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stuck down fox dhx? NO PROBLEM!!!

julian_dh

julian_dh

Monkey
Jan 10, 2005
813
0
i recently stuck down my dhx air shock i was pretty pissed thinking i would have to send it into fox but i found a much much easier way.

i pretty much wrapped the thing up in a towel and unscrewed the air sleeve there was a loud pop and hiss and i unwrapped the towel too see the results.

blood everywhere the air sleve had shot off and pinched my palm agains the screwdriver that stopped it from comming off completly.

once the bleeding subsided i took some heavy grease and greased all the seals and such and added about a 1.5 inch squeeze of grease and put it all around inside the air sleeve put it back together and volia works better than when i bought it. the heavy grease acted like a volume adjuster and the shock feels more like a coil than ever.

so when your fox air shock gets stuck down dont send it in its the easiest thing ive had to do with suspension ever. just make sure you wear gloves 'n eye protection.

in a month or so when i overhaul my bike for race season i will post a complete DIY rebuild for the dhx air with lots of pics.

i am completly amazed though with the improvement in performance the grease made i still cant get over it.
 
D

DS Dom

Monkey
Nov 14, 2001
213
0
Denver, Co
Yea i did the same thing at the shop once to a float. I definatly would not reccomend anyone do it, it is kind of scary, but it can definatly be done if you take the proper precautions and create a more controlled environment
 
julian_dh

julian_dh

Monkey
Jan 10, 2005
813
0
kidwoo said:
You should uh....like let the air out first.
Click to expand...
when the shock is stuck down the air is in the negative chamber and cant be released w/o removing the air sleve.

and i dont think its that dangerous i used the shock bolts on the shaft end to keep it from flyin' away my hand just got caught this would have been avoided if wearing gloves, and maby another towel.

my shock is also functioning way better with the added grease ive played around with the air pressures now and it seems to have really paved over that wallow in the travel.
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
julian_dh said:
when the shock is stuck down the air is in the negative chamber and cant be released w/o removing the air sleve.

and i dont think its that dangerous i used the shock bolts on the shaft end to keep it from flyin' away my hand just got caught this would have been avoided if wearing gloves, and maby another towel.

my shock is also functioning way better with the added grease ive played around with the air pressures now and it seems to have really paved over that wallow in the travel.
Click to expand...
From the Fox PDF:

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PULL APART, OPEN, DISASSEMBLE OR SERVICE A SHOCK THAT IS STUCK
DOWN. SERIOUS INJURY CAN RESULT. CONTACT FOX RACING SHOX OR AN AUTHORIZED FOX
RACING SHOX SERVICE CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE.

You showed Fox who is right...
 
D

dropmachine

Turbo Monkey
Sep 7, 2001
2,922
10
Your face.
Thats call the lovely US legal system. ANything that can result in more then a splinter carries a warning. Doesn't mean that its a definite.

Your bike also came with instructions that said you should be shown how to operate it by a trained professional. Did you get that?
 
B

Banshee Rider

Turbo Monkey
Jul 31, 2003
1,452
10
Same thing happened with my RP3 on my rush. I had my manager take care of it for me. We used one of those rubber-band grip wrenches you see on info-mercials to loosen the top cap. I didnt even want to be in the same building when they unscrewed it LOL! Tough break about your hand JBC. From what I gathered from fox, it's an issue with their seals, and riding fox's new air shocks in freezing temps will cause the shock to 'stick down' again. After I got mine fixed by the shop, I literally rode it from my truck bed to my front door and the shock stuck down again. When it happenes to yours again defenitly send it back!
 
SK6

SK6

Turbo Monkey
Jul 10, 2001
7,586
0
Shut up and ride...
sanjuro said:
From the Fox PDF:

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO PULL APART, OPEN, DISASSEMBLE OR SERVICE A SHOCK THAT IS STUCK
DOWN. SERIOUS INJURY CAN RESULT. CONTACT FOX RACING SHOX OR AN AUTHORIZED FOX
RACING SHOX SERVICE CENTER FOR ASSISTANCE.

You showed Fox who is right...
Click to expand...
Great thread!!!! I laughed so hard it cleared my nose during my sinus infection.!!!! :D

I think the reason I found it so funny is that I could SO relate!!!

Sorry dude you got hurt but...
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
dropmachine.com said:
Thats call the lovely US legal system. ANything that can result in more then a splinter carries a warning. Doesn't mean that its a definite.

Your bike also came with instructions that said you should be shown how to operate it by a trained professional. Did you get that?
Click to expand...
1. There could be special tools which I do not have access to but make this job a snap.
2. This kid did get injured, no matter how minor.
3. My real concern is damaging the shock. While this one time there was no problem, this seems like a potential for shock disaster.
4. Did my bike come with instructions on how to operate it by a trained professional? Funny enough, I am a trained professional.
 
