Fox 36 new, needs a service ?

I have these on my new bike and it doesn’t really match my (spoilt) expectations as a Formula Selva R rider. I’ve read about issues with them having not enough oil or too much grease etc. and that people doing a lower leg or full service immediately. My bike is current model year but had been on display at the bike shop for almost a year.

It’s the Factory Grip 2 version. The bike is a light eMTB (4kg heavier than my other bike) but the fork is the standard tune.

It may well be I haven’t got the setup right, although I have spent some time focusing on that, but it doesn’t all seem quite alright – absolutely and relatively comparing:

1. Returning to inconsistent sag amount most of the time when bouncing to measure.

2. Needs more hand force to move when pushing down on the stem cap.

3. Feels harsher on rocky descent despite having 20mm more travel (160mm).

4. Goes through travel quicker and uses more of it on drops.

5. Adding HSC to make it feel like the Selva (gold CTS valve) on drops, makes it harsh on rocky bridleways.

6. Feels ok on rough trails and during rides but after a quite flat 50km loop mostly on not very rough tracks there was a slight vibration fatigue in my hands that evening which is still lingering a day later. Bike saddle to bar distance is the same as my other bike, same bar sweeps and roll, same grips, same tyre at same pressure, total stack to bar is 15mm higher.

I started with the recommended settings which put me at about 20% sag (Fox calls that “plush” and 15% “firm”). That felt very harsh so I’ve gone up bit by bit to 30% sag (maybe too much, but it made it comfier), opening the rebound as I go.

Thought it worth checking for other STW experiences before sinking more time into it, cheers.

I am half minded to send both forks to a suspension place and ask them to service the 36 and adjust it to be as close as possible to the Selva.

Humor me, take wheel out and leave axle out, put on a carpet and bounce them.

I saw either a click bait or interesting Insta where it’s the axle and legs being out of alignment and they pull the lowers incorrectly etc.

Just did a similar test by unfolding the QR lever, can’t feel a difference. I did go through the alignment cycling process when I swapped the stealth out for the QR.

I love 36s. My last 3 bikes have had them, weirdly I could never get 1 set as nice as the others

Don’t they have a floating axle you can adjust? edit – ah I see you’ve done that

Possible issues include too much grease in air spring (negative side), too tight bushings and the inconsistent damper builds. First one is easy fix, second needs shop with bushing tool and third needs new damper (MRP Lift) or damper rebuild and tuning.

My last two Fox 36s were excellent in bike parks but I ride those only on 2-3 days per year. They have been replaced with other brands which work better for my tastes.

I’d do a lowers and air spring service to start with.

Takes very little time.

I always drop the lowers on any new fork.

No you shouldn’t have to on a new product, but for the time it takes it’s worth it.

If you have a little more time also remove the damper then put the wheel back in and check how easily the fork slides through its stroke under it’s own weight.

That will show if the bushings need burnishing.

I can’t remember the last time I had a new fork where I didn’t do the lowers service, air spring and bushing burnish before fitting them. It always helps.

Op – I’ve just got a new ebike with the same fork, and after 1 ride thought exactly the same thing! I felt battered after 2 laps at llandegla which IMO is quite a smooth trail

Ive done all the internet searching about needing a service when new, or needing some time to bed in.

Last night I went through all the setup again, like you setting the sag to max.

I will try Weeksy’s idea

I know it doesn’t help, but I did test ride the exact bike i bought with the same Fox 36 and that fork felt really smooth and just what I would hope for. Unfortunately I don’t know what settings they had the damper set at

We also did a lowers service on eldest’s 36’s. It had a lot of grease smeared on things – I think too much.

Lowers service is less than an hour and a bob of oil, just get it done.

@FunkyDunc

I felt battered after 2 laps at llandegla which IMO is quite a smooth trail

I find Llandegla quite battered and worn out, I run 36’s and I have no issues, I did end up dropping a PSI or 2 from the front tyre though

It’s highly likely that the air shaft is clogged with blobs of grease, so whip that out ASAP. If there’s excess grease in the negative chamber, it effectively reduces the volume of the chamber and you will have a fork that’s less plush off the top. Also remove any volume spacers. If you take the cap off the top of the air side you may well see some blobs of grease down there too (the positive chamber) so that’s a definite sign it needs doing.

I would clean it all out + service the lowers, remove volume spacers and then put all the settings back to what’s recommended (30% sag is too much) and ride it a bit and go from there with the damper adjustments.

Coming from Rock Shox for 6 years, I found my 36’s a lot harsher on small bumps. Never really got around it with settings. They were amazing when pushed hard, which for me isn’t very often, but I don’t think they are really designed for pottering about on bridleways. At the first service I had a Luftkappe fitted which made it much nicer off the top, without blowing through travel. They also diagnosed a common issue with a damper spring being out of alignment and scraping on the damper shaft. This was replaced under warranty. The fork was much more to my taste after this (£200 worth of) work, but I still think they have a narrow sweet spot compared to Lyriks.

Selva Rs are the most underrated fork of well, a long time. Its unlikely you’ll get the Fox to feel quite as plush as the Selva, but you should be able to get them to feel good – its a different good, but good none the less. It will always be a bit firmer off the top, thats the trade off for the support they give keeping you riding high.

I never gel with their forks at the mythical 20% sag – they don’t have any magic in there compared to other brands, and given they are usually over damped (Based on where 90% of people end up on their settings) something a little softer does help.

If you are going to open them up remember its different oils in each leg, but I recently did my super Z and as I didnt have the ‘correct’ oil for the damper side, I just used some 3wt maxima as the effect will be to lighten the damping a touch over time if anything – not a bad thing. Lower service made a world of difference to the small bump.

too tight bushings

My first thought, but as others suggest – get a lowers service done in the first instance.

I am half minded to send both forks to a suspension place and ask them to service the 36 and adjust it to be as close as possible to the Selva.

Or just sell the Fox and buy another Selva? Or get a Z1 Coil for the eeb, if the spring weights suit you – ridiculously plush forks.

There seems to be no consistency when it comes to 36s from the factory, or when serviced professionally.

Want them to feel the same, service them yourself and control the amount of oil and grease.

Z1 Coil is super supple off the top in the way no air 36 is… but I think the 36 can be set up to better use the full travel (although all these Fox based forks seem to force a bit of a compromise between using all the travel and having mid stroke support).

Selvia doesn’t have a competitor when it comes to getting things set up just as you like it on your own… it’s very much one of a kind.

Have you tried the Selva coil Kelvin?

Nope!

Would love to. And the shock.

On my current bike I have Selva C after trying DVO Diamond after I did not get on with original Fox 36 Grip VVC.

Three years and three forks on same bike and it should be sorted now. And third shock too, although Kitsuma Air is slightly overkill on 140mm rear travel bike.

Nope!

Would love to. And the shock.

Yeah me too.

I have the Mod coil shock and it’s very good, swapped to the soft compression widget to suit my frame much better.

I’d do a lowers and air spring service to start with.

I’ll probably do this, thanks. Bloody annoying after a raft of issues arising from bike shop tardiness.

Or just sell the Fox and buy another Selva?

I don’t really fancy dropping £1170 and getting £500 for a nearly new fork right now, just after buying a new bike and forking out an extra £70 for a QR axle. One reason I chose the spec level of the bike was to get this fork rather than they Rhythm.

That said, I’d recommend “replace with Selva R” to anyone not fully satisfied with their fork. Glad I did that before sinking any money into my RockShox Pike.