Rockshox Zeb Ultimate Damper issues

Hi All

Recently sent my 2022 model Zeb ultimate off to Tftuned for an annual services as they were beginning to feel a bit rough even after a lower service.

Turns out the fork is toast thanks to a Trutune that has shed plastic all over the insides of the air spring so defo buy a luftkappe for that extra suppleness.

They also discovered that the damper bladder had deformed! and is not repairable, anyone else experienced this? Did you have any joy with warranty

Hoping for Warranty replacement otherwise any suggestions for a replacement on a transition Spire. I like the look of ohlins rxf38 apart from the cost

Nightmare – TF should be able to write a report or highlight the issues which may support a warranty claim. The Trutune may void it though.

As for replacement, I’ve just gone from a Lyrik to an RXF38 and even though I’ve not yet finalised the settings the level of support from the Ohlins is night and day.

What a nightmare OP.

I think a couple of friends had damper issues with Zeb, deformed bladder rings a bell.

Part of the reason I sold my 2021 (which had been fine) and bought the 2023 model.

That’s been good so far FWIW. Much more supportive. Better airpsring and damper IMO.

Slightly worried about my trutune now!

Did it actually damage the internals?

I’d not mention it on the warranty claim as, even tho the damper issue should be completely separate, I’m not sure the trutune (or a luftkappe) wouldn’t invalidate it

Slightly worried about my trutune now!

Did it actually damage the internals?

I fitted one a couple of weeks back to my 2021 Pike. Definitely going to keep an eye on it.

Replacement fork would say the Manitou Mezzer Pro, as I own one currently on my 297 Mega.
The RXF38 would be my other choice, or possibly a DVO onyx D1 as last choice.

Replace the damper, and install a coil conversion would be alternative

I doubt a warranty will be honored unless the tru-tune is kept quiet.

Who fitted the Tru-Tune?

also how did the trutune fail-

did it come unscrewed and get smashed up, or did it just fall apart?

Trutune removed and kept quiet on the report. Tftuned said it has damaged the inside of the air spring, apparently common 🙁 I just sent Trutune a message to see what they say.

the description they had was they thought some of the little bits of carbon had come out and scored the insides but as far as i know the unit stayed together

as to who fitted it, i did as it just screws on like a token

I think i’ll stick a smashpot coil in if the warranty doesn’t replace the CSU and just the damper. Fingers crossed for a whole new fork. BUT we all like new stuff so defo go fork hunting beyond teh usual OEM brands, not a massive fan of fox forks, would like a bogey green DVO on my purple transition spire

One of my mates with the damper issues got a new 2023 Zeb Ultimate as replacement.

Fingers crossed for that, eh?

Another vote for a Mezzer Pro if you replace the fork.

Absolutely no need to faff with add-ons like Luftkappe and it comes with a damper that actually works.

Spent far too long and too much money on RS trying to make them work properly. Mezzer does it out of the box.

Obviously, that doesn’t help with your predicament. Hopefully, you’ll be covered by the warranty.

The sell it, and buy a Mezzer 😉

Smashpot and charger 3 on my ZEB.
Bushings also lapped in and blueprinted..
Supple beyond words…

Deffo go for the Ohlins they are something else. I got mine from Cykel House in West Yorkshire. They do 12 months 0% too so can spread the cost a bit. Although it’s a hard pill to swallow it’s worth it for the smiles.

I think i’ll stick a smashpot coil in if the warranty doesn’t replace the CSU and just the damper.

Trutune removed and kept quiet on the report. Tftuned said it has damaged the inside of the air spring, apparently common 🙁 I just sent Trutune a message to see what they say.

You voided the RS warranty as soon as you stuck the Trutune in presumably aiming to get “coil like performance”.
I’d perhaps go with the damper being replaced under warranty and stick in a smashpot.

Try RSF and see if they can stick a new stanchion in there.

Spoke to John at Trutune today who is very helpful, will be sending the unit up to them when I get it back so they can do some digging, they also spoke to tftune and there must be some wires crossed with what I was told by the tech looking at a my fork as there was only one recorded fail of a prototype they dealt with but no others.

Will have to see if the trutune actually was faulty once they have had it back or if anything else wriggled into the air chamber,

Should add before my fork started to feel off (most likley the damper fail), the Trutune did as advertised and definitely did result in a much better feeling Zeb, so those whose have them shouldn’t worry about that, keep an eye on those dampers though

how about an avalanche damper and the coil conversion of your choice?certainly more expensive than replacing the bladder, but you’d get a very good fork as a result.

my other thought, can you run the air spring in the other fork leg? it can be done in Formula forks and quite useful for switching between coil and air.

RockShox during the pandemic were sending out Ultimate spec forks with substandard parts in them. The damper seal head on the Ultimate forks was frequently substituted for one off a lower level fork. This results in the damper ingesting the lower leg oil quite quickly and the bladder becoming over filled and deformed. We have replaced a lot of Charger2 bladders because of this.

any update?

sorry went quiet on this one, in the end Rockshox replaced the CSU and Damper, took an age though. Tru Tune also replaced the insert. on inspection there was nothing wrong with that in the end, can only assume some filth has got in and scored the insides, or perhaps when a shop replaced the air spring when I bought the bike (didn’t have any 170mm zebs so swapped to a 170mm  form a 190mm air spring or so i thought, turns out the put a 16omm in!) they made a mess of that install, who knows

what i can say is the 2023 air spring and buttercup is way better and worth popping in the forks are being serviced especially if it turns out teh fork are at wrong travel for bike, which also explains why it felt so odd