There was a fair bit of grit/sand in the adjusters on the damper side of my FOX FIT RLC forks. Enough that the compression adjuster kept getting stuck. So, I decided to pull the various knobs off and give them a clean. I'd already let the air out and compressed the fork (to check on an oil migration issue on the air side, which seems to be fixed).
Anyway, I unscrewed the little bolt that holds the lockout force adjust knob in place, but instead of just the knob coming off it seemed to unscrew something from the middle of the damper and a load of oil came out. Well, not a load exactly, but some (maybe 10ml) and presumably some air went back the other way.
I put it all back together. It looks as though the lockout doesn't work, but apart from that they feel OK.
So, usual questions:
1. Can I fix this myself ?
2. Can I ride it without significantly increasing my risk of death.
Needs a full bleed really, can do it a home with clamps, the bleed syringe etc.
We service dampers only at £40 plus postage so that's the other option. 😉
When you say 'clamps' is that as in holding the cartridge upright, in the vice, when performing the bleed?
They're handy for that too, but more to hold the the lower tube when removing the upper assmbly.
Thanks. Sounds as though a damper service might be the way to go. If I undo the nut at the bottom, can I just unscrew the damper (with a 26mm socket) and pull the whole assembly out the top?
Yep undo the 10mm lower nut and release from leg, undo top cap and draw the cartridge out. 😀
Thanks. I'll do that and send it your way 🙂
OT I guess but is this on the Orange or Solaris?
Just interested in how the Cotic is going as I've got one arriving on Friday.
The forks are on the Five. Still loving the Solaris though and I'll be interested to hear how you get on with yours. At the moment I'd be hard pushed to say which I prefer between the Solaris and the Five and I'm still trying to get my head around the whole HT vs Full Suss and 26 vs 29 debate. It's not helped by the fact that I'm trying to take things really east while I recover from this broken arm and I'm also taking the opportunity to explore some new routes. I'm often left thinking "that was great, I wonder what it would have felt like on the other bike". There is no hurry though. At the end of the day, they are both great bikes and with my ham fisted approach to maintenance, it's quite useful having them both 🙂
Thanks RP. Sorry about the thread theft but thought it was better to in your own thread rather than someone else's!
I can relate to what you are saying (should that worry me 😉 ). I bought my Camber, one of the last 26er versions and have a love / hate relationship with it tbh. It has been a challenge getting the front and rear shock to feel, what I'd call, balanced. Mainly due to the rear shock I'd say.
I had sold my old steel HT, a Kona weighing 34lbs!!, so wanted a HT for offroad mile munching with my dad or mates and also for family rides. My son is quite good but my wife and daughter only ride off road for fun / to escape the roads and, for my daughter, to see nature, etc.
I'd bought a Spesh Carve 29er HT and it has been great. The Camber has hardly seen light of day, bar a few rides filming my son's GCSE PE MTB video.
I've used it more and more, to the point where I 'miss' big wheels when I'm on anything smaller. However the standover on the Carve is awful and it has quite an XC reach so as my now 'go to' bike, when the fun stuff happens it could be better. By better, I mean a smaller frame I guess / am hoping.
When I bought it the shop only had the Rockhoppers in stock so I tried them and the size chart put me on the larger frame which didn't feel so squashed so I went with it. But for more techy stuff I can see it is not ideal. Neither is it aesthetically! (My wife described the bike as a horse!)
I thought about the Soul 275 but kept coming back to missing big wheels so turned my attention to the Solaris. Hope I've done the right thing. I've spoken with Cotic and gone for a medium (I'm 5'11" and a half).
I'll keep you posted on how it feels. Let me know how you are getting on too.
Wow! Looking back I've just typed an RP length post 🙂
All the best with the ongoing arm recovery too!
Thanks RP. Sorry about the thread theft but thought it was better to in your own thread rather than someone else's!
No problem. This thread is done anyway.
I can relate to what you are saying (should that worry me ).
Not worried exactly, but you might want to consider changing your username 🙂
I think the simple fact is that there's no such thing as a perfect bike. Sometimes on the Five I miss the bigger wheels or the more efficient feel of the Solaris. Sometimes on the Solaris I miss the rear suspension or the slightly more playful feel of the Five. But whichever one I'm on I'm usually having fun, which is all that matters. The Solaris is certainly the most fun hardtail I've ever ridden (and I've spent a couple of days on a Carve). I'm sure you'll love yours.
Don't worry the username was after a bike, not me 🙂
Thanks for the feedback BTW.