• This topic has 16 replies, 12 voices, and was last updated 7 years ago by Euro.
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  • Is bodgible a word? Servicing Pike fork lowers
  • Euro
    Free Member

    I have grease (good stuff but not butter™ or jizzo® or whatever special name they call it) and 0w 30 fully synthetic oil (but not spunko® or gravy™ or whatever they call that). Is there any reason why i shouldn’t give my Pikes (RCT 150mm Solo) a lower service using what i have?

    Also any ideas why my rebound doesn’t seem to make a difference on any setting (bounces right back like there’s no adjustment). I doubt me cleaning and changing the oil/rings will fix this but is there something simple* i can do while i have them apart that might?

    I have goog’d and found lots of issues with the Pike (even several threads on here) but can’t find anyone else who’s rebound doesn’t do anything like what mine doesn’t do.

    * The SRAM guide list several specialist tools in their charger service how-to that i don’t have and tbh, i’ve had it with up buying ‘one-off’ bike tools!

    chestercopperpot
    Free Member

    Jizzo is a Calcium Stearate grease with an NGLI 2 consistency, so anything the same will do.

    Spunko only lubricates as the damping cartridge is separate, therefore you can get away with any similar fully synthetic, which doesn’t swell butyl seals.

    The only time generic Spunko shouldn’t be used is in Open Bath/older forks on the damper side.

    A lowers service will most likely not solve the rebound problem.

    andyl
    Free Member

    I would stick to the correct lower leg lube. Loco sells some in small quantities.

    For the charger bleed you need their 3wt oil and the little adapter. Epic sell one cheaper than the offical kit.

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    Euro
    Free Member

    Cheers guys.

    So that’s one for and one against (well, two for, if you count me – but i haven’t a clue). Any others want to throw their hat in?

    johnw1984
    Free Member

    To be honest, is it work the risk bodging a Pike?

    If you’re absolutely sure that the stuff you have is usable, go for it.

    Otherwise, it’s a few quid for “special fluid” 🙂

    ndthornton
    Free Member

    I bought the proper oil for the damper service and used what I had for the lowers.

    I have had all rebound go away on my pike – in fact Iv had no end of problems with it.

    The first issue was I must have turned the compression damping nob too far (although this did not take a lot of force to do). This resulted in the compression nob no longer reaching an end stop and having no effect on compression damping (rebound still worked at this point). So I removed the blue compression top cap thing and started turning the shaft itself with a screwdriver (My original theory was the top cap was not mating with the shaft but this was incorrect). The shaft continued to turn without stopping and eventually became very loose and all rebound damping went away. When I opened the fork I found the charger damper in 2 pieces! So essentially if you continually turn the compression shaft the damper unscrews itself and falls apart….which is a bit crap in my opinion. anyway its easy to screw back together – I had to buy the bleed kit, reassembled, bled and all good.

    2nd issue is I find the damping is good after a bleed but gets crap really quickly (but doesn’t go away entirely). There is a known issue for the charger damper seal head being rubbish, letting in air. So i just ordered and fitted a really expensive replacement from Australia. Yet to ride it and see if it works but the bleed seemed more consistent this time (more on this issue if you Google)

    Essentially it sounds like for whatever reason your damper has failed – could be oil has leaked out – could be air has got in – could be something else (I have little confidence in these dampers now as you can imagine). But basically take it out and have a look.

    BadlyWiredDog
    Full Member

    Why not just spend a few quid more and source the correct lubricants? As far as the rebound damping goes, if you remove the lower and there’s a bunch of extra oil in the lower leg on the damper side, chances are that it’s leaked from the Charger damper, in which case the lower sealhead thing has probably failed.

    In any case, at the very least, it sounds like you need to bleed the Charger. The Epic kit works well and isn’t very expensive. It’s a little fiddly, but not particularly difficult if you’re semi-competent.

    Does your quasi-lockout do anything? When my Sealhead failed, the most obvious symptom along with screwed up air pressures and inconsistent rebound damping was a complete lack of any effect from moving the compression RCT? knob – didn’t stiffen compression at all.

    Ecky-Thump
    Free Member

    I use 5w-30 synthetic fork oil from Halfrauds in the lowers (bought this early on when you couldn’t get the 0-30 RS official stuff) and 90 wt Castrol gear oil on the foam rings (It’s been suggested that Fox fluid is basically 80wt gear oil, but that might just be a myth).
    Two years on this regime so far and not experienced any problems yet.

    thisisnotaspoon
    Free Member

    It’s been suggested that Fox fluid is basically 80wt gear oil, but that might just be a myth

    Looks and smells like it.

    I took my foam rings out and did the pro-mechanic thing of packing the space with R&R superslick grease. It’s now VERY slick.

    Euro
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies. It’s getting a bit technical for a simpleton like me so i’m gonna throw then into the local suspension chappie. They cost too much for me to ruin 😆

    richwales
    Full Member

    If youre getting someone to do it – try and make sure they change the damper seal head for the new upgraded one. I bled the damper and it felt great for a few rides but then started to feel iffy and needed another bleed. I ordered the Australian one. According to Fisher’s they wont be getting the RS upgraded ones for a few months.

    ndthornton
    Free Member

    Thanks for the replies. It’s getting a bit technical for a simpleton like me

    Up to you of course but it requires no special tools (apart from the bleed kit) – just spanners, allen keys and the internet

    JonEdwards
    Free Member

    Anyone got a lazy link for this Aussie seal head, My damper is leaking (again) through this seal and I’d rather replace it with an upgraded one.

    Thanks.

    ndthornton
    Free Member

    Anyone got a lazy link for this Aussie seal head

    prepare to get shafted

    bodgy
    Free Member

    The word you are looking for is ‘botchable’.

    scruff
    Free Member

    The epic bleed kit is good.

    Euro
    Free Member

    Just to update…

    Essentially it sounds like for whatever reason your damper has failed – could be oil has leaked out – could be air has got in – could be something else (I have little confidence in these dampers now as you can imagine). But basically take it out and have a look.

    According to the mechanic this is kinda what happened – except the internals blew themselves apart too! He open the lowers expecting oil and what-not but was met with the clang of bone dry damper bits falling out. Reckons it may have been caused by hitting them hard when the lockout was on but i’ve never used the lockout feature on the Pikes. All fixed now and working great again.

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