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So I’ve got a 160mm Yari on my fs bike (160mm rear travel too) that I’ve used for about a year and not made any changes other than to remove all the tokens from it. Run compression wide open and around 30% sag. I don’t ever get it the last inch of suspension travel no matter what (even in a big ish crash).
I’ve got a long weekend of riding at the start of August, so I’m looking to pep the forks up before I go, but without spending too much money.
It looks like a lower leg service is £60 or a full service is around £100 from most of the fork servicing companies. Given I’ve managed to build a wheelset myself recently I’m thinking I’ll give my forks a go.
If I can source a 2019 airspring (either another at 160 or a 170) for around the £42 mark I think I’ll get one of those - and do as much of a service as I can. I may buy the proper tools if I can source them as I’m guessing that should cost less than the labour for 1 service - then I’ve got them for future services.
Checking the Yari service guide it looks like I need one oil in small volume for the lowers then 5wt oil for the damper. I spoke with Ben at Bird previously when I was thinking of putting in a charger damper (which I can’t justify the cost for at he moment), and he suggested I could run a lighter oil in the moco damper I’ve got already to release a little more travel.
My question is, has anyone done this with oil weights and what have you run? I’m around 75-80kgs I think. The bike is an Aeris 145LT so is long and slack so I’m probably quite light on the fork.
Even with no tokens Yari will ramp up as the MoCo is seales in a similar size chamber to the air spring.
Dropping the oil weight can help but you'll need to run more damping to compensate.
In terms of oil weight is the next drop down from 5wt to 2.5wt - and if so is that a big change? I’m running compression wide open and I don’t think I have rebound damping at either extreme of he adjusted so hopefully I’ve got some scope there after the change to get it setup correctly.
FWIW I swapped the airshaft on my Yari at the weekend and although a bit messy and fiddly it wasn't difficult. If you have a flat ground socket for the top cap them you should only need some circlip pliers in terms of special tools.
The most awkward part was pushing the seal head in so you could undo the circlip, it just takes a bit of pressure and you need to be careful not to damage the shaft or lowers. I used 5w30 motor oil in the lowers on Ben's advice but can't comment on the damper fluid - although I'm pretty sure you can mix then if you want an intermediate weight.
Oil change & grease seals at a minimum, it's pretty easy. Well worth it
BUT moco damper is the limiting factor here.
TFTuned sell the Fast damper for £130 (just external lsc, not 3way Yari up ,-is £230)
I swapped out my moco for the novyparts one , tokens back in (30 minute job, max) and it's a much much better fork.
As has been said not a difficult job, even the damper fluid change as it a case of removing the compression adjuster then unscrewing the upper part and pulling it out. Then pour the fluid out and replace with the correct amount. In that respect if the 2.5 feels wrong it wouldn’t be hard to change back.
A good set of circlip pliers helps to remove the air shaft.
That said, you might not have / be able to change: let me know if you find a debonair upgrade kit in 160 or 170mm travel as I can’t find them anywhere. Were supposed to be in this week but looks to have been pushed way back.
Home servicing the Yari is pretty easy, I wouldn't hesitate to do it. Just download the instructions from RS and crack on - the circlip bit is a faf, but otherwise it's pretty much 'take apart, grease seals, replace oil' and that's it.
The issue I had with my Yari was I could set it up either very plush at the top, but it would blow through it's travel (well, 80% of it, I never got to the bottom, but I never could on any forks I've ever owned. Or reduce the sag to get better mid-travel support and lose the plushness at the top. In the end I fitted a Luftkap and have both. No tokens, 2 clicks compression, 30% sag and they're mint. The new 2019 airspring works in a simular way, but isn't as good (according to Vosprung anyway).
I've got Yari 160mm and never get full travel unless on a sketchy landing. Like PJay, my issue with them was using the tokens and psi to try and balance ramp up and mid travel support against plushness off the top. Firstly went for the MRP ramp control which isolated ramp up without bothering the rest of the travel. Then inserted the Luftkappe - more support but also plushness off the top. In fact no need for the MRP now so i'm running 30% sag, no tokens and no or very little compression. Feels loads better, more support and plushness but also using a bit more travel on bigger hits.
And yes, the base place circlip is a real pain to get on again!
The circlip on the air shaft swap is frustrating but doable. Assuming you have a bucket the entire job can easily be done indoors in a kitchen with a work stand by a total beginner in under an hour without any pain, death, fire or being shot for floor covering destruction.
My thought is that the flat ground socket and supplies will cost you about the same as a lower leg service first time you do it. Thereafter all it will cost is seals until your oil bottle is empty, you’ll save in time, convenience and money every time.
Thanks for the feedback - gives me a bit more confidence to go for it. I thought I’d found a 2019 airshaft in stock by it might not be. Could go for a luftkappe instead I guess.
