I like the aluminum wrench as it works on two different fork sizes.
For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/254331176107?hash=item3b3751c4ab:g:9LEAAOSwv0tU55aw
Sounds like you probably want to take out a volume spacer.
sag for Fox forks
- Thread starter JPark
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For example: https://www.ebay.com/itm/254331176107?hash=item3b3751c4ab:g:9LEAAOSwv0tU55aw
Sounds like you probably want to take out a volume spacer.
Clicks are always measured from full closed . It's the only consistent way to keep track
JDurk
Well-Known Member
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JDurk
Well-Known Member
Perfect, thanks. Will give it a shot.
JDurk
Well-Known Member
No "oh shit" moments. Riding in Bald Eagle S.P., Rothrock (No Name, Beautiful, John Wert, Lonberger, Tussey Ridge) and R.B. Winter would be routinely slamming into rocks.
that pressure sounds a bit high if you have more than one volume spacer, i have 160 34 fork but also have the MRP ramp control cartridge instead of volume spacers, which allows you to change the progression with an external dial. I am around 170-175 and am around 56 psi to get full travel.
JDurk
Well-Known Member
I assume this is for the 26mm for the top cap of the air chamber. Just snug enough is my plan.
I've done this previously removing volume spacers from my Lefty 2.0, which is on the bottom of the fork leg, and a smaller hex like 22 or 24mm.
w_b
Well-Known Member
Subscribed based on similar situation but still rides like a dream.
Also, just as a data point:
I'm ~150lbs dressed and 130mm Fox 34 Rhythm w/ Grip damper. I run I believe ~62.5PSI and nearly all the way out on rebound, I find the Grip to be overdampened. I run the DSD Runt cartridge with I believe 100psi in the secondary chamber. These #s probably can't compare to what you're running as the air chambers are different and we're using different gauges.
Most rides I won't use all the travel unless I'm dropping off stuff, however I wouldn't say that's a bad thing. Once I got the fork sorted out with the mid-travel support I'm not blowing through the travel but it's there. Running the damper pretty open has it not packing up using more travel. Was a balancing act of getting the fork to be soft over chatter and not blowing through the travel.
I found it hard to go low enough in pressure to remove the chatter without the fork blowing through the travel and then getting harsh.
Next rebuild I may re-shim the damper so I'm more mid-travel with the adjuster.
Cafe Dave
Well-Known Member
I can see why Pivot would instruct 'clicks from open' because when setting sag, you want the compression to be fully open. Maybe it doesn't matter for rebound, but it can get confusing when the instructions aren't consistent. Best to memorize the chart so you can experiment on the fly.
Slightly different topic- has anyone used the air bleed valves on the fox forks?
"LOWER LEG BLEEDERS - Allows for atmospheric pressure equalization for better fork performance, allowing full travel to be achieved and increasing small bump sensitivity and responsiveness."
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JDurk
Well-Known Member
Ordered, be here next week. Looks like that dude makes some nice tools.
Makes sense to me doing it from full open rebound when setting sag. Once rebound is set per the chart, if it feels too fast while riding, I'll turn it another click.I can see why Pivot would instruct 'clicks from open' because when setting sag, you want the compression to be fully open. Maybe it doesn't matter for rebound, but it can get confusing when the instructions aren't consistent. Best to memorize the chart so you can experiment on the fly.
Slightly different topic- has anyone used the air bleed valves on the fox forks?
LOWER LEG BLEEDERS - Allows for atmospheric pressure equalization for better fork performance, allowing full travel to be achieved and increasing small bump sensitivity and responsiveness.. Don't know if I can tell the difference. I'm also overdue for manufactures suggested maintenance work which be another expense .
Thanks to all who have commented. Going to try less air pressure 1st, then volume spacer removal. The fork works great. As someone whose other bikes are a rigid SS and 2 100mm Lefty equipped XC Cannondales, I'm used to riding shorter travel forks. Just thought I would have used more travel on the #eastcoastrocks.
I'm still amazed how well my lefty felt especially for the relatively short travel it had.
Great XC fork and cheap to maintain. I would go for a newer one if Cannondale didn't ruin them.
