop lock remote and it would look cr4p but it would probably be a £5 rather than new damper unit and pop lock.

Now as I’m in Scotland and don’t like spending money (and those are second forks as well) is it possible to buy or find a matching o-ring (probably few pence worth) for the damping unit or do I need to buy the whole service kit at £18 or so?

Walla24 I do indeed 🙂 Basically whole fork with worn out uppers, but no play etc, air spring holds air fine. Drop me an email and we’ll take it from there.

Mieszko – I’ve just realised you’re local to me. If your’e stuck I’ve got a spare full set of seals. Feel free to email me to arrange a chin scratching diagnosis over a cuppa.

Thanks for the offer, I’ll give this one more go soon and if I won’t batter them with the rubber mallet than I’ll email You and offer some biscuits/beer for the technical advice 😉 I’m just trying to find a cheap solution because I believe that a rubber o-ring (or even a set) doesn’t cost £18 and there might be a replacement. If I fail I’ll just buy the set, but again thanks for the offer.

Time to go to bed ,must be all the Isopropyl alcohol I inhaled when cleaning the forks 😉 .