The fast damper for £130 sounds ok - how does than compare to an rct3 charger damper? I’d seen the yariup but that’s a lot of dials to fiddle with and more expensive than a charger.
Based on my previous experience with a solo air revelation it was a lot plusher after a service than it was before and it wasn’t even that old. I don’t think it had much oil in the lowers as standard.
I’ve got Yari 160mm and never get full travel unless on a sketchy landing.
Isn't that the intention? 🙂
And yes, the base place circlip is a real pain to get on again!
I was cursing trying to get the thing off in the first place but fortunately the new debonair shaft doesn't have that notch that sits between the ends of the clip, it's just flat on the bottom so is pretty easy to get back in. I got some £3 circlip pliers from Toolstation for the job, they are not the finest quality but were ok for a very occasional job.
The fast damper for £130 sounds ok – how does than compare to an rct3 charger damper?
Easily as good as my Pike with a RC charger damper, thats with my Novyparts one which is by all accounts very similar
Ive also got a luftkappe in my Yari, but replacing the damper made a far bigger difference, unless you replace the moco, getting full travel is almost impossible ime
Hmmmn. Maybe I should ignore the airspring and see if I can stretch to a fast damper (the cheaper one) instead then? Will see how much money I spend on holiday next week then make a call on it.
Other than the damper I assume I’d need:
2 types for oil
Grease
New seals
Circlip pliers
Seal seating tool
Anything else?
Oil change you just need fresh oil, & some grease for seals- slick honey or similar, if seals not weeping I wouldnt replace but definitely lube foam rings
air shaft change/luftkappe you need circlip pliers, more slick honey, shaft clamp (£1 ebay golf clamp will do)
Fast damper change, I think if you are careful you dont even need tpchange damper oil (novyparts required different weight oil)
I actually did an air shaft change without a shaft clamp. I believe it’s necessary for the Luftkappe though - but they sell it as a kit. I’ve always replaced airshsfts when fairly new and always just left the seals.
Random question, I’ve got a bottle of Float fluid that is likely to never get used now unless I strike it rich as air can kits always include pillow packs. Can I use this in Rockshox (Pike and Yari) anywhere without problems? Not completely clear what class of lubricant it is...
I just called TF tuned - they don’t seem to offer the cheaper Fast damper.
They only have the Yariup or a Charger 2 damper. They seemed to think the Yariup offered more adjustability but the charger is more consistent under heavy action. Both too expensive at the moment.
Also thought lighter oil wouldn’t make much difference to compression if the damping is run wide open.
Hmmmn. Might just do a lowers service myself for now. The airspring seems hard to get - unless I get a luftkappe. I don’t think that’s going to help with getting more travel out of my fork through.
I emailed TF a few months ago & they said they did
It can be bought from france http://www.fast-suspensionshop.com/rock-shox-low-speed-compression-device-c6x24297194
https://www.novyparts.com/optimisation-novyparts-suspensions-vtt/rock-shox-fourches/splug.html
unless I get a luftkappe. I don’t think that’s going to help with getting more travel out of my fork through.
Possibly not, although loads of people seem concerned with getting full travel from their fork, I’ve never had a fork that I could say I bottomed out on, anything from crappy OEM RSTs to £1k+ DH forks.
I don’t want the forks to bottom out - but I’d like to use a bit more of the travel in extreme situations. I’ve had a crash and an extreme compression that nearly put me over the bars and I still didn’t use it. If you let the air out of the fork it will move through that last inch of travel though. Short of running more than 30% sag I’m out of adjustments.
Fork oil - Putoline does a SAE 4W oil, I tried their 5W and thought it was a bit over damped.....
Latest airshaft change works well and has transformed my 120 - now 140mm Yaris.
See other thread: https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/airshaft-vs-airspring-yari-modding/
TF tuned are showing as having the debonair spring in now.
Not it sure how much it would help with achieving more travel though. Apologies if you have mentioned but do you have any tokens in at the moment?
if so you could remove it/them and see how you go.
Forget the last re tf tuned. Ordered on then had an email saying they are due in on the 2nd. I’m not counting my chickens.
No tokens left in the fork.
The cheaper Fast damper isn’t available at present anywhere. DT tunes confirmed this.
Im going to see how much money I spend on holiday - if a bit spare I think I’m just going to get the cheapest charger I can find to stick in - either version 1 or 2.
At the same time I’ll attempt a service myself and probably not touch the airspring.
I have a Splug for sale if you’d be interested, get in touch via PM with your email address and I’ll send over some pictures.
Hi Joe,
I’m also in Bristol so if you decide to go for a luftkappe you’re welcome to borrow my 32mm flat socket and the 10mm shaft clamps to do the job. It’s so simple and the difference was incredible on my pikes.
Cheers, Ash.
Thanks Ash, much appreciated. I’ll bear that in mind - depends on funds for whatever damper I go for as to whether I do the airspring in some way as well. This could get expensive!