I snapped the remote barb last weekend in a crash which resulted in a stuck down post and oil everywhere. Got a new hose + barbs and installed yesterday evening but not without some gnashing of teeth. I’ve bled the thing before (it’s a non-stealth one) so I’m comfortable with that but after managing to get the seat up and the post working a couple of times it’s back to being unresponsive with no resistance in the remote.

So – anyone else done this? I am hoping there is still a load of air in the system and a few more bleeds will release it from wherever it’s stuck. My fear though is I have cocked up screwing the seatpost barb in to the post, it went in a bit askew for the first half turn or so… I noticed and sorted it but I’m paranoid the thread & seal are now duff and it’s sucking in air. Which would probably be new post time?

 I’m paranoid the thread & seal are now duff and it’s sucking in air.

It won’t be sucking in air, but it might be letting oil out. Bleed it again until the knob is firm (insert joke of choice here) then clean around all of the hose and barb connections with something like meths or a degreaser and dry them thoroughly.

Operate the remote a few times and look for traces of oil around the hose connections. If there’s *ANY* trace, there’s a leak – one or two drops of oil make the difference between working and not.

Did you cut the hose end off before fitting the new barb? If not, it may well be leaking there.

If the connection between the barb and post is leaking, then you may be able to rescue it using some sort of threadlock / sealer.

Check the remote button too, on mine the button (piston actually) was broken and did let air in.

It easy to dissamble, there is just one circlip on the bottom, near hose.

thanks both, will give it another shot tonight and double-check the seals. Yes I did fit the barb into a fresh cut.

Suspect more air…keep bleeding!

I found the seatpost end of the hose particularly tricky to get right, especially as the instructions said to be careful not to overtighten, but I subsequently ended up with it undertightened and losing the ability to drop/raise my saddle over the course of a 1-2hr ride… So my money’s on the seatpost end of the hose not sealing on the barb and needing nipping up a bit. It can’t really be air in the system or it would not work from the start. And air can only get in if fluid is getting out somewhere!

As someone else has said it didn’t take much oil to be leaking out, I couldn’t even see it in the workshop, but it was enough over the course of a ride (I did take to starting with the speed adjuster on slow and winding it in if it stopped working, remember to leave it up for the ride home once it’s screwed all the way to fast if you do this!)

Disaster averted I hope, I bled it again last night and spent ages on the remote, there were bubbles emerging for a fair while. Pumping the remote the last 1/4 of its travel while pulling up in the syringe seemed to release a last few bubbles. Post works now and returns at its usual speed (which it wasn’t doing the other night). No leaks detectable either. I might bleed it again tomorrow to make double sure but I’m hoping not to be buying a new dropper just yet!

I did the same 4 or 5 months ago. Took two or three sessions to get it bled properly. I recently changed the fluid in a post-summer service and it works better than ever now – must have still had some bubbles in there somewhere