Stripped my TALAS 32 forks for the first time yesterday, after 650 miles use. Just a lower leg oil/seal change for the new SKF seals and a chance to spray the forks satin black rather than the factory grey (2007 model year)
I was shocked to find that the foam ring on the talas side appeared to be entirely free of oil, and was just muddied up & slightly rolled up too. The damper side was fine, as I would expect. Note to self, store the bike with the fork upside down more often, to attempt to keep the foam ring oiled..
Not a great photo, but talas side foam ring in the foreground.
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Have done a couple of these for friends lately, some very dry forks out there. Lower leg service is a real easy job too.
Given how easy and quick it is to do this I do mine often. I find dry dusty trails give me more conern than the wet muddy ones. The dry dust gets past the seal and ends up turning the foam ring into a ring of grinding paste.
Mud dosent get past the seals as much.
Did a full service on my 120mm Reba Teams the other day, and found pretty much as you did. Obviously don't put much lubrication in from the factory as was dry as a bone inside the one leg!
Anyway, soaked the foam rings and put about 10-15cc's of 15W oil for lubrication in each lower leg, put a few cc's inside the air spring, and filled the damper with fresh 5W oil (old stuff had gone very nasty shade of brown!) and... Wow! Way better than they ever were when new even!
do you have an Online service guide for the TALAS
Junkyard - Member
do you have an Online service guide for the TALAS
Fox have v/good step by steps on their site
What oil did you refill them with?
Since storing my 456 with TALAS forks hung from the front wheel, so the forks slanted upside down, I've had much better reliability from the seals.
When I still had Fox forks I used to do [url= http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/QuickTech/Dust_Wiper_Seal_Quick_Clean.htm ]THIS[/url] once a month. 5 mins work & keeps 'em lubed & clean.
was there any oil in the fork legs when you took them apart?
Id like to know whether dry seals are a concequence of the oil getting used up or just never reaching the seals if you dont regularly turn them upside down.
Having just replaced my fox F120 uppers from wear this would be usefull info.
They really ought to put enough oil in the legs to lubricate the seals through general use. For me, having to turn the bike upside down smacks of "not fit for purpose" on such an expensive fork
ndthornton for them to put enough oil in the lowers forit to reach the seals would probably cause issues on full compression,there is maintanace advice that comes with forks that says how often they should be looked at.
it is amoving part it wont last for ever if not maintained.
Ta george
Im not saying it shouldnt be well maintained - but what is the point in putting any oil in the legs if it doesnt reach the seals? Is the only was to lubricate them to take them apart?
Does it say anywhere in the fox manuals to regularly turn the bike upside down? Id guess not as this would imply that we haven't designed the fork properly and you need to do this instead.
Great link Nobby, I'll be doing that as soon as possible..
I suppose this is exactly why Paul Turner designed his Maverick forks "upside down".
Not sure about now but it used to recomend storing them upside down.
Not sure about now but it used to recomend storing them upside down.
...but (some) hydraulic discs shouldn't be stored upside down. What a pickle 😆
Yes - I really like the idea of upside down forks - The Shiver SC's were some of the best looking forks Iv ever seen! Never had any as they got some bad reviews - apparantly flexy which makes sense. Still an idea which should have been explored further.
This is a pickle isn't it
maybe store on there side this way you get best of both worlds.
My Rockshox forks were dry from the factory, Fox maybe similar?
First thing i do with new forks is check they've got oil in the lowers.
Cheers Nobby.
So simples I like 😀
Sorry guys - just got back; to answer questions above -
Yes, I used the online (fox) guide - the complete strip down includes a link for just the lower leg service.
Oil was 10w (based on a conversation with Loco regarding my weight etc (c.83kg on the bike) rather than the 7w Fox suggest as standard.
10ml Talas side, 160ml damper side.
New foams soaked in mix of 10w and 75w90 (in place of float fluid) both oils Motul synthetic.
There was a little oil in the talas side to start with, (there's only 10ml anyway) but the foam didn't look as if it had ever been soaked originally!
Incidentally, the Hope tool for seating the freehub seal works a treat for setting the Fox 32mm seals.
This is a 2007 model fork, that I bought new from Rose last year, hence only 650 miles on it. Thankfully, despite the lack of lubrication, the stanchions & bushes seem fine.
Oil was 10w...
Ah, but which 10w?
'10w' is pretty meaningless, even Castrol sell one 10w that is almost 3 times thicker than another Castrol 10w*
*Castrol Fork Oil 10w [b]15.00 cSt[/b] @ 40C
Castrol Synthetic Fork Oil 10w [b]42.00 cSt[/b] @ 40C
As I said - 10w Motul synthetic - as recommended & supplied by Loco tuning.
I haven't ridden them yet, so I can't tell you whether it feels good bad or indifferent.