Fox F29 fork rebuild near Schaumburg

[RJ2]

are you going to have them Push it or just a rebuild?

[Ryan the VW Tech]

Well 2 weekends from now I'm also out of town so at this point I'm gonna look into doing it myself for stock rebuild or sending it to Push and having them upgrade it.

Where would I be able to buy the parts and fluid I'd need and any idea where I can find a rebuild guide? I tried looking on Fox's site but didn't find anything other than basic setup and a chart of very generic maintenance intervals.

It's a 2009 Fox F29 RLC any input would be greatly appreciated. If I can work on VW's direct injection, turbocharged, 2.0 liter engine, with variable valve timing, and intake manifold runners that a bike fork should be simple enough if I have some directions.

[I pick bad lines]

Talk to Ashton at Pedal & Spoke. He'll know what to use & can order it for you. You won't be able to talk to him until Thursday. The hop is closed Wednesdays

[euroford]

It's a 2009 Fox F29 RLC any input would be greatly appreciated. If I can work on VW's direct injection, turbocharged, 2.0 liter engine, with variable valve timing, and intake manifold runners that a bike fork should be simple enough if I have some directions.

your overqualified.

manuals are here:

http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/index.htm

for a basic service, drill down through service/forks/f-series/f29

for damper service, drill down through service/forks/Cartridge Service: 32 mm RL and RLC

step by step easy instructions.

you will need 10wt oil and float fluid.  you may or may not need to replace the stantion seals, if they leek some that is fine (keeps things slippery), but go ahead and replace them if you want to. 

don't worry about fox's green or red oil, 10wt is 10wt.  its cheaper at a motorcycle shop, or you can order the fox stuff.

oil:

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=1821&category=705

float fluid:

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=1820&category=705

seals:

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=44578&category=705



DO NOT.  repeat:  DO NOT!!  be tempted to get the enduro seals. 

[Ryan the VW Tech]

Thank you.

I've been Googling for a while now, here's what I've come up with.

Parts-
FOX Float Fluid Pillow Pack 5cc - 025-03-002-A
FOX Racing Shox Suspension Fluid (10 wt.) - 025-02-003
FOX Forks Dust Wiper Kit, 32 - 803-00-079

Directions-
http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/Forks/F-Series/F29erRLC_RL.htm

Oil Volumes (#15)
http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/oil_volumes.htm

Is that all I need to do fix the loosing oil out of the top of the lower problem? Do I need to do the dampener service? I'm completely happy with how it performs, I just want to stop it from losing oil.

[euroford]

i do a complete overhaul (including damper service) on my crap at least once per year*, it always feels a lot better when i do.  i do the basic service a couple of times a year, maybe every dozen hard rides or so.  when you get the procedure down, you'll find that the basic service is super quick and easy, i can do it in about 15 minutes without taking the fork off the bike.  damper service is maybe about a one beer job.

there is no 'fixing' oil coming out of the top.  those seals are designed to keep dirt out, they are not designed to keep oil in.  more oil will come out of worn out seals, so new seals will reduce the amount, but the oil coming out is bath lubrication oil and it is helping keep everything slippery.  clean it off after every ride, and do a basic service to replenish it.

it looks like you have all of the correct documents and parts, though i would go ahead and get the larger float fluid supply so that you don't have to order anything before you do your next service.

*i base those recommendations on when i was ripping my 29er our at SWK and palos every weekend, if you don't ride that much you could probably reduce that interval a bit, but honestly fox's stuff is made to be serviced on a regular basis.  its "Fox Racing Shox", not "Fox Low Maintenance Shox".  now that i live in colorado, i hardly ride my 29er, but i rip my bottlerocket 40+ days a year at winter park, and honestly i do a full service on my van 36 rc2 about every 10 days and it makes a big difference.  both in terms of performance and longevity. 

[Ryan the VW Tech]

My only concern at this point of about the dampener maintenance is not having the tools they do for the vise shown here...

http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/QuickTech/07_32mm_RL_RLC_Cartridge_Service.htm

What do you use?

[euroford]

if its sticky i wrap a rag around it and stick it in a regular vice, or a pipe wrench, or a pair of channel locks.  more often than not i just grab it with my hand.  its not like its super torqued down, nor really all that delicate.  

you could also drill a hole in a block of wood, then cut it in half to make yourself some simple soft jaws.

i think everybody just way overthinks this stuff.  

simple instructions:

go figure out a way to take it all apart, a little redneck ingenuity may help since you don't have all of fox's fancy tools, dump out the old oil, clean everything with a rag, dump in new oil, put it all back together.

then you'll be all like 'whoa that was easier than changing blinker fluid'.


(also, on the damper service, there is not any real reason to take the WHOLE thing apart as shown in the instructions, just take it apart enough to change the fluid, really what your doing here is replacing the fluid that seeps out through the seals and dumping out any gunk that may have accumulated)

[Ryan the VW Tech]

What other seals/kit do I need to use for the dampener service?

[euroford]

What other seals/kit do I need to use for the dampener service?

nothing, your only replacing the oil.

[Ryan the VW Tech]

So in the dampener service I posted the link to (http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/Content/Service/QuickTech/07_32mm_RL_RLC_Cartridge_Service.htm) am I just doing steps 1-8 then reassemble? No separate filling of the cartridge, the fluid from the fork leg will go into it?

Sorry for all the questions but I appreciate the help.

[Ryan the VW Tech]

I did the service today.... EASY!

Next time I'm not gonna bother taking the fork off the bike. I'm really glad I didn't spend the money to get this done.

[RJ2]

   sweet! there is something very gratifying about fixing/working on your own gear.

[Ryan the VW Tech]

I usually do work on my own stuff, this was more a matter of finding directions. It's better then it was new. Now that I see how it all works I loosened lockout lever a bit. Since I got it if you turned the lockout lever it was tight enough where it usually dragged the compression adjustment with it and you'd have to turn it back on your own. Little less tension on those 3 allens and it's good to go now

[Ryan the VW Tech]

I got a ride in at Kettle today, that was my first time ridding it since the fork rebuild. I'm happy to say it worked flawlessly and after 30 miles there was no oil all over everything