oil comes out and i can manipulate the damper rod to drain it - am i ok to pour in the 160ml of oil thru the lowers (bike upside down of course)?
better to drop the lowers and clean the seals at the same time
thats what i meant 🙂
you need to take the damper out and put oil in through the top I thought so you can cycle it through and get the air out?
why? its an open bath - shouldn't matter should it?
I took the lowers off with teh bike right way up, cycled the damper to get rid of old oil, put lowers back on (after a clean) and refilled the oil with the bike upside down. Seems to work fine, just wondering if it will **** things up
will i die?
Nope you will not die, all will be ok. as long as you do it right that is, or you might die!
Can I suggest this article I wrote on wiper seal service - you can do an oil change by taking the retaining nuts off before turning the forks upsidedown to drain the oil out (see fox manual for weights and amounts of oil in each leg) and then pouring in the fluid into the holes in the lowers before putting the nuts back on:
http://www.cyclistno1.co.uk/features/maintenance/fox-forks-wiper-seal-service.htm
your guide is for a wiper seal service i am talking about the damping oil change (160mm of oil)
Same thing just remove the old oil by turning the fork and replace whilst doing the seals, dead easy 😉
Di i not need to cycle the fork to refill the damper or will gravity do that assuming fork is left upside down?
your guide is for a wiper seal service i am talking about the damping oil change (160mm of oil)
Its the same process for removing the lowers and really you should do a seal service as well - I know its a seal service article but if you read it it also mentions oil fluid change!!
Di i not need to cycle the fork to refill the damper or will gravity do that assuming fork is left upside down?
Its all in the article IMHO 🙂 However you need to cycle the damper rod to get the old oil out before you refill so you should really take the outers off then you might as well do a quick seal service if you have never done it before RE: warranty?
You can add the suspension fluid to the inside of the stanchion whilst the lowers are off, as it is added move the damper rod to run the fluid through the damper.
and if you're doign a seal service then dropping the damper out and giving it a good clean only takes 10 minutes and you'be amazed how much old oil is stuck in the damper and needs 'cycling' to force out.
no its not! aimed at fr btw
"no its not!"
well it was for me on mine...
as long as you leave the Talas side alone you just take the adjusters off the top and use a big spanner to undo the top nut on the non-Talas side.
Grr to me! i did this last night but made right mess!! Needs doing again properly i think!!
@ Waver - sorry its not all in the article 😕Its all in the article IMHO
Plan before you do it - the first time I did it it was a mess.
Sorry The article is biased for a quick seal services so needs slight adjusment for an oil change IMO ? 🙂
I would undo the nuts - drain out fluid into a jar both legs - Take off lowers - cycle the damper to remove the rest (will drp more oil - best place the bike in a stand) - turn bike upsidedown - wiper service - outers back on but poor in oil - both sides - right amout in each leg - nuts back on as in article - then cycle the fork to fill the damper back up again - may take quite a few cycles? Thats the way I have done it anyway - others may disagree 🙂
It's difficult but my epxerience with most of this maintenance stuff is that if you try and cut corners it takes longer and gives a worse result than just doign it properly in the first place.
the enduro seals site has quite a good guide to sorting out talas forks (just ignore the bits about replacing the seals).
[Edit] I always keep the fork upside down until I';ve got the lowers off then 'upend' it over abucket to let the oil out of the stanchions. Then leave it over the bucket whilst I take the damper assembly out.
@WW -
Any good reason - as you have to turn it back over again or faff getting the top caps off and have the appropriate socket - Sorry I'm not getting on your case? 🙂 Just trying to help 🙂I always keep the fork upside down until I';ve got the lowers off then
Only thing I don't like about adding the fluid through the lowers and why i add it to the stanchion, is unless you 100% sure the top of the lowers and the threaded section on the damper rod are totally clean(usually messy). There's a chance you'll contaminate the fluid.
There's a chance you'll contaminate the fluid.
True but that why I fully clean everything as I take it off? Also if you do it with a syninge if you have one this help 🙂 But you got a point there anc 🙂 I guess filling the uppers with oil before you put on the outers is good 🙂
foxy - no real reason, I guess I could turn them over after the nuts are off and I've lifetd the lowers over the damper/talas shaft to let them drain, I just find I end up with the lowers off before I know it when I start lifting them 🙂
Yeh cool Wwaswas - like said above many ways to skin a cat - I guess the best way is the one that works for you 🙂
any more to add? will i be ok if i cycles the fork with it all done up to get the oil into the damper?
any more to add? will i be ok if i cycles the fork with it all done up to get the oil into the damper?
Yes - I done it myself 🙂