Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)
  • Shelf life of an unopened shock or fork.
  • wordnumb
    Free Member

    Anybody have an idea how long a modern shock or fork can sit unopened? Are the seals affected over time? Is there anything to be aware of?

    I did search in case this is a common question, couldn’t find an answer.

    Ta.

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    I doubt anything degrades.

    My Revs are 10 years old, not used much but on original seals.

    wordnumb
    Free Member

    Yeah, but there’s got to be a difference between used occasionally and sat static in the box. Maybe the answer is to give them a compression every six months or something.

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    cynic-al
    Free Member

    IMO #overthinking

    Onzadog
    Free Member

    I’d certainly invert them for half an hour before using them to soak the top bushes. Good chance they’ll have dried out. I’d probably lube the seals as well.

    njee20
    Free Member

    IMO #overthinking

    This. Massively.

    khani
    Free Member

    I got some NOS Italian made 05 Marzocchi Z1’s that had sat in their box at my LBS for 8 years and they were fine, like new in fact..
    All the seals still sealed and all the nobs worked as they should,

    Junkyard
    Free Member

    Only issue is how the seals react
    in some cars you are advised to do a procedure to store it as certain parts dont like being dry/not used
    I would imagine the worst case is a few dry O rings that seal /work as usual once lubed

    wordnumb
    Free Member

    Overthinking – that’s like thinking but cleverer, right?

    Thanks for the replies. I worry too much.

    mildred
    Full Member

    On some forks (RS revs in my experience) you also get “ghosting” in the stanchion anodising where they’ve sat against the seals. Doesn’t affect performance but it can look a bit naff.

    dobiejessmo
    Free Member

    Don’t really know but maybe if its been around few years worth changing the oil.Know its not the same thing but if a new motorcycle has been sat around in showroom for over year they say change the oil.But then again once you have run it in you change the oil anyway.Who knows.Rubber seals will go sooner or later depends on your luck.

    granny_ring
    Full Member

    I don’t think the OP is overthinking it.
    I bought a new old stock RP23 and it sat in the spares box for a year so that would have made 2-3 years after being made.
    I sent the shock to LoCo for tuning and he mentioned that a couple of the internal seals (can’t remember which ones now) were starting to perish and he changed them, FOC as well!

    singlespeedstu
    Full Member

    If they’re unused they’ll still gave a load of unused grease between the oil seals and the scraper seals.
    So I really can’t see any problems.

Viewing 13 posts - 1 through 13 (of 13 total)

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