Mattock service help

Long story short, I’ve changed the oil in the lowers and cleaned them.
Fitted new seals.
The oil in the damper side looked fine.
I didn’t get round to making the cassette tool so I didn’t take out the other gubbins.
Refitting the lowers was a faff trying to tighten up the spring side without the narrow socket, as pushing the Hex key in pushed the whole assembly back in the leg.
Got it back together now the fork won’t extend fully.
It looks much less than it’s 160mm
Have i missed a step somewhere?
I’ve tried pushing the forks up and down as I’ve pressurised them.
Any ideas would be most appreciated as off to BPW Tuesday

Are they the Pro ones with the other valve and bladder? I think you need to depressurise both and them inflate upside down, or something.

Tried letting all the air out and pulling them with the pump connected?

I’ve got the Magnums which are identical internally.
I think using the hex key method, as well as being bloody frustrating, can lead to air trapped in the lower leg.

I had to do a combination of letting air out, cycling the forks through their travel, and then pulling them to full extension before re-pressurising them.

Worked. Eventually!

Put a 8mm socket in a drill and use a file to reduce its diameter so you don’t have to bugger around with the wrong tool.

More helpfully, before I made the correct tool I found loosly bolting the lowers on allowed the pressure to equalise when you inevitably have to extend the legs.

I think I managed it.
Opened the damper top cap whilst putting lowers on. Got them tightened up then did the oil height whilst extended fully.
I’ll finish making the tools properly for next time.