My RC2DH Lyriks seized up a little in the monsoon rains of Morzine the other week and finally need a service, so I’ve started on it with a refresh kit from TF Tuned.

I’m fine doing the lowers, but should I be doing the damper (in my case a Mission Control)? Manual says yes based on every 100 hours of use and had the things since end of 2011, frequent riding, plus it was ex-demo so had some use before I got it.

Problem is I don’t have all the spares. O & glide rings, nor snap ring pliers. The TFT kit doesn’t have the spares for the damper, though oddly has the suspension fluid which I assume is for it (as there’s a separate bottle for the lowers oil).

Would you touch the damper, or leave it and just go with servicing the lowers? How would you know when to do the damper, or would you go with servicing it at the advised interval?

Only issue is on compressing the forks it was sticky. Like something rubbing slightly inside as I push down.

Oh, and on compressing the Mission Control side I get a squishy liquid sound, but given the oil in there I’d assume that’s the normal sound.

I would probably just put new oil in the damper and service the lowers, should have them feeling much better.

Oh, and I forgot about the air spring service. Solo air in my case. Every 50 hours they say. Again loads of seals. Really can’t be bothered which I guess may be a mistake long term. Will see if it still runs smooth with lowers and damper oil change.

Again loads of seals

Which can be left well alone if there’s no air leaks. 🙂
You’ve done the hard bit if you can get the lowers off, the damper and the air spring are the easy bits.
You might need some circlip pliers but that’s all.
Just remember to let ALL THE AIR OUT before you open the air chamber up.
Lay all the bits out in order on a bench, run a cloth through the empty leg, refit the bits with 5-10cc of oil above and below the main piston. Job done. 🙂

The seals are only a few O rings anyway.

I’d be careful putting oil in the newer soloair systems from rockshox as this can cause issues with the caharging of the negative chamber 😉

I’d just go for fresh oil in the damper and a lower leg service. I was a total novice, but gave this a go and it was fine, after sourcing a 24mm socket! Tbh the fork had never been serviced, so the lowers were in a state, but the oil in the damper was pristine.

Unfortunately, it seems the wiper seal were goosed, so I’ve got to repeat the lower leg service.

Well, all done. Didn’t replace any seals, just pulled apart and cleaned the air stuff, same with the damper and drain/replace the oil, then likewise the lowers.

I did oil in the air as the instructions for 2010/11 models mention it. Only 6ml I think it was. Their video shows doing the same. Pumped up and so far fine. Spray of oil if you let air out though as I found :D.

Though I’ve got the seals for the lowers I skipped them as was running out of time and realised you supposedly needed a seal press. The instructions don’t mention that in the list of tools required but then you get to that part and it says “using the seal press”… Agghh, what seal press?!

I could bodge but don’t have any suitable tube things off the right size. Otherwise could they be pressed by hand?

Anyway, the seals looked okay so cleaned and greased then.

Running smoooooth now 🙂

Just the other bike niggles to do. Play in pivots (again), freehub needs attention (yep, Crank Brothers), hole in tyre, bottom bracket needs doing. Was all running so fine a few months back. Never ending this, but would rather do it myself than keep taking bikes to the lbs 🙂

I’ve always just pushed the seals in by hand. I thought the tool was just so don’t damage the seals which is hard to do with just your hands.

You can use the old seals help press the new seals in.