[Lelandjt]

I just got a 2018 36 (160mm for 29"). My last 36 was a 2011 180. While both use the RC2 damper the tuning seems to have changed. I'm using much less LSC & HSC than on my old fork. So, I'm curious how many clicks you guys with late model 36s are running for comparison.

 

[Flo33]

2015 RC2 TALAS 11 clicks HSC from full open, 8 or 9 clicks LSC from full open
2015 RC2 in 2011 Van chassis a bit less, esp LSC, not so sure on HSC, but won't matter for your air fork

 

[FarkinRyan]

If it's a new Fox fork it's more likely that the seals are bone dry and the fork feels sticky as a result, not some massive change to the damper tune. Start by dropping your lowers and checking that, lubricate the seals with slick honey as you would any other fork if they are dry, then see if it feels like you can run the damper at closer to your normal settings. Most new Fox forks that I've seen lately ship with dry seals (on purpose, this is the new Fox spec) and the feel out of the box deteriorates rapidly as a result.

 

[Udi]

I'd definitely do what Ryan said (slick honey the seals + soak foam rings with oil + check lube oil volume), but on top of that I'd also give it some decent riding time before worrying about needing less compression - just run what feels right for now. Tolerances have improved but they still need some break-in time.

 

[jonKranked]

Udi, Ryan, do either of you have experience with this https://one-ball.com/products/bike-fork-stanchion-oil ? Saw it on PB the other day, apparently Fox uses it for their pro racers.

 

[Udi]

No experience myself, but I think anything like that will just attract and hold dust on the wiper lip, exactly where you don't want it. The slick honey internally between the dust wiper lip and sealing lip (only, none on foam ring) is all you need IMO, it keeps things sliding well and also catches dust that gets past the wiper and holds it until the next service, instead of letting it get down into the oil bath where it can cause more substantial (i.e. bushing) wear.

Pros often also get larger bushing clearances, along with things like grease in bearings replaced with oil, but obviously lots of these things come at cost of longevity in consumer use.

I do find my 40 / 36 have best sliding performance (esp. for consistency over a lift season) with the Fox 20wt Gold lube oil. Can't use it in Grip damper forks, but worth the minor premium when usage is possible, at least in my experience.

 

[jonKranked]

I already use SH for my seals, was just wondering if anyone had experience. always on the lookout for potentially "better" options.

 

[Happymtb.fr]

They don't say what the stuff is made of which on its own can be a good enough reason for avoiding it!
But I have no experience with it either...

I have tried a few things with my forks (I have no measurements to back up my claims FWIW)
1) same oil as in the lower instead of slick honey on the wiper seals gives low stick-slip resistance and low friction but the effect doesn't last very long as Udi mentioned
2) spraying silicone spray (magic shine or similar) on the stanchions is almost as good as above, doesn't last longer but the spray seems to be a solvent for the grease and oil you have in your lowers...
3) sliding a zip tie between the wipers and the stanchions, then dropping a little bit of the same oil as in your lowers before pushing a few times on the fork and finally wiping of the excess is almost as good as 1), the effect last maybe a little longer but is mainly easier to apply. So far it's my favourite.

The lubricity if the oil you use in your lower is an important parameter but it is difficult to get information about it... Fox Gold has high lubricity, RS 0-30w has quite poor lubricity, Motorex Supergliss 100k is supposed to have high lubricity and I am trying it at the moment.

The viscosity of the oil is also important. Quite high but not so high that it can go past unwanted seals seems to be target considering Fox Gold and Motorex 100k. The drawback is that this kind of oils doesn't work any longer when temperature drops: below +10°C with Fox Gold from my humble experience

 

[FarkinRyan]

Never used the OBJ stuff @jonKranked but have used the WPL ForkBoost extensively and it's definitely worth having a bottle of in your kit.

 

[Lelandjt]

I pulled the lowers and sure enough, no grease and not enough oil. After putting it back together with Fox gold and Slick Honey I took it for a ride and increased LSC a little to 8-10. I still have the HSC between 3 and 5 because despite no volume tokens and the sag I like (just under 20mm) I haven't used close to full travel. I wonder if the air spring is more progressive than my 2011 36 180.

 

[Nick]

Not sure if this is relevant but if any of you guys are using tuning charts from Fox I think they use full closed as the starting point, not full open.

For what it's worth my 40 was the only Fox Fork I ever got full travel out of.

 

[Lelandjt]

Yeah, I used that method for years cuz "that's how it's done". Then I realised how much more intuitive "more clicks = more damping" is so I now call the most counter clockwise click "1".

 

[Udi]

It's because "fully closed" is a mechanically consistent point, whereas the aperture sizes at "fully open" can vary depending on small variations in manufacturing / tolerances - so the same click count from open could easily mean different settings on two of the same product.

It only matters if you're using factory settings or comparing settings with others though, for personal use I agree and count from open on my own stuff too. Laziness and intuition ftw.

 

[Cerberus75]

Where I test my suspension out I personally dont want to start at fully open or closed. Once you get a feel for what works for you it's easier to add or reduce a little till you get the results you want.