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My coil Pikes have developed an annoying creaking/clicking sound when compressed hard or when breaking harshly. Sounds like it's coming from the left side leg. I googled this to find it's fairly common - apparently a rubber piece can slide down the coil spring and just needs moving up.
Anyone know of any instructions on how to get the fork open and get to the spring. (I can only find general ones on how to remove and clean lowers).
Thanks.
Any good to you?
http://pondering-panda.blogspot.com/2008/09/tutorial-fork-service-rockshox-pike-426.html
There used to be a great guide for swapping the spring on tf tuned website but their tech help area just links you to the enormous sram service guide now.
TBH if you haven't ever done so I would have the lowers off and clean/relube, its not that hard at all. But if you really don't want to, no pics but here it is in my own words:
You need:
-5mm allen key
-2mm allen key
-adjustable spanner (baaad) or 24mm socket (good)
-rubber/soft faced mallet.
-15wt oil in case you spill any.
-fork grease or car grease (as long as its not white or silvery it will do)
1) Wind the fork out to full 140mm travel, and then undo 2mm screw in the u-turn adjuster, carefully remove the adjuster and store three ball bearings and springs.
2) Remove fork and disc brake, or if you are lazy, lie bike so fork is totally horizontal and remove front wheel and brake pads.
3) Use big socket to undo the top cap, this has the spring atached to it so it won't pull out yet. Comress the fork about 20mm so the threads are clear of the fork crown.
4) Undo the foot nut about 4 or 5 turns. [b]It is really important that the fork is horizontal from here on in, as the oil will fall out the hole otherwise. [/b]
5) Leave the allen key in it and hit it with the mallet until it pops in.
6) Remove the spring out the top of the fork, twiddle your rubber sleeve thing back up the spring. Slather the spring in grease (should also help with the noise)
7) Refit the spring, do the top cap up first (a little grease on the threads and O-ring wouldn't go amiss), then push the lowers hard back on before doing the foot nut back up. Then put springs and ball bearings back in under u-turn adjuster (grease under these too), and put bike back together.
If you lose any oil, its about 20mls of 15wt fork oil per lower leg. I can't remember the torque settings off the top of my head, but they are in a handy chart in the rockshox guide IIRC.
Have fun!
That's brilliant thanks a lot! Just one question - where abouts is the rubber sleeve thing meant to be on the spring? Should it sit high up or in the middle or something else? Is it the large black thing in the middle of the spring in this pic? http://www.jejamescycles.com/pike-u-turn-spring-assembly-soft-id48178.html
Or is it more like a small O' ring. Also I heard that you can apply a little heat with a lighter to it to shrink it so that it doesn't fall down the spring again - wonder if that's a good idea?
Thanks again!
Bu66er, I wish I'd not read that about servicing Pikes.
It means I'm going to have to have a go now too....
Yes its the black thing in the middle of the spring in that jejames link. Yes, its heatshrink sleeve so heat may shrink it/tighten it on a bit more. I would try a hairdryer on hottest before you try a lighter, and see if you can degrease the bit you are sliding it back on to first so it holds better. And if you resort to a lighter, wipe grease off the surrounding area first as I am sure it is a little bit flammable!
The Sram Technical link below gives you everything you need:
any further advice needed give me a shout at the workshop.
Thanks for the help everyone! With all the above info I'll hopefully get it fixed.
If it turns out to be other than the black rubber piece, I'll get in touch with you guys at Loco - cheers.