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So i got hold of some 2nd hand 34's at a very good price BUT i fear I may have bought some rotters!!
in any of the trail settings the fork intially feels "locked out", obviously in the "FIRM" setting this isnt a problem but in fully open (with the smaller dial also fully open)the fork sticks before commencing with its travel.
Current settings are 84psi and rebound set on the faster side for my 200lb kitted up self.
Things i have tried
- leave upside down overnight
- LBS lower service
- LBS seal replacement.
- silvierfish emailed (they suggested lubricating the stantions and cycling the forks if this fails send to them)
I'm seriously considering sending to Silverfish but thought i'd first try on here. Any suggestions??
cheers
How do they behave with no air in the air spring ?
Also, with top cap off the air spring ??
[u]May[/u] help to diagnose if issue is damper or air spring related ie. if they still do the 'sticking' you describe in both those situations it is more likely damper side or bent forks. If it doesn't do it in one of those situations then it is more likely air spring related.
that sounds like a good suggestion to me! i'll give it a go when i get back home. i'm guessing both are expensive fixes!!
ok let all the air out last night and the fork dropped in 5 stages rather than slowly as the air came out. i then pumped it up slowly checking its cycle at 40psi, 50psi, 60psi, 70psi, etc and the more pressure the hard it became to iniate travel off the top (ie felt locked out again BEFORE moving) at 40 psi there was no resistance but the fork only extend to 130mm instead of 160mm. i settled on 74psi which gave some resitance (not massive)but the 25% sag i wanted. this left the travel at 156mm. I wasnt getting 160mm until nearer 90% but this felt far to firm
Really difficult to to offer anything else from your typed description. Looks like you've been thorough - did you cycle the fork at the low pressures ? How did it feel - consistent through the entire stroke or still sticking ??
I'd try once more BUT when you deflate the fork, do it with the wheel out and bike in a stand to ensure the negative chamber also deflates.
And - were there any spacers under the top cap ? Maybe best to start with none.
Good luck - I guess if you send it in for a full service you should be guaranteed it's OK !
no that is again very helpful the bike stand is a great idea! there is 1 spacer under the top cap.
i'm goning to send it for a full service in the new year to put my mind at rest i think.
Ive got some fit 4 32's which I was never totally happy with, the small bump response wasn't brilliant. I took the spacer off the top cap and this incresase the air volume and makes them a bit more linear. They never 'stepped down' with no air in though. I'm wondering if the negative chamber is leaking. Seem to remember reading something about it but I could be getting mixed up. From what you're describing sounds damper related to me.
it feels almost like something is temporarily blocking the air/oil flow but the first firm push frees this and lets the fork travel normally until it becomes stationary again when you have to repeat the sudden firm push.
i might try removing the spacer see what that does but i suspect this doesent come into play on the intial small bump travel