[Old_Dude]

When I got my Fuel 90, it came with Manitou SX-R forks & the boots weren't attached. I've tried to get them on - there's no room around the connector piece going from fork to fork.

What's the secret to getting the boots to go down onto the forks? Once there, I think it'd be a good idea to use a thin nylon tie-wrap to secure them.

I'm thinking of just cutting them off & using a piece of tire with nylon tie-wrap to secure them - might look hoopty, but I don't care.

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

 

[FlipSide]

Try to put the boot on in a circular motion. You put the boot on at the back of the fork and you rotate. That's what I do with my SX-R and my X-Vert...and it works fine. If this doesn't work for you...maybe you don't have the right size of boot to fit on your fork.

No need for a tie-Wrap.

 

[Shibby]

stick a small flat bladed screwdriver between the boot and brake arch once you've got the boot attached the rest of the way around. just a wee push, work it around a bit, and your boot should be secure.

circular motion thing works too.

sometimes a dab of the manufacturer recommended fork grease spread evenly all around the inside of the bottom end of the boot will help it stick better.

 

[Scotty]

My boots came on my fork but I heard that some forks can be a real pain. If you can't get them on go yo your bike shop.

 

[gtbike]

I just took mine off. We don't get lots of mud here and the seals on Manny's are real tough. I find it easier to keepthe sliders clean w/out the boot.. If it's going to be a muddy ride, I will carry a rag and wipe the legs once in a while and if it's that bad out, you probably shouldn't ride the mud. I have seen a guy who takes some innertube, cuts it to a rectangle and zips it on the back side of the tube to protect from flingies from the tire.

 

[Old_Dude]

. . . takes some innertube, cuts it . . .

I've seen somewhere, how whole sections of used tubes were cut & slid over the inner legs, attached with cable ties at the base - of course, the fork inner legs would have to be disassembled before they could be attached this way.

Mr. Zinn says the following:

. . . since te 2000 model year, this is less of a big deal (using fork boots), thanks to effective multiple sealing systems from manufacturers.

(pg. 262?)

I tried this & it worked:

. . . stick a small flat bladed screwdriver between the boot and brake arch once you've got the boot attached the rest of the way around. just a wee push, work it around a bit, and your boot should be secure.

This worked for me - I used a thin, long, flat head screwdriver & a little patience - also, I did this in direct sunlight so I could see easier. Thanks Shibby for this tip - worked for me.