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As above really. My charger 2 rct3 has sprung a leak out of the top. 2.5 years old so will have to replace at my cost from what I can see reading around
Just looking to guage if the rct3 2.1 is as rubbish for this as the prior version before splashing out. Or better to wait for an RC2 to come into stock?
If anyone on here happens to have a lyrik sized original charger gathering dust I think I'd be interested. Those ones are repairable right? Maybe I'd even just stick motion control on there if they're more reliable
Flipping rockshox, sealed unit bollox!!
Send it to Rick at Slick and Slide
RockShox dont sell spare parts beyond the lower seal head, but they can be repaired with aftermarket seals. And yeah RockShox spare parts policy sucks for customers, really poor support for an expensive part, its so wasteful as well.
The original charger dampers were fully serviceable, seal kit even came with a new bladder.
I had the same thing happen a year ago to my Charger 2 damper. I got a couple of quotes to fix and it was only slightly more expensive to buy a whole new 2.1 damper. Apparently to fix it, the entire damper needs to be taken apart?? Hence the high cost.
The 2.1 has been fine for the last 12 months. Fingers crossed it will be fine for much longer.
How can companies keep getting away with this? As said above, the original charger was fully rebuildable at home with standard tools. Surely the newer versions can't be that different.
5;10 are another one that springs to mind. "Look at us, we my a shoe from recycled oven plastics!" Lovely, how about making replacement sole units available again so my perfectly serviceable shoes don't end up in landfill?
If I was having to replace a RS damper now, I'd wait for the RC. Or get a Fast or Avalanche damper. 9n a budget? Maybe a motion control damper and a Splug.
RockShox warranty support say bladder failure and compression leaks are so rare thats why they are not replaceable when I enquired about spares out of warranty.
Despite the fact I was on the phone to warranty another charger damper
Or maybe its just cheaper to manufacture, and more profitable seal kits for them.
A full service should replace all the rubber parts so its like new (like Fox) and RockShox used to be.
If you normally DIY service its worth taking it apart yourself, there are enough pictures on forums, instagram, a couple of youtube videoes you should be able to get it done. Some people are using generic o rings, others replacing U cup with X ring, or stacking as a backup ring.
Keep an eye on Pinkbike thats where we got a RC2 from
This may put you on, if it fits, as an alternative till one becomes available
https://www.pinkbike.com/buysell/3168585/
SRAM / Rock Shox - there's your problem.
Their customer service / quality control has tanked. Their business model nowadays seems solely focussed on the OEM market i.e. selling parts in bulk to bike brands for full builds. The aftermarket customer be damned.
Appreciate the pointers. Thanks! Wow looks like you can spend loads on aftermarket dampers! (RE Avalanche, Fast etc)
I contacted Slick and Slide and think the repair cost is quite reasonable as you get a full fork service on top of that so if one is due anyway its not that bad. Probably will go with that option
Agreed on RS / SRAM though. Not really very happy with much I've had of their kit in recent years. GX 11 speed mech has lasted forever but nothing else has been much good and they still use dot in their brakes 🙁 . Whats the alternative though? - Fox forks a so much more expensive and are they any more reliable?
Whats the alternative though? – Fox forks a so much more expensive and are they any more reliable?
You can buy all the spare parts, shafts, adjusters, detents, springs etc. Seal kits come with all the rubber seals needed.
RockShox shocks are written off all the time due to lack of spare parts.
Their customer service / quality control has tanked. Their business model nowadays seems solely focussed on the OEM market i.e. selling parts in bulk to bike brands for full builds. The aftermarket customer be damned.
That would make sense, cut manufacturing costs and OEMs will bulk buy if cheaper than another brand.
I was speaking to somebody about another product, and they said it was cheaper to warranty X % of product, rather than spend more fixing the problem and they could increase sales as a result of the cheaper price.
Am I right in thinking that if a Rockshox has warn bushings, you have to buy new lowers rather than replace the bushings? I believe you can get bushings for Fox.
Mine 2018 Lyrik RC leaked from the top too. As did my 26" Revelations with the Blackbox damper.
I fixed both, it was the same thing each time, a small U seal that wears out around the compression lever.
This shows you how to fix it.
I didn't use any special tools other than possibly a bit of wood with a hole drilled through and then cut in half to act as a clamp, but I can't really remember.
RockShox warranty support say bladder failure and compression leaks are so rare thats why they are not replaceable when I enquired about spares out of warranty.
hmm, why have over 12,000 people watched that vid on how to fix a seal leak they don't sell a spare for then!?
RockShox dont sell spare parts beyond the lower seal head, but they can be repaired with aftermarket seals. And yeah RockShox spare parts policy sucks for customers, really poor support for an expensive part, its so wasteful as well.
It's because of this, as a home mechanic, I sold all my RS suspension and moved to Fox. That and the Fox dampers are better too.
Apparently to fix it, the entire damper needs to be taken apart??
Any shop would be bonkers not to take the whole thing apart. Just replacing the one worn component is asking for upset customers when the part(s) you didn’t replace then fail soon afterwards.
Am I right in thinking that if a Rockshox has warn bushings, you have to buy new lowers rather than replace the bushings? I believe you can get bushings for Fox.
Yup, another great step forward from RS. They used to sell lower leg bushings, their current answer is just buy a new set of lowers if the bushings are worn. Again its not a problem that occurs when you speak to warranty (ha ha)
Fortunately there are now some aftermarket 35mm options. Fox sell the bushes as a spare part.
hmm, why have over 12,000 people watched that vid on how to fix a seal leak they don’t sell a spare for then!?
lol Literally anything I phone to ask about warranty they have never heard of it happening before, even if I phoned with the same problem last week.
Any shop would be bonkers not to take the whole thing apart. Just replacing the one worn component is asking for upset customers when the part(s) you didn’t replace then fail soon afterwards.
Its starting to become a genuine concern for me, if I service a Charger damper as per RockShox instructions, using a RockShox seal kit and a seal I have not replaced fails shortly after......
Same here, I managed a DIY fix on a split bladder on an original Charger Dameper, but eventually replaced it with a 2.1 Now that is faulty after just over 2 years.
It leaks a total of about 1 or 2 cls of oil after being fully bled when it takes hard hits, then behaves normally. I guess that happens when some air gets into the bladder in place of the oil and rises to the top, so no more leaks to be seen.
I'll watch that video, as I'd always heard that it wasnt possible to repair as the unit was sealed.