I just stripped and rebuilt a fork (Pike A1/Charger 1)
I took the charger out and cleaned it but didn't bleed or open up.
I noticed it only returns 90% of the full length by itself .. does that mean it needs bleeding or is that expected without the spring pushing it?
I'm also rebuilding for Jnr who is 35kg so wondered if I'm replacing fluid can I go lighter than the 3wt? I have loads of 2.5wt left from when he ran a MOCO on his SIDS and old Revs...
I wouldn’t worry about it only extending itself to 90% too much so long as there aren’t any squelchy air in it type noises. On the other hand if I’d gone so far as to remove it I’d probably have bled it just because it was a convenient time to do it
I have 2.5 in my pikes. You don't have to take them apart to renew the oil. Just take the top circlip off and remove the plug. Drain the oil out by compressing the shaft. I refill by reversing the above. Just keep compressing the shaft and slowly add oil whist extending the shaft. Repeat until full.
Edit. I mean taking the damper apart, it needs to be out of the forks.
On the other hand if I’d gone so far as to remove it I’d probably have bled it just because it was a convenient time to do it
I got 2 Pikes and priority 1 was getting one fully working so this was the one I had serviced last... and swapped airshafts for Jnr to see if the Deb say higher at his 25psi pressures than the Luftkappe .. a bit of a luxury having a spare fork at the moment. So basically took the parts from 2 forks and made 1 set for now... choosing the bits I thought needed less messing.
I've always shied away from the charger for some reason... mainly I think just because it screws riding if I end up with 1/2 a job. I might need smaller circlip pliers (or not)... etc. and had to get a 30mmm socket (<£3 from B&Q) and first time always takes 5x as long for me.
I've borrowed a bleed tube that apparently came with some Pikes but had never been used and not 100% certain it's the correct one so didn't want to disassemble further with riding booked in so now I'll pull apart the 2nd one and expecting it is more likely to need seals replacing than the other.
I have 2.5 in my pikes. You don’t have to take them apart to renew the oil. Just take the top circlip off and remove the plug. Drain the oil out by compressing the shaft. I refill by reversing the above. Just keep compressing the shaft and slowly add oil whist extending the shaft. Repeat until full.
Cool, sounds like a project this afternoon.... then I'll know if the hose bit I borrowed works or not. If not have a kit on the way from Epic does charger 1 and 2 so I'll be able to do my Lyrik 2.1 hopefully when it needs it.
Yay ... almost.
Must have missed something but now the rebound doesn't adjust.
Bad light stopped play so any suggestions by tomorrow... bleed went fine at least.
I also had a weird time with some SKF wiper seals .. for some reason they seemed to go in a bit easy but then started coming out... not completely but a few mm.
Perhaps I over lubed as I stuck some sram butter then some fox gold on to lube them in?
Anyway, after squeezing enough they stayed put (yesterday identical ones in the other fork worked as normal?)
I stuck some sram butter then some fox gold on to lube them in?
I always use IPA or ethanol on the outside of the seals when fitting them. Wet enough to help them slide in then evaporates to leave them i nice tight dry seal so they don't pop back out.
Must have missed something but now the rebound doesn’t adjust.
Have you got the right bolt in the right fork leg?
A friend* did this the other day and wondered why the adjuster didn't work. Then noticed that the rebound adjuster was on the airspring side...
* definitely wasn't me.🤭
Have you got the right bolt in the right fork leg?
A friend* did this the other day and wondered why the adjuster didn’t work. Then noticed that the rebound adjuster was on the airspring side…* definitely wasn’t me.🤭
Lol ... I was rushing against the light and having to tidy up and stopped following instructions as I’d reassembled the other only the day before but regardless it doesn't adjust with an Allen key either
Before bleeding I’d rotated the rebound fully anti-clockwise and it took almost no force .. now it’s tight and don’t want to to force anything.
Off riding today but if No one has suggestions I’ll work backwards and remove what I can from the compression dials before pulling the lowers
Apparently Charger dampers aren’t very sensitive to oil weight since oil and air doesn’t mix (all being well). I don’t really understand that logic but IANAE. Either way, 2.5 will be fine.
As above, I don’t think incomplete extension is a symptom of a damper needing bleeding, although it’s easy enough to do with the correct adaptor.
Sometimes you need to use a proper Allen key on the rebound adjuster as it can somehow lock up when tightening the bottom bolt.
Sometimes you need to use a proper Allen key on the rebound adjuster as it can somehow lock up when tightening the bottom bolt.
Yeah, I tried that the whole allen key was flexing... didn't dare push any harder.. maybe I should have?
bear_uk
Sometimes you need to use a proper Allen key on the rebound adjuster as it can somehow lock up when tightening the bottom bolt.
Totally this... didn't have the balls to force it so removed the rebound bolt and it worked fine. Fitted a new crush washer and did it back up and its all working great...