[SuspectDevice]

People are scared and mystified of their new boxxers, and a bit perplexed by how they actually work. I'm going to list my setup, modifications and observations in an attempt to help people with some baseline settings of their own.


'06 Boxxer Team

160 pound semi-pro DH racer (steep trails with big rocks, and fast loamy stuff)

Bike is Sinister R9 with Cane Creek DB and 350 pound spring- Shock settings are toward the lighter side for compression damping and heavier on rebound. I run about 50% shock sag static

Fork setup

30 pound Spring (this is a "stiff" spring from Mojo it is about an inch shorter than the RS spring)

65mm of sag

Duke air top cap (for more adjustable preload, and because it takes up more space in the fork for some more progressiveness). I also added 20cc of fork oil to the spring side for some more progressiveness.

Low speed compression 3 clicks in
Hi- Speed blowoff- 6 clicks in.

Rebound- there are too many turns of the adjuster, and no clicks, but it seem as if it is about 1 rev. from the middle of the range towards slow.

I miss the progressive rebound stroke of the HC boxxers, and I am tempted to crack the rebound stack and see what I can do to slow down the top 1" of rebound

The stock springs are just TOO stiff. I'd say about 180 or below is going to need to swap down. My 30 pound spring is about equvalent to a RS x-soft

For everyones gratification, the O6 service PDF http://sram.com/_media/techdocs/95-4311-775-000 2006 Boxxer Service Guide.pdf

 

[Jeremy R]

The stock springs are just TOO stiff. I'd say about 180 or below is going to need to swap down. My 30 pound spring is about equvalent to a RS x-soft

Mine came setup for an 800 pound gorilla.
I probaly weigh at least 180 all suited up and ready to ride, and that fork is way too stiff.
After I rebuilt it, I got it feeling nice and smooth, but I am just hoping the SOFT spring I have coming is actually soft enough.

 

[dhbuilder]

jeremy.
i have a quiver of springs for my forks.
i don't know if the lengths have changed or not .
the next time you come ride, let me know and i'll bring em out.(if you haven't already tuned it to perfection by then.)

 

[A.P]

The stock spring was too hard for me at 170lbs when I set up an 06 for my buddy, so I swapped to the soft immediatley (he is about 150) and it feels much better for both of us. He runs about 2-3 clicks in, I run about 3 clicks in when I was playing with it...really great fork.

 

[Jeremy R]

jeremy.
i have a quiver of springs for my forks.
i don't know if the lengths have changed or not .
the next time you come ride, let me know and i'll bring em out.(if you haven't already tuned it to perfection by then.)

Thanks man.
But the new ones are longer, because there is only a spring in one leg now. So, it's important that I get the right one.
The same thing happened to me last year with my 888.
But after I switched out both springs it was butter.

 

[SinatorJ]

Last weekend I found out just how a size 9, 5-10 shoe tastes. I decided to give the Boxxer one more chace. I must say that this fork is nothing like the hc2 forks I hated for years. Got a world Cup, so far so good. Also have a sub 40 lb sunday.

 

[Fury]

I'm about 185#, fully suited. I thought it was too soft when I was out riding the shore but I'm not sure I ever bottomed. Probably just me getting used to the 8" as opposed to the 7" Dorado I ran last year...

With stock springs, how many compression spacers should I use? (best guess)

 

[SuspectDevice]

I'm about 185#, fully suited. I thought it was too soft when I was out riding the shore but I'm not sure I ever bottomed. Probably just me getting used to the 8" as opposed to the 7" Dorado I ran last year...

With stock springs, how many compression spacers should I use? (best guess)

They reccomend 2 spacers as the minimum. Thats what I would go with. With an 8" fork I'd like to say that people should be running at least 50mm of Sag as a minimum.

Jeremey, you could use an '05 spring if you want to, just set the stanchions at the right height for proper preload, and push down the damper side. I played with lowering the travel on mine by swapping to a 7" travel spring, and that worked peachy. Anyone who has been riding boxxers for a while has a mess of conical spacers, volume spacers and damper rods that they can mix and match and trade with their freinds.

 

[dcamp29]

ok, does anyone know how to remove the compression assembly? I unscrewed the caps, and try to pull it out, and it feels like the seals are so tight, I am worried about breaking the damper when pulling on it. Then I turn up the compression with the cap unscrewed and push on the fork, and the damper starts to come out, but I cannot use this method to completely remove the damper. Should I just carefully pull really hard?

 

[Fury]

Just wiggle it out. Mine's super tight too.

