Jump to content
IGNORED

Tech/Maintenance


Chief

Recommended Posts

spend enough time working on other people's bikes and you'll encounter some truly horrific stuff.

I can't tell you how many jogging stroller tubes I have replaced at bike shops even though it's so friggin easy. usually women bring these in and they don't care. but when a man hands you a stroller wheel to change a tube and watches you do it in 60 seconds and charge them $10 labor and $8 for the tube, you can see them digging around in their psyche trying to rediscover their dignity.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, WLemke said:

Front forks and rear shock stanchions covered in a dirt/oil mixture must currently be in style

Always completely wipe down my bike before taking it in, like, you know, you always wear clean underwear to a doc's appt.  Is that a guy thing, too?  Anyway, it shows the mechanic you respect your bike and his time. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dr is just going to make you take the underwear off anyway. I go commando with the rip away pants from my day job. Faster appointments now.

Every bike mechanic skill I know I picked up in the 80s working on my GT. All I had and all I needed was a can of WD40 a screwdriver and an adjustable wrench. Don't let me near your bike.

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, WLemke said:

 

  1. Front forks and rear shock stanchions covered in a dirt/oil mixture must currently be in style

One of the toughest things about working in a shop is convincing people that expensive bikes need to be worked on too. Any dual suspension bike over $2000 is going to cost you $1000 a year if you're riding regularly and staying on top of regular maintenance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

9 hours ago, WLemke said:

 

  1. Front forks and rear shock stanchions covered in a dirt/oil mixture must currently be in style

One of the toughest things about working in a shop is convincing people that expensive bikes need to be worked on too. Any dual suspension bike over $2000 is going to cost you $1000 a year if you're riding regularly and staying on top of regular maintenance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/10/2020 at 4:20 PM, taco_junkie said:

Dr is just going to make you take the underwear off anyway. I go commando with the rip away pants from my day job. Faster appointments now.

I don't even want to imagine how this plays out on a telemedicine appt. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 6/10/2020 at 1:30 PM, mack_turtle said:

spend enough time working on other people's bikes and you'll encounter some truly horrific stuff.

I can't tell you how many jogging stroller tubes I have replaced at bike shops even though it's so friggin easy. usually women bring these in and they don't care. but when a man hands you a stroller wheel to change a tube and watches you do it in 60 seconds and charge them $10 labor and $8 for the tube, you can see them digging around in their psyche trying to rediscover their dignity.

Bah! No need to me demoralized by your local bike shop tech, change your own tube! Without removing the wheel!!!

image.png.64ee55d643e3f7ae644222bb75892d6d.png

https://www.amazon.com/Huffy-Bicycle-Company-Quick-Change/dp/B07GVV7NXD/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&dd=8pc4r0HU3NNyEFqnMH-cfQ%2C%2C&keywords=26x1.95%2Bbike%2Btube&qid=1591992284&refinements=p_90%3A8308921011&rnid=8308919011&sr=8-1&th=1

  • Haha 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shop quoted me 8+ weeks to do a lower service. This is one of those things I've been wanting to learn to do anyway and I've really upped my mechanic-ing this year. Any tips I should know? For a Fox there is a tool whose only purpose is to separate the upper and lower after taking the bolts off. I've read that not using it can damage the threads. OTOH that tool alone costs like $50 and is sold out most places. Thoughts? On the RockShox "yah just whack it" (thanks Hank Hill voice) after undoing the bolt a few turns. Yeah I'm doing one of each. Maybe start with my older RockShox fork if I have to wait on that "whackin part".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

21 minutes ago, taco_junkie said:

Shop quoted me 8+ weeks to do a lower service. This is one of those things I've been wanting to learn to do anyway and I've really upped my mechanic-ing this year. Any tips I should know? For a Fox there is a tool whose only purpose is to separate the upper and lower after taking the bolts off. I've read that not using it can damage the threads. OTOH that tool alone costs like $50 and is sold out most places. Thoughts? On the RockShox "yah just whack it" (thanks Hank Hill voice) after undoing the bolt a few turns. Yeah I'm doing one of each. Maybe start with my older RockShox fork if I have to wait on that "whackin part".

I personally just thread the nut back on, stick a socket on top and whack it with a mallet to separate the uppers from the lower. Never had an issue. Just gotta make sure you have decent thread contact. 
 

also, if you have a Fox34, I’ve got the seal driver if you’d like to borrow it. 

