I know there were issues with some of the forks over the last few years with the crown/stanchion areas clicking but haven’t Fox sorted this yet? My 2013 Float 32 with Kashima coating is now making a horrible clicking sound. I can create the sound quite easily by sitting on my bike and rocking on the front brake, it clicks when compressing and on the way back. I have checked all the usual places and it is definitely not those, only thing I can’t rule out right now is the headset but I’m sure it is the fork. Is it going to be a case of the fork back to Fox, me without a bike, get the the uppers replaced, refitted and hope it doesn’t start again in a month or two? Any views or opinions welcome!

I’ve had the CSU replaced twice on my 34.
Took a week the first time and a weel and a half the second so not too bad a turn around time.

Headset bearings?

Mine was making a terrible cracking type noise last night could have sworn it was the forks buggered! As it happened on compression or even force when the travel dipped on lockout mode …. A quick fettle with the headset on the trail and I realised bearings were goosed even though there was no play… I managed to give it a little clean up on the trail and adjusted headset and shazam it stopped instantly! I have changed bearings just to make sure it doesn’t happen again though

Not sure why its happened but it sounds the same as you describe

See my post earlier today about hope headset

Funny this thread coming up as I’ve just sent my Fox 32 Float Fit RL forks to Mojo for the same clicking noise. Seemed to be getting progressively worse.
Took the wheel out and grabbed the 2 fork lowers and applied a twisting motion and the noise was very worrying!
Spend £20 at my LBS to get them to check the bike over searching for a remedy for the noise and now another £27 to post the forks for a warranty repair.
Not feeling optimistic given the number of Fox owners who’ve had the same thing happen on numerous occasions.

I take it the postage costs don’t get refunded and do Mojo pay the postage costs for returning the forks or will I get another bill for poor design, quality CSU/stantion/steerer manufacture?

Just had this problem on 2013 36’s – sent them to Mojo and had them back within 2 days sorted. Excellent service on their part but doesn’t excuse the fact that it is a known issue on forks that retail for £900+.

Don’t be too quick to jump on the csu bandwagon.

It could quite easily, and more likely, be headset related.
You ideally need to remove the fork from the bike to pinpoint the noise as fork related.

Well the bike isn’t very old and everything was new, haven’t ruled out the headset yet but I’m pretty sure, listening to the noise, it’s the fork. When I get it home off my holidays I will check to confirm before maybe getting 18bikes to have a look as they built it!

@thorpie

the Fox 32 Evo RL forks on my Stumpjumper 29’er needed replacing about 7 months in from new

they had developed a horrible creaking / clicking when braking hard, turning hard or cranking going up a steep hill.

All the usual suspects like headset, bar/stem, BB, crankset, wheel skewers, etc. had been checked or changed to eliminate these items from the inspection. I work in a bike shop as workshop manager so its much easier to undertake this work with minimal costs.

Mojo were actually very helpful. I had a conversation with one of their staff who explained that the CSU (Crown / steerer / upper stanchions) are manufactured to very precise tolerances using an expensive machine in their factory, and some of the fitments will fail the tolerance checks and are rejected after being pressed.

He said that the market has demanded ever lighter components, and Fox could make a heavier fork with a thicker crown that would be more tolerant of fitment, and even allow re-pressing, but the weight penalty would be similar to older Marzocchi forks

basically, they use a coat of grease between the steerer and stancions and the crowns when they are pressed into place.

with time, and especially with regular cleaning using solvents like Muc-Off this grease will ‘leach’ away and allow a metal-on-metal contact which manifests itself as a creaking or clicking.

he said Fox have noticed this issue is much more common in the UK as riders are riding all year around in bad weather which means regular bike cleaning. he advised keeping cleaning products away from the CSU.

he said its not a structural issue and would never cause a safety issue, but its recognized as very annoying and so Mojo will replace the CSU within the 1 year warranty period, free of charge.

From dealing with older Marzocchi forks, Windwave (Marzocchi UK distrib) had a service where the forks were returned and they could remove, grease and repress the fork steerer using a hydraulic press on their premises, because the Marzocchis were overbuilt especially in the crown

I was very glad to get a new CSU fitted to my fork (along with the free service they rebuild the fork)…

…but have ongoing concerns that I have never used Muc-Off for cleaning my bike (I only use soapy, warm water and then rinse), and now that the warranty period has expired, I would be looking at something like £250-300 for a new CSU and rebuild if this problem raises it head again

perhaps time to look at Rockshox if this problem occurs again?

Thanks for that esher shore, I do use Muc Off on the fork, if it is a case of the lube or grease being washed away couldn’t I apply some penetrating oil with the forks upside down? Guess it is a new CSU if not and no Muc Off in the future, or a new a new Rock Shox Pike?

Esher shore
Good response. Good to hear what Mojo/Fox explanation is to the problem.
I’m ex bike trade now in engineering and am currently experiencing said click with my 29r fork.
Looks like even a new CSU may be a short term cure, cleaners aside 🙁 bugger…..
I mailed Fox and Mojo tonight to explain I’ve deduced the fork is the cause of the noise.
Shame they didn’t use a good retainer like loctite 638 when they pressed the steerer in, nice secure fit and stays put.

I have 5yo, 6yo and 7yo float 32’s on my bikes. No noise yet. Is this a newer fork issue?

For those with the noise and out of warrenty can they get the steerer pressed out and pressed back in with said loctite at any sort of engineering workshop? Or would you say that wasn’t worth the loss of their looks should they fail.

New proble for me. Used a host of Fox forks in the past with no problems.
Mine are 29r variety 32mm stanchions with 15mm axel tapered steerer.

I googled the problem and it seems to date back a few years.

I remember some of the lads on an alpine trip i was on years back complaining about Fox fork steerers being noisy and they had gone back to Marzocchi or Rock Shox. Didn’t think too much about it at the time as everything out there takes a good kicking.

I’ll see what the response is @fox mojo before I try anything myself which will void any warranty.

Mine are 32 140 Floats with tapered steerer, new this year.

Not just Fox. I had same on a set of new XFusions which were then warrantied

Great turn around by 18bikes and Mojo. Bike dropped off Monday, fork back from Mojo with new CSU fitted Friday and I’ve collected today. Excellent service by all and hopefully the clicking wont come back!

My 2012 Float 36 R starts clicking after about 40 hours and is always fine after an oil change which I do after about 60. Recommended service intervals are 25 hours but that’s way too frequent for the amount of riding I do and one of the main reasons I’m going to pick up a Pike at the start of next summer if I have the cash.

Hey guys.

I’ve just experienced the same problem with my Fox 34 160 talas 2014 forks.
The clicking seemed to be coming from the fork after a weekend of punishment at the Lake District.
I was just about to send them back to mojo when I read to check/service your headset first. I had nothing to loose so I degreased, cleaned and degreased headset & bearing and the clicking sound was gone. Sorted.
Just double check your headset first before sending the forks to be fixed because there might not be anything wrong with them.

Intersting thread this… I get it when I stand up, almost as though the stem is creaking etc… not on every pedal/compression, but the initial one when you go from sitting to standing… I wonder… Hmmmm.

I have a Cube stereo 160 super hpc race bought in December and its not had too much use in that time. I noticed this clicking in the initial travel which manifests itself when pedalling and becomes much more pronounced when the rebound is dialled out. I tried the headset first as my original headset collapsed and was replaced with a new Hope set under warranty. I took the bike into Leisure Lakes a few weeks ago and they just sprayed “some special spray” onto the stanchions but first ride and it returned. Its under warranty so will take it back in to sort asap.

Forks despatched to Mojo for assessment so hopefully will know more early next week