Sent off my totems to Tftuned and got a phone call straight away saying that there wasn't much point in doing anything to them.
2007 solo air totems, bought in april 2008.
August 2008 seals had already gone, after only doing xc rides, and had spewed out oil, giving increased wear on the stanchions? Did 07 forks come with crap seals?
Winter 08/09 found some miniscule fractures in the lowers which leaked oil.
Now summer 09 and the anodizing has come off part of the stanchions. Possibly started off by the wear from the leaked crap seals?
So paul from tftuned explained how I'd need new uppers (£300+) no doubt new bushings (£100+) and then the service (£85). The total comes to around £500.
Going to morzine next week too…
So.
Going to take my forks to the alps and just not worry about them too much…. And it looks like I'm buying new forks straight after.
Is it worth ringing up Rockshox (or the importer Fisher Outdoor?) and moaning to see if they'll do anything?
If they won't do anything what forks do I buy? They're going on a marin quake (6.8" rear travel) which is used for dh and freeride. Might buy a proper dh frame within the next year.
Chain reaction have got some 2008 coil totems for £430. wiper seals will need changing asap apparently and I'll need new stem and headset for the 1.5" steerer. Could then sell the whole lot
Or maybe 2010 boxxers?
Or are there any 08/09 boxxers cheap anywhere?
Or try and find 2nd hand boxxers and get them serviced, maybe pushed when the push kit comes out (will it ever come out?)
My '07 coil Totems had really poor seals which I replaced after a year. Thankfully there was no wear to the stanchions but I'd kept the forks topped up with oil which helped. I believe '07 wasn't a good year and a number of issues were reported with seals and two step internals. Solo's weren't so bad but that doesn't mean they weren't immune as you've already found out.
I'd try Fisher to see if they can help. You've nothing to lose. As for new forks I love my coil Totems. Very plush indeed and pretty much fit and forget now with the new seals and the speed lube system.
Worrying to hear, I've been looking at getting a secondhand pair for my Big Hit.
There are horror stories about any fork out there somewhere though I suppose - not that it's any comfort to you.
Slight hijack: What's the damping like on the Totems? Is it as good as the Fox 36? Is it essentially the same as the Black Box damping on my 2009 Reba, but with more adjustments?
I rode my coil 09 totems in Whistler for four hours before I had to change the seals. Grrrr, they spewed oil like no-ones business. When I saw the old seals, they had been poorly fitted, that's all. I have since had them tf'd and they are grand. Great forks 😉
dirtbiker
I sympathise with yr plight. I wonder how were the forks b4 you sent them away ? The reason I ask is I've heard a number of stories of people sending forks away for a service bfeore being told"wear on the stanchions, lower legs will need to be rpelaced which is an extra £200". I'm not suggesting that TF Tuned are trying it on (I've spoken to them a few times and they seem very genuine), however, I wonder if we are all being conned abit with stories of shocks having to be serviced after 20 hours ie 4/5 rides!! If I rode a pair of forks and they spewed oil after 4hours I think I should have a replacement set of forks. Recently I called a certain company and told them I had a set of forks which i'd used for 5 years without doing anything to them - no service, no oil on seals , nothing. The immediate response was send them in for a service for £90 and there may be wear on the stanchions which will probably have to be replaced!! I've kept the forks and am running them as usual.
Sorry for the mini rant and hope you sort out some forks 🙂
If they worked 'ok' before being sent off I'd just keep the lowers well lubed with regular oil changes and keep riding them.
The anodizing had come off I know that but was hoping they wouldn't say it was that bad really. I'm getting them back and will try to keep them going for a while as i've got some spare oil.
But in the mean time I jumped in on merlin cycles offer of 09 totem coils (mission control ones) for £399... hard not to really. need new stem and headset now though. and which do I fit to my bike for morzine!?!
Mind you i did check with tftuned before buying that there weren't any major problems with the 09 totems. think i'll check the seals are fitted properly though!
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if you follow the service schedule And have them serviced at a qualified rockshox service center you do have a 2 year warrenty against defects and such like ...
the whole fork servicing thing - they are so simple why are people afraid to do routine maintainance - it takes me 15 mins tops to drop the lowers off my sids and rebas ,clean inspect and lube the foam seals.
A further 15 mins sees g the oil in the motion control damper cartridge changed ...
all in all this means my 05 rebas with 20 or 30 000kms on the clock are still working as new(never been sent to TF) ! my 08 sids were still like new after 4000kms and are still going strong on a customers bike ! and my 09s are still nice and buttery smooth.