Edited by WLemke
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yup it's a 34. I've got a kit coming with all the seals and oil and stuff but it was back ordered 2 weeks so it's gonna be a while. Does tapping it just free it from the crush washers? Is that all that's holding it on at that point? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard to finesse off without the tool but who knows. I'll let you know when the kit shows up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, taco_junkie said:

Yup it's a 34. I've got a kit coming with all the seals and oil and stuff but it was back ordered 2 weeks so it's gonna be a while. Does tapping it just free it from the crush washers? Is that all that's holding it on at that point? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard to finesse off without the tool but who knows. I'll let you know when the kit shows up.

So what you are whacking with the mallet is the air and damper shafts. Its like an iceberg. The bolts you see sticking out of the bottom of the fork continue via a shaft into the uppers. Since they are pressure fitted, you need a decent amount of force to get them to separate, which is why the service manual has you tap them with a mallet with the removal tool. The Fox 34 has a 10mm nut on the air side and a 15mm nut on the damper side, so you need two different removal tools. (Damper Removal Tools 398-00-681 and 398-00-682)

YMMV, but I will thread the nut and crush washer back on until I can see two threads coming out the top of the nut. I'll place the corresponding 10mm and 15mm socket back on top of the nut and give each a good whack. Have not damaged the threads yet.

 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

56 minutes ago, taco_junkie said:

Shop quoted me 8+ weeks to do a lower service. 

While I highly recommend learning to do your own suspension service, have you asked any of the mail-in services? There are a few that have competitive rates that allow you to box up and mail your fork in and get it back relateively quick.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

The shop said 8 weeks but they would let me get a place in line and drop the bike off the day before so really not too bad. We should go to that method even if there isn't a virus 🤔 I didn't look into mailing it. If I was doing a full service I'd probably look at that. I'm really looking for excuse to spend time in the garage anyway.

Yeah those are the parts my research said too about $50 per tool. I found a kit that has both for a bit less but it's also out of stock. If they get some before the rest of my stuff shows up maybe I'll order that but I'll probably just try it without.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, taco_junkie said:

Yup it's a 34. I've got a kit coming with all the seals and oil and stuff but it was back ordered 2 weeks so it's gonna be a while. Does tapping it just free it from the crush washers? Is that all that's holding it on at that point? Seems like it shouldn't be too hard to finesse off without the tool but who knows. I'll let you know when the kit shows up.

Looking to do the same for the first time. What kit did you get?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

14 minutes ago, notyal said:

Looking to do the same for the first time. What kit did you get?

https://www.jensonusa.com/Push-Complete-Lower-Leg-Service-Kit

Back ordered 2 weeks for the Fox 34 but it comes with the seal install tool and all together is cheaper than ordering the separate bits so I'll wait 1-2 weeks extra. Next time I'll just need the wipers seals and washers.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve done the lower service a number of times now on both fox forks and now my cane creek helm. I bought the seal driver for both on eBay for $25 and it’s machined delrin. The tool for separating the pushrods from the lowers gives a little more piece of mind, but it’s completely unnecessary. Fox’s own instructions from a few years back don’t include it and instead recommend threading the nuts back on and tapping them as described further up this thread. It works fine. The vital tools are the seal driver and a flangeless socket to remove the top caps. I made my own by grinding one down, but I bought one for the Helm service. The syringe is very helpful too. I think everyone should be able to handle a lower service. It gives you an appreciation for the machinery you have on the bike.

Oh, and a small fruit cup or similar sized container is great for soaking the new foam rings in float fluid before dropping them in.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

https://www.jensonusa.com/Push-Complete-Lower-Leg-Service-Kit
Back ordered 2 weeks for the Fox 34 but it comes with the seal install tool and all together is cheaper than ordering the separate bits so I'll wait 1-2 weeks extra. Next time I'll just need the wipers seals and washers.


Thanks. The oil in that kit looks to be 10w. I was just about to buy some Fox branded 20w off Amazon. Anyone have any input on that?
Link to comment
Share on other sites

30 minutes ago, notyal said:

 


Thanks. The oil in that kit looks to be 10w. I was just about to buy some Fox branded 20w off Amazon. Anyone have any input on that?

 

20wt according to the service manual. I’m a “by the book” kind of guy when it comes to things like that but I’ve heard of people using 15wt before. Not 10wt though. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go with what the manual says. The only time I’ve strayed from this was when shortening a Fox 32 F100 and put in 7wt oil. It was for my 8yr old’s bike so I wanted to lighten the damping significantly. I wouldn’t do that with “grown up” forks.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...