[Closed] Patching up a stanchion chip - Anyone had much luck?

It'll probably be fine, jsut leave it. Make sure it doesnt have any rough edges though.

davidtaylforth - Member

It'll probably be fine, jsut leave it. Make sure it doesnt have any rough edges though.

There are no rough edges.

Seems to cycle through the travel okay - in that it dosent seem to stick or bring back any oil.

Forks were only recently serviced so a) loathed to undertake a repair, b) undo the good work carried out by the service chap.

Dremel with polishing wheel and fine compound to take any high spots or burrs off, so they don't damage the seals or bushes. It's more important to remove the high spots than fill the low spots

it's suspension fork, not a surgical instrument.

it will be fine.

cynic-al - Member

it's suspension fork, not a surgical instrument.

it will be fine.

Al - I know but you read such horror stories.

fivespot - Member

Dremel with polishing wheel and fine compound to take any high spots or burrs off, so they don't damage the seals or bushes. It's more important to remove the high spots than fill the low spots

Interesting.

There don't seem to be any high spots.

Would ave though filling would have been better.

I have a far worse scratch with rough edges that has gone un-tended with no issues.

When I've tried the nail varnish thing it all got taken off when I tried smoothing it off with the wet and dry

Pieface - Member

I have a far worse scratch with rough edges that has gone un-tended with no issues.

When I've tried the nail varnish thing it all got taken off when I tried smoothing it off with the wet and dry

Air or coil fork?

I guess it shouldn't make a difference but ....

Bump for the morning thought.

I've got a scratch on my 2001 Bombers that is a little worse than that. It makes not a jot of difference to the performance. As Al implied, these things are designed to take some stick and carry on working.

Just ride it and forget all about it.

As other's have said, I'd leave it if there are no rough edges. You could end up doing more damage trying to 'repair' it. If they are RS air forks, you're not going to lose air pressure because of it as the pressurised air is in an internal chamber.

I have one of them on my Fox's - been like that for 18 months. All I did was take a wee bit of w&d to take the 'lump' I could feel off. They work fine, changed the seals a coupld of months back and no damage to them.
As Al says, ride it for now, and if it is an issue then worry.

letmetalktomark - Member
Al - I know but you read such horror stories.

You do? ^^^ 😛

In any event the scratch is at the front of the stanchion where there's less dirt.

I had a scratch just there (it was worse though) on my Pikes, in the end it ended up ruining the fork as dirt kept getting dragged behind the seal and it wore the anodising off.

I managed to put a huge scratch on a set of brand new lyriks. I was heartbroken but I managed to patch them up OK. I used clear coat lacquer from a car touch up kit, and very fine wet and dry used wet. after 5 or 6 applications \ sandings it was pretty smooth

Air or coil fork?

I guess it shouldn't make a difference but ....

It won't make any difference.

The worst that will happen is that dirt will get caught in the scratch and travel past the wiper seal, over time this will contaminate any lubricating oil and could cause bushing wear.

Maybe

Or as others have said, any roughness could cause wear to the seals and oil foam ring that sits underneath the seals.

Maybe

Best thing to do is just change the oil in the lowers as per the suggested service intervals, even I can do this and I'm pretty mechanically inept.