 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
I'm doing a complete Pike service for the first time, so far so good, but there is a step I just don't understand and haven't been able to find the answer.
It's step4 in page 15 here:
And ste 6 here http://blahblahbikeblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/reducing-rockshox-pike-rct3-solo-air.html
Min 5:35 here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7WcCIFguChA&t=349s
The plastic that I'm supposed to press is quite rigid, can't see a way of moving it below the retaining ring, any tips?
Damn, I thought servicing a Pike was supposed to be easy, but it's not that simple..
Thanks
It is stiff, yes, but it will go, just give it a bit of oomph.
Can be a ballache to push it in and fit the circlip.
I've got a socket that the shaft fits through and pushes the plastic base up, makes it much easier.
Assuming you've got it in a workstand, take it out and hold the crown against your body so you actually push against something.
Push harder, it takes a bit of effort. Found mine easy to do when I fitted my Luftkappe. Used a long narrow bladed screwdriver Btw.
Found that step difficult when i did my pikes particularly as you don't want to risk scratching shaft/stanchions with tools...got my wife to help in the end, one of us to press down on plastic seal whilst other used the circlip tool
Thanx guys!
I've also noticed that there is still oil at the bottom of the lower leg, it's quite thick (the crush washer is sticked to it) and there is no way of removing it with a rag as there are some protrusions that stop the rag from getting to it, I was thinking of sticking a hose inside and let the water remove it (maybe drop some soap?), would that be ok?
Is the oil particularly contaminated/dirty? Personally i don't flush old oil out unless i think its particularly contaminated. If you do want to, id flush with isopropyl alcohol rather than water
Yes, it's quite dirty, that's why I want to remove it. I can't get the alcohol that far as it's at the very end of the lowers ...
I used a small strap ,over the top of the station and end of the air shaft - thumb over the air shaft and strap - compresse then tighten strap at the brace . Did it to remove and refit the clip .
That the top cap off the air side, then push the air shaft up into the fork as far as you can. It will usually generate enough negative force that the circlip will come off without needing to push it in.
I had trouble getting one out because the metal wave spring or the washer was wedged under the plastic seal head. In the end I pushed the air shaft out through the top of the fork and made a long press out of a threaded rod which meant I could compress the seal head in and remove the circlip.
[img] 
[/img]
I just gave the top piece a good whack with a hammer and screw driver to just take the pressure off the circlip to enable me to remove it. Didn't cause any damage so seems like a good method to me. Having said that I was not bothered about damaging it as I wasn't going to replace it as I am doing a coil conversion.
I didn't clean out my lowers, the oil was nice and clean, but if I was going to clean it I was planning to bung them in the dishwasher when the wife was out.
Slight hijack of the original question. In that MBR video, the air shaft is pushed right up inside the uppers, so no chance of scratching it. Whenever I've serviced my Pikes (2 sets) that's never the case. I've release all of the pressure. Any ideas?
Because I'm ham-fisted, I wrap an old inner tube around the shaft, before attacking the plate with a screwdriver and circlips.
I had to cycle mine a few times to get all the pressure out and still didn't get it to fully retract. I got it to the stage where I could hold the lowers up then released the bottom bolt and there was a release of air and it all relaxed then.