There are so many rabbit holes you can go down with this. It does sound like you should be getting another 10mm of travel or so. Less volume reducers gets you more travel, but less small bump compliance. Adjusting the air is of course easier as a first step. That MRP ramp control cartridge sounds really cool, but it would be another $140 down the drain!
A click or two of rebound sounds like icing on the cake, but I've found it can make a substantial difference. I kept it at the recommended on my rear shock for 500 miles. Kept on saying to myself that it felt a bit fast. I finally exerted the tremendous effort of turning the knob one click and what do you know...much better.
A click or two of rebound sounds like icing on the cake, but I've found it can make a substantial difference. I kept it at the recommended on my rear shock for 500 miles. Kept on saying to myself that it felt a bit fast. I finally exerted the tremendous effort of turning the knob one click and what do you know...much better.
I never can understand why less volume reducers would remove bump compliance and it seems wrong.
I could be wrong but the at-rest/sag pressures should be the same but as you go through the travel you'll have less ramp up of air in the chamber. So the first 1/3 or so of travel would be similar regardless of the volume spacers. It's when you get into the middle 1/3 or the last 1/3 where it changes.
but you run less air pressure with more volume spacers, hence you have more small bump compliance because it requires less force to start the stroke. However you have a more progressive curve so you don’t bottom out. The typical downside is you don’t have great mid stoke support as you can blow through the mid stroke quickly, so you have to balance that.
If you are not changing the air pressure with the addition/removal of air spacers, then your assumptions are correct.
sundaydoug
Well-Known Member
I bleed air out of the lowers on my Fox 38 before every ride. I'd say half the time I don't hear any air coming out, but I'm surprised at how many times I do actually hear air coming out. More from the damper side than from the air spring side.
I agree that bleeding frequently does increase small bump sensitivity. For the first 6 months I didn't use the bleeders at all because I wasn't changing elevation or temperature frequently enough to think it would have a noticeable effect. But air certainly does make its way into the lowers, and after I started bleeding them I definitely noticed that the fork was more compliant.
My experience with fox forks…
Buy fork, buy Push industry’s dust seals and some fox fork oil and some Slick honey. Step one…. Pull the fork legs off and dump the oil. Step two…. Pull the dust seals and deposit in trash and install the push seals. Step three…. Lube with slick honey and reassemble with 20% less oil in upper and lower legs.
Start with no volume spacers and 20% sag with compression full open. Add volume spacers if you are bottoming out, stick to the sag number …. JMO…. Fox seal f-ing suck and have way to much sticksion.
Buy fork, buy Push industry’s dust seals and some fox fork oil and some Slick honey. Step one…. Pull the fork legs off and dump the oil. Step two…. Pull the dust seals and deposit in trash and install the push seals. Step three…. Lube with slick honey and reassemble with 20% less oil in upper and lower legs.
Start with no volume spacers and 20% sag with compression full open. Add volume spacers if you are bottoming out, stick to the sag number …. JMO…. Fox seal f-ing suck and have way to much sticksion.
JDurk
Well-Known Member
Update from today's Wissahickon ride. Reset the fork with a little less than 70psi per the recommendation from Pivot for a 170-180lb rider. Also did 7 clicks from full open for rebound. After a few rocky sections, did turn the rebound 1 more turn slower to 8. Worked great, o ring still shows more to go. Waiting on the tool @Santapez linked in a previous comment. Will be removing 1 volume spacer. Ride was going well until a pedal strike on a root put me over the bars and on my face and chest.
Cafe Dave
Well-Known Member
Now that you've mentioned it, I've never heard air coming out in the past, so I pressed the bleeder a little more aggressively (like hitting the elevator's close door button when you see approaching zombies) and voila.. pssssssssssss. After that, I definitely noticed an improvement in small bump compliance.
I'll have to see how often I'll need to press those buttons, but it seems enough air gets trapped in the lowers (damper side) every couple miles into a chunky ride which doesn't sound normal. I don't mind checking pre/post ride, but I'd be concerned if it would need to be checked multiple times during a relatively short ride.