How can I tell if my forks need a service? I've had my bike for over a year now and it has had a lot of riding.

Its a Trek EX8 with Fox Float 32 RLs, how can I tell if the fork needs looking at? And possibly even the rear shock?

TIA 🙂

Whenever the owners manual tells you to do it. Think it 50 hours or riding for Fox Floats. If you dont you run the risk of stansion wear.

Hmm I'm way overdue then. The aircan servicing looks straight forward enough, not sure about the fork though.

asap if you've never had them apart! Fox forks are particularly sensitive to being clean (particularly under the wiper seals). I'd get TFT or mojo to look at them asap, then learn how to do the seal clean & lower leg oil replacement yourself, and do it fairly regularly… which is a half hour job once you know what you're doing.

you may have already scored the stanchions, but will only know if you open the fork up in most cases – IME the scratching happens just below the seal line at full extension.

surely thats just what they want you too do so they more money for parts etc etc

I'm runing fox talas and they havent been serviced in 18 mnths of hard riding and they are still great (havent serviced because of cost of a service with mojo or tf)

I've found a tutorial on MBR for Fork servicing http://www.mbr.co.uk/advice/workshop/MBR_News_Workshop_article_197903.html

and for aircan servicing http://www.mbr.co.uk/advice/workshop/MBR_News_Workshop_article_197846.html

Seems fairly straight forward.

What are the effects/symptoms of scored stanchions? No oil is leaking and the stanchions are always clean.

surely thats just what they want you too do so they more money for parts etc etc

Take it from someone that has just f**ked a set of Talas, no its not a money spinner. the upper seals on Fow are very tight againd the stansions. As your forks move a little fluid comes out ever time until there is not oil left. the seals then dry out and crap gets stuck in them scoring your stansions and leaving you with a c.£200 bill or needing new forks.

I'm runing fox talas and they havent been serviced in 18 mnths of hard riding and they are still great (havent serviced because of cost of a service with mojo or tf)

My advice would be do it asap. At that age it will also be due a Talas service, replacing the seals in the air chamber. You can ervice the oil and clean/replace teh seals yourself. It takes no more than 20 mins and will make a world of difference. Take this advice with a pinch of salt if you want but be prefared to have to pay big to fix this mistake.

Have a look here for all your fox servicing information

http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/Forks/1.0_Fork_Disassembly.htm

Fox air can service

this is a great link. Did my first PR23 service this way and its really straight forward.

its always the left leg upper bush that wears away the stanchion – very little oil in there and it does weep away over time…

i have worn 2x uppers out and believe it or not they were serviced…

fox = pants longevity but great performance…

paul

its a seriously easy job to service a fox forks and even easier with a rear shock, all you need is 7.5wt fork oil(or similar) and usual everyday tools.

for the fork just undo both nuts till they're flush with the end of the threaded shaft, give them a tap with a rubber mallet(or hammer with bit of wood),slide the lowers off, make sure theyre clean inside, put 5-10ml more in the legs than fox tell you to (so probably 25ml in both legs if fit damper, 25ml in left and about 130ml in the right if open damper) and remember to soak the foam rings (just below the wiper seals.
With the rear shock all you need to do is let the air out, unscrew the sleeve, clean up the inside and put 5ml of shock oil in

Fork oil is about a fiver from a car/motorbike shop for 500ml, which would last 10 lower leg services (if its the FIT damper,less if not)

Thanks. I've taken a look at some videos on youtube and looks pretty easy.