Quantcast

Fox 38 thread parts tuning mods

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
2021 fox 38 performance
Got one need a 180mm air cart for it,
Anyone have one?

Has grip damper is it like the 36 where it can be modded for mid speed like the 36 grip or is it different in 2021...?

Anyone have real world feel and if it's actually better than a 36 for heavier riders, more aggressive or more controlled..
20210809_171715.jpg
20210809_163201.jpg
20210809_163146.jpg
 

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
If you’re willing to sell it and buy the factory version, the Grip2 VVC damper is really great. I’ve been riding a 38 with that damper, and it’s the longest I’ve spent on one fork in quite some time.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,590
1,086
La Verne
That part number I gave you.
Will give you the compression damping characteristics of the grip 2 vvc for around 100$ but without a hsr adjuster....

Then the only difference from factory is the bushings, and some molybdenum disulfide embedded anodizing.

Also In the words of Chris porter regarding the lockout "a front lockout hikes the front end up on climbs making the fork and seat angles slacker why in the world would anyone ever want that?"
 

buckoW

Turbo Monkey
Mar 1, 2007
3,799
4,767
Champery, Switzerland
That part number I gave you.
Will give you the compression damping characteristics of the grip 2 vvc for around 100$ but without a hsr adjuster....

Then the only difference from factory is the bushings, and some molybdenum disulfide embedded anodizing.

Also In the words of Chris porter regarding the lockout "a front lockout hikes the front end up on climbs making the fork and seat angles slacker why in the world would anyone ever want that?"
It might be even better without the hsr adjuster.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,742
476
That part number I gave you.
Will give you the compression damping characteristics of the grip 2 vvc for around 100$ but without a hsr adjuster....

Then the only difference from factory is the bushings, and some molybdenum disulfide embedded anodizing.

Also In the words of Chris porter regarding the lockout "a front lockout hikes the front end up on climbs making the fork and seat angles slacker why in the world would anyone ever want that?"
Why would the bushings be different?
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Also In the words of Chris porter regarding the lockout "a front lockout hikes the front end up on climbs making the fork and seat angles slacker why in the world would anyone ever want that?"
Finding things to chalk up as more positives about it...

So I looked it up and it seems like it gives you hi and low speed comp the knobs would need to be ordered...am I looking at that right?

Also aside of UK I can't seem to find it to order here in US.
 
Last edited:

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
That part number I gave you.
Will give you the compression damping characteristics of the grip 2 vvc for around 100$ but without a hsr adjuster....

Then the only difference from factory is the bushings, and some molybdenum disulfide embedded anodizing.

Also In the words of Chris porter regarding the lockout "a front lockout hikes the front end up on climbs making the fork and seat angles slacker why in the world would anyone ever want that?"
Good to know they sell the compression damper assembly separately.

@buckoW is that what you did to try it without the HSR adjust? Interesting that it’s even better without the adjustment.
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,590
1,086
La Verne
Finding things to chalk up as more positives about it...

So I looked it up and it seems like it gives you hi and low speed comp the knobs would need to be ordered...am I looking at that right?

Also aside of UK I can't seem to find it to order here in US.
Lbs can get them or you can call fox directly.
I ordered one for my old grip 2 to try vvc.

And a friend just ordered one for his 40.

And yeah you also will need the knobs.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Lbs can get them or you can call fox directly.
I ordered one for my old grip 2 to try vvc.

And a friend just ordered one for his 40.

And yeah you also will need the knobs.
This will thread into the grip damper?

I have grip damper now, the grip 2 upper assembly will thread into it the chasis of the grip lower???

I haven't taken one out neither grip 2 or grip so I don't know exactly how they are connecting or even if they are using same damper chasis.

I'll hit a buddy up he can order it up for me of it works this would be pretty bad ass..thanks
 

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,590
1,086
La Verne
This will thread into the grip damper?

I have grip damper now, the grip 2 upper assembly will thread into it the chasis of the grip lower???

I haven't taken one out neither grip 2 or grip so I don't know exactly how they are connecting or even if they are using same damper chasis.

I'll hit a buddy up he can order it up for me of it works this would be pretty bad ass..thanks
Yes
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,078
1,311
Styria
2, on the grip 1 or the 18-20 grip 2 if your running the hsc adjuster more closed you can use 1 moar face shimz and less adjuster in a bid to create more linear damping rather than degressive.
That's my damper atm, '19 Grip2. What shimz would I want to get a more linear behavior out of it? Just move one of the 045-00-148 10.0 x 6.0 x 0.1 shimz from the top to the piston side?

4 you can buy the grip 2 vvc base valve, but at the same time buy the valve assembly to get moar shimz. They are way too soft and need moar shimz right away. Good news with this route is that you get a linear piston and high speed adjuster.
I guess you tried both. Which one would you recommend, $$$ aside?
 
Last edited:

englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,590
1,086
La Verne
That's my damper atm, '19 Grip2. What shimz would I want to get a more linear behavior out of it? Just move one of the 045-00-148 10.0 x 6.0 x 0.1 shimz from the top to the piston side?



I guess you tried both. Which one would you recommend, $$$ aside?
with the 19, placing a shim below will only limit how far you can preload the shims, basically disabling the first 2 3 4 clicks from zero on the hsc adjuster, If you remove that shim from above then you will only be shifting the entire hsc adjuster range out by a number of clicks, the problem is that when you get to around 16 clicks the hole stack lifts off, so by moving that shim, your starting at say 4 and by 12 clicks your stack is able to lift off the piston.

now if you add an extra shim in the dish, and an extra shim above you can limit your range down to something useful, so you don't have a ton of preload, and you also cant let the shim stack lift, and you end up with something like 8 clicks. This wouldn't actually change the behavior of the damper, if it were set at say the old 8 clicks out, and the new 4 clicks out it would "dyno" exactly the same.

I think the improvement @Happymtb.fr saw on his damper which is documented in the 36 thread was mostly from the addition of LSC bleed when the grip 1 had none before.

I never got around to playing with the shims on the base valve of the grip 2 (non vvc) I did add more float to the mid valve by removing a shim (fox actually did this on the newer grip 2) and i didn't see a difference, I slapped my rc2 in with the intent to modify the grip 2 (non vvc) base valve but just found the RC2 worked exactly how I wanted it to.

The problem with the grip 2 non vvc is that with the full round/dished/degressive piston that any amount of shim lift exposes a large area. When you add preload it resists opening then blows off which in general means transmitted harshness and little support.

In theory, a stiffer stack in pyramid configuration with a little preload as possible would be more linear. When you assemble it, you can play with the high speed adjuster and find the click the shim stack goes from floating to touching, and take note of this point and only operate the adjuster from that point inward. Or you can shim those clicks out of existence..

I ended up buying a VVC base valve out of curiosity The VVC feels a little better stock vs stock than the non vvc, but i still don't think its as good as the RC2.
Ive been faffing with it, extra face shim.... no good on the 36 Its plenty supportive with 1 moar shimz but its a bit more than needed, maybe the 38 with its less rampy air spring and slicker feel. I did 1 Moar Shim on my friends 40 he likes it. Extra leaf spring on the vvc mechanism is next order of business. I did find it beneficial to remove a rebound shim but your mileage may vary depending on weight and air pressure. (If you can back off the HSR adjuster, and set the LSC rebound to 9 and feel it not drop into holes maybe you should think of pulling a rebound shim)

my overall recommendation is RC2....
 
Last edited: