2016 Pike Solo Air - Self sevice? - Singletrack World Magazine October 3, 2017

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This topic has 5 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 6 years ago by stevemuzzy.

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2016 Pike Solo Air – Self sevice?
5plusn8
Free Member

with a seal tool and seals at 30 quid all in, I have all the oils in stock – is it worth doing this myself? Is it easy? TF want 99 quid – which seems pretty cheap given the materials cost. Do they do any more other than replace the main seals?

Posted 6 years ago

P-Jay
Free Member

It’s up to you.

I personally enjoy doing my own, once you’ve done once you realise there’s not much to fear, although I’ve got a Yari which is easier than a Pike which I believe you need to bleed the damper on.

There will be a easy to follow guide on the SRAM website to tell you how to do it all – excuse me if I’m teaching granny to suck eggs, but there’s a lower service which is a 10 min job, and a full service which is more like an hour. I alternate between the two every 6 months.

Posted 6 years ago

agentdagnamit
Free Member

Do you have the valve tip connector for the charger damper? Guess you probably have, but if not, it’s surprisingly expensive.

Posted 6 years ago

spaniardclimber
Free Member

Did the first service to my Pike this weekend: lowers, charger bleed and seal change, it was a bit of a PITA as my crush washers were different from those pictured in any Sram service manual but I finally figured it out. Another issue was removing the air shaft, but that is not really needed.

Other than that, it was quite easy.

Being the first time it took some time, but I’m pretty sure I can do it in less than an hour next time.

Posted 6 years ago

bouncecycles
Free Member

It’s a good idea to go into the air chamber and clean/lubricate/change the seals. Most of the issues we see with negative air chamber forks such as the pike come from a dry air chamber (usually because the forks have only ever had a lower leg service rather than a full service) – which can sesult in scoring to the inner bore of the stanchion (v expensive) and excess negative air pressure, which is the same principle as a stuck down shock.

The air piston rod also passes through a sealhead and without those seals being changed you can end upwith scoring to the shaft and again an excess of negative air pressure. In short I’d look to change the air seals also.

Charger damper rebuilds aren’t usually necessary unless the bladder has split or bulged but I would also strip the damper and change the damper fluid as metallic content will degrade performance and increase wear. The fluid should be “crystal” pink if that makes sense!

Posted 6 years ago

stevemuzzy
Free Member

I do lower myself as its very straightforward. For full i send it away,not because its hard but because a professional will spot something wrong that i think looks ok. Case in point just had the nomads bearings changed at the bike shop. Its straightforward enough to do but they also spotted the lower shock hardware was gone. I dont think i would have seen this…

Posted 6 years ago