small incident with my new forks, advice needed. Spaffing fluid issue…

So yesterday, I after a few jobs around the house I decided, as I was in a bad mood, to go and do some bike tinkering in the garage on my own…..

I’d fitted a new set of Fox forks to my HT the other day and they came with a lock out lever. whilst fitting the cable I managed to turn the top cap the wrong way and it shot out, along with the compression needle and a load of fluid. At first I couldn;t get the lock out assembly to go back on propery and I thought I’d killed it, having watched a couple of fox vids I think I’m ok with getting it back properly now.

But where did the fluid come from? top cap on damper side, fluid came out of the top. Do I need to top up fluid in the damper or in the lower leg on that side? The table below only shows oil in the lower legs, air and damper sides and upper air chamber I assume. Its the GRIP damper.

Grip damper, IIRC, is an open oil bath like good ole Bombers of old so the damper shares the same oil as the lower leg (damper side only).

How much is a “load” – I find with oil a little can often look like a lot more than it is.

May be worth sorting the lockout and seeing if it works and re access what to do.

Or …… drain it out into a measuring cup and add a bit more and pop it back in.

Cool, I thought it was the same oil as the lower leg. Probably wasn’t that much oil that came but with everything shooting around it seemed like a bloody river!

I’ll sort the lockout and once thats sorted whip the lowers off.

I’d be worrying about why the cap “blew off” from what should be a non-pressurised side of a fork – or is this common ? or is that side pressurised too ?

Think it was more the spring under the top cap that sprung out unexpectedly. The bike was leaning over while I picked up the bits and oil started flowing out…

I was probably over egging it a bit. I certainly over reacted when it happened last night!!….

Got the lock out fixed and cabled up, took it out for a 10 mile spin. Works great. I’ll get some fork oil and top up what I lost.

£250 Fox 32 Rhythms from Merlin. Bloody bargain!