Transcend

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
sanjuro said:
1. There could be special tools which I do not have access to but make this job a snap.
2. This kid did get injured, no matter how minor.
3. My real concern is damaging the shock. While this one time there was no problem, this seems like a potential for shock disaster.
4. Did my bike come with instructions on how to operate it by a trained professional? Funny enough, I am a trained professional.
Click to expand...
He did technically void his warranty as well. Whether they would be able to tell or not is another story.

When I worked as a fox tech we did these all the time. We had a cardboard box fitted over the vice with a slot in it for one of those rubber band pipe wrenches. The box would sort of muffle the sound, and would catch the air can. The wall next to the vice had more then a few dings in it (as did the box).

We had the cops called on us once. The workshop I was in was a second floor room with a balcony. The AC didn't work great so I usually left the door open. Needless to say, the neighbors thought someone was shot!
 
sanjuro

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Transcend said:
He did technically void his warranty as well. Whether they would be able to tell or not is another story.

When I worked a sa fox tech we did these all the time. We had a cardboard box fitted over the vice with a slot in it for one of those rubber band pipe wrenches. The box would sort of muffle the sound, and woudl catch the air can. The wall next to the vice had more then a few dings in it (as did the box).
Click to expand...
I was right. There is a special Fox "Cardboard Box" tool...
 
Transcend

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
sanjuro said:
I was right. There is a special Fox "Cardboard Box" tool...
Click to expand...
Nothing like tools you can buy at Cnd Tire!

The only "special" tools were some machined vice inserts to hold shafts/aircans/and the machined shock ends. We also had a fancy fox bushing tool and a homemade guage to tell me where the IFP should be in each shock.

Instead of measuring depth, I'd just look for "RC 2.75" or whatever. Made my life a ton easier, but that's about it.
 
punkassean

punkassean

Turbo Monkey
Feb 3, 2002
4,561
0
SC, CA
I just did my first "stuck down" DHX. It is a no brainer and IMO totally safe if done properly.

First let all the air out of the main chamber and clamp the front shock eye into a vice securely. Then remove the circlip that holds the outer air sleeve onto the inner air-sleeve, don't worry the outer sleeve isn't pressurized. Remove the outer air sleeve. Next slide a large screwdriver through the rear eyelet and wrap it in a few rags. SLOWLY unscrew the inner air sleeve and listen for air escaping. Wait until the air stops escaping and carefully finish unthreading the air sleeve. The air sleeve wil pop off and release a good amount of pressure but if you let it bleed off first it won't be bad at all.

The shock I did had a deformed scaper seal so I replaced it. The DHX air shares many parts with the Float so luckilly I had parts in stock.

Coat the seals and inside of the air sleeve with Float Fluid and reassemble. It helps to have the shock mounted on the bike when reattaching the air sleeve since you can use mechanical advantage to compress the shock.
 
Udi

Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
Fox has detailed instructions for air sleeve service. If it is performed regularly the shocks won't become stuck down. Also, air sleeve service can be done by the user and fox encourages it - so Transcend is completely incorrect in saying that it voids warranty. The only thing that wouldn't be warrantied is any damage you did while servicing, but that's pretty unlikely.

Check the new fox manual that comes on CD with the shock or on the website, it has videos on performing the service as well as a lot of cool information and animations of how the damper works (propedal, blowoff thresholds, etc).
 
F

FastTimes

Monkey
Jul 2, 2002
155
1
Toronto
I have fixed mine from being stuck down a few times - I even have a way of doing it trailside now. If you own an air shock sooner or later you'll have to do it and if if happens to you on a big ride you are ****ed and would have to walk out unless you can fix it.

Pce,
 
C

cpanthen

Chimp
Apr 28, 2004
5
0
FastTimes said:
I have fixed mine from being stuck down a few times - I even have a way of doing it trailside now. If you own an air shock sooner or later you'll have to do it and if if happens to you on a big ride you are ****ed and would have to walk out unless you can fix it.

Pce,
Click to expand...
lets hear the trail side fix.
 
the diner

the diner

Monkey
Jun 19, 2006
184
0
Davidson, NC
what my buddy at my lbs did when my rp23 was stuck down was cut out a piece of a water bottle and slid it the little piece of plastic past the seal to slowly bleed the air out of the negative chamber. After bleeding out most of the air it was completely safe to dissasemble.
 
T

TWeerts

Monkey
Jan 7, 2007
471
0
The Area Bay
sanjuro said:
1. There could be special tools which I do not have access to but make this job a snap.
2. This kid did get injured, no matter how minor.
3. My real concern is damaging the shock. While this one time there was no problem, this seems like a potential for shock disaster.
4. Did my bike come with instructions on how to operate it by a trained professional? Funny enough, I am a trained professional.
Click to expand...
wait, hold on,
sanjuro said:
Funny enough, I am a trained professional.
Click to expand...
WHAT!!!???
 
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