I’m planning on getting Jnr’s SID forks tuned for a 25kg rider…
I’ve done some research but I’m a bit thick about suspension … I’m 70kg and I guess it mostly works for me on factory medium once I set sag and play with compression through experimentation.

So reading up it seems tuning of this sort can be valve replacements, changing for lighter oils etc.

However phoning a couple they have been a bit non-specific and I don’t know enough to ask the right questions. I guess the main thing I’m concerned about is what happens when it comes to service …

The people who did get tuning for their kids suspension that have replied to questions have all been positive as to the benefits but none seemed to know what magic had been done….

I’m happy to pay the experts to do magic … however once that magic is performed how does this affect future servicing? If they change the oil but don’t say what to etc.

Can anyone help me with what questions to ask? (We are on holiday in a week so an ideal time to send a set of forks off… indeed I might get my shock and forks serviced at the same time….. or better still anyone know what works and such?

James at J-TECH has been tuning forks for the Barrett brothers since they were knee high. Might be worth giving him a shout.

You probably need a combination of lower viscosity oil (for any orifice dampers) and more flexible shims in the stack. You’ll need to know what the oil has been changed to. The shim stack should be fine forever – however I’d ask them if they can set up the stack so stiffness can be added by swapping shims around as Jnr grows.

Page 33 here shows how Rockshox make the Pike’s rebound stack adjustable for different weight riders:

https://sram-cdn-pull-zone-gsdesign.netdna-ssl.com/cdn/farfuture/f3pD3lKBh-qbmS1hTze6fE0v9uYIYdcqz4_urGVAf_o/mtime:1435788390/sites/default/files/techdocs/gen_0000000004461_rev_c_2014_-_present_pike.pdf

Thanks Chief …

I really need to pull a fork apart … I have real problems understanding the service manuals that I suspect would be solved by actually seeing and touching stuff – I just worry I’ll pull one apart and then need something and it won’t be back together by the next weekend. I think I probably also need to stop trying to read them like a book….

Looking at the Pike as a comparison the softest shimstack uses a lot less shims …

I’m going to give TF Tuned another call … and perhaps hear what others (J-Tech/Plush) have to say.

There’s loads of ‘how to’ videos on YouTube – watching a few of those might help?

I’d give James @ JTech a call. Probably the best tuner I’ve used… Great tuning and fantastic service.

Steve, the sid is piss easy to service because its an open bath damper. If the fork is brand new then send it off for a tune and you won’t have to pay the cost of a service.

Which year SIDs? Unless they’re very old, they are not open bath.

The rebound piston should be OK as it is, and for compression only the RCT3 models have shims, as far as I know. The rest of them have a port that gets partially covered by a rotating valve (gold bits at the bottom):

There’s loads of ‘how to’ videos on YouTube – watching a few of those might help?

I’ve seen a few … I just need to do it hands on
Fundamentally its a load of bits … that get taken apart, cleaned, some replaced etc.
My reticence is I think finding out halfway through I’m missing something either tool wise or replacement part wise. More of a biting off more than I can chew in the time between weekends… I’m confident with most stuff I can take something apart and service it… but often time is the element … I find out I need a tool I don’t have etc.

That said I’d be happy on a lower leg service…. so perhaps I should just do my own fork lower leg service and that will remove the first part of the mystique…

otsdr – Member

Which year SIDs? Unless they’re very old, they are not open bath.

There is no bladder in the SID compression damper unless its a new one with the charger damper. You take out the damper, pour oil out put new stuff in replace damper.

No wonder I get confused when people who know 10x as much as i do can’t agree!

RockShox SID RCT3 Solo Air Forks – 9mmQR 2015 Black, 26″, 100mm, 1.1/8″ – 1.5″ Tapered, – sku580568

To get to the RCT3 shims is VERY easy, you just undo the top cap, then use some allen keys to dismantle the damper. I think there are instructions somewhere (MTBR?) as there is a reverse threaded part, and you need to stick an allen key through the side of the damper to stop it rotating as you undo it.

Creating a new shim stack is the tricky part. Looking at page 33 of that manual above it’s not obvious why particular stacks of shims are used (it’s not just small -> large or anything simple).

I modified my old RCT3’s by just removing one of the larger shims, which helped speed up high speed compression.

You could just remove the RCT3 damper and send it off? Saves removing and posting the fork.

Any future servicing will be unaffected. Changing oil weight doesn’t work so well for shims stacks anyway as they just bend out of the way of oil flow less, negating the effect of the reduced oil weight.

Well booked into TFT now …
Will be mid-August which is a shame as I’d hoped to get a few days off and take Jnr back to FOD for a couple of days uplift.

@poah: You are correct, there is no bladder, but it is still a closed cartridge. The damping oil and the lubrication oil for the lowers do not mix.