I’ve got an issue with my forks and wondering what the STW collective’s thoughts are on this…

They are Pace RC40 XCAM (2007 model) – bought in Sept 2007 and used for about a year before I took them off due to this problem.

I started to notice wear down the left leg and when running your finger over the stantion you can feel ridges in the finish at fairly regular intervals. Feels like something is wearing the annodising off.

I don’t really hammer the forks so I’m a bit surprised at this and I’m assuming this is a problem with design or something similar – rather than use.

What do you think??? Is it a warranty issue or service matter?

Before anyone says – the coil band that is next to the rubber ring on the left of the pic was taken off when I removed the fork from the bike

Another photo without flash

How often have they been serviced?

I got the same thing on my RC41’s, though it is far more pronounced. Think it might have something to do with bearings in the lower leg assembly. Though I could be completely wrong.

I would doubt you will get a warranty claim with a fork that old but contact the manufacturer to try. That may well be considered a reasonable amount of wear in that time. Is the seal blowing?

Apparently they have a 2 year warranty on Pace forks so I’m sending them up to them.

The Beard – is the wear on yours only on the brake side? The guy at Pace asked me if that was the case.

Bigyinn – They were serviced within the first month I had them due to a problem with the seal on that leg but otherwise they are about due a service – as they’ve had 11 months of use since I first started using them.

TJ – That’s what I’m wondering if it is a reasonable amount of wear – but My RS Revs or my Manitous have never done anything similar so think it might not be.

Personally I don’t think wear like that is reasonable – thats why I run ‘zocchis by choice. However a fork stanchion is a known point of wear they maight deem it reqsonable – but with a 2 yr warrenty yo have a chance

It started on the brake side but now both are worn.

Do you think it is anything to worry about functionality-wise?

I’m really not pleased with it as it isn’t what I paid Pace prices for.

I was told mine would continue to work fine and that it was nothing to worry about.

The Beard – Really? Surely wear of such nature would only get worse over time unless the problem is rectified

Did Pace say that?

I had a set of RS Psylos which went like that. They were 5 years old, but it disnt “seem” to affect the performance a great deal.
If they forks are covered by warranty then see what PACE have to say, although 11 months between servicing might be a bit long. I try to do my forks at least every 6 months, more frequently if i’ve been out in the filth a lot.

I was told they would eventually need replaced but that they were fine for a while.

I thought forks needed servicing roughly about once a year?

Usually the manuf suggest a service / oil change after xx hours riding. A year is FAR too vague a term. Also if you ride in cruddy conditions this generally shortens the servuce interval further.

You’ve had crap trapped in your seals, that’s scraped your stanchions, a lack of service, cleaning, turning them upside down after periods of no use has allowed the foam rings to dry exacerbating it. It goes on the brake side first because that leg is under the most twisting load.

If that was an air shock it would now be shagged. it’ll be interesting to see how PACE handle it.

Seems a bit poor form, I’ve only serviced my zocchis 3 times in the time ive owned them (8 years) and never found crud under the dust seal?

If that was an air shock it would now be shagged. it’ll be interesting to see how PACE handle it.

Why? The air is camber is sealed and lives inside the fork leg. Also the non damper side wears faster than the damper side as there is less loose oil sloshing about. My PACE forks eventually wore (out/down to bare ali) on the non-damper upper leg, due to a lack of service (I was busy/lazy) allowing a build up a crap under the seals. The wear on the forks pictured is only slight and will not affect performance nor get any worse, provided the forks are fitted with new seals and the oil changed. The shit under the seals may have also have dropped into the bushing area, thus a change a bushings (normally only the uppers) may be required.

IMO, the wear is not a warranty issue and is only cosmetic. I let my PACE wear out completely as I’d cracked the carbon lowers, hence no point spending for new seals etc. I would have replaced with another set, except the coil version is no longer, the air has no travel adjust and DT Swiss have whacked up the price :-(.

Chris

Those regular marks are from the bushing (it looks like). Have you stripped them down to have a look?

Nope – not stripped them down.

Thanks for the comments – gives me some idea on what to expect.

Still very disappointed with the quality of materials etc – spending this much on forks you expect better.

Had the choice of RS Rev or these at the time of purchase and wish I’d gone with the Revs now (although the Revs from my wifes bike are now on my bike and they are great!!!)