 

[SuspectDevice]

All the service info, in one handy PDF
http://sram.com/_media/techdocs/95-4311-775-000 2006 Boxxer Service Guide.pdf

 

[Jeremy R]

ok, does anyone know how to remove the compression assembly? I unscrewed the caps, and try to pull it out, and it feels like the seals are so tight, I am worried about breaking the damper when pulling on it. Then I turn up the compression with the cap unscrewed and push on the fork, and the damper starts to come out, but I cannot use this method to completely remove the damper. Should I just carefully pull really hard?

I grabbed one of those rubber doo hickies that chicks use to open up a pickle jar. Wrapped it around the top cap and twisted it out like RS says to do. Those jokers are tight though.

 

[SuspectDevice]

Would people be interested in buying Team-Worldcup Upgrade kits for ~ $160? It requires a new WC spring stanchion, the Air spring kit, and a new air top cap. That's all! Amazing how much more the WC is eh?

 

[Fury]

Would people be interested in buying Team-Worldcup Upgrade kits for ~ $160? It requires a new WC spring stanchion, the Air spring kit, and a new air top cap. That's all! Amazing how much more the WC is eh?

I am very much interested in a $160 upgrade kit. PM?

 

[SuspectDevice]

I am very much interested in a $160 upgrade kit. PM?

Email is better for me, as my PM box is usually full

mickey@Fast-times-training.com

 

[teaguers]

Would people be interested in buying Team-Worldcup Upgrade kits for ~ $160? It requires a new WC spring stanchion, the Air spring kit, and a new air top cap. That's all! Amazing how much more the WC is eh?

I'm also interested, email sent

 

[Bicyclist]

Wow, thanks for this thread.

I think I'm getting a Boxxer Team now.

 

[DHS]

how are you doing the upgrade kit for so cheap??

 

[SuspectDevice]

how are you doing the upgrade kit for so cheap??

You only need one (1) stanchion, and I just like to make people happy.

 

[skyst3alth]

how are you doing the upgrade kit for so cheap??

Cause he likes f'in us over 2 months after we spent all that $$ on WC's :mumble:

I <3 you mickey :love:

-Adam

 

[Fury]

Cause he likes f'in us over 2 months after we spent all that $$ on WC's :mumble:

suckers.

 

[ChrisKring]

I installed a yellow (medium) 2004 spring with a long 2004 spacer into a 2006 fork for a 125 girl on our team It worked pretty good and should have nearly the same spring rate as an extra soft. I have a few 2006 springs on the way to test with. However, she was having a hard time at Windrock with the stock spring.

 

[scrublover]

No help to you folks with "real" Boxxers, but the MoCo damper in my Ride version seems to be happier and work better/quieter with about 20ml more oil than the service guide roccomends.

As an aside, for anyone who has an 05 Ride, it's very easy to slip the 06 Ride MoCo cart and rebound stuff into your fork. Cost me a little over $100, and was pretty easy to do. So much better than the stock 05 Ride Hc2 internals.

 

[DHS]

so what does the black box high speed shim stack do. like how is it setup stock for my 06 WC. i would like it to handle a little smoother on high speed stuff. any ideas?
i'm 170, only running 135 psi. and have both upper knobs turned off or all the way counter clockwise. i've done some big gaps/drop with it too. and not close to botteming. still have a good inch left in travel.

 

[xy9ine]

yeah, the recommended pressure chart seems on the high side. i'm running 120-125 psi for my 160lb weight - about 20 psi less than the chart. 2 clicks compression, and i've yet to experience a hard bottom. regardless, its working fantastically - i'm amazed an air sprung fork can be so good.

 

[DHS]

yeah, the recommended pressure chart seems on the high side. i'm running 120-125 psi for my 160lb weight - about 20 psi less than the chart. 2 clicks compression, and i've yet to experience a hard bottom. regardless, its working fantastically - i'm amazed an air sprung fork can be so good.

completely agree. still get some arm sorness after fast bumpy sections. should i take even more air out? or play with this high speed shim thingies..?

 

[SuspectDevice]

Your fork is just sounds too hard. It sounds to me like you are riding the spring instead of the damping. The hi-speed compression is already very light, and adjusting the gate knob regulates the blow-off to the secondary "black box" end-stroke HSC piston. You aren't even getting to end-stroke by the sound of it

 

[DHS]

ah. then i'll take out more air then. thanks

 

[Superdeft]

I am 160 pounds with a 2006 Team, I am wondering if it would be best to get the soft or x-soft spring?

I might just get the necessary parts to make my fork a WC, can it really be done for ~$200?

 

[SuspectDevice]

I am 160 pounds with a 2006 Team, I am wondering if it would be best to get the soft or x-soft spring?

I might just get the necessary parts to make my fork a WC, can it really be done for ~$200?

It is not possible to get the parts kits to do the conversion any longer. I would guess that a soft spring would be the best for you at your weight.

 

[Patan-DH]

Hi, I wonder if a red (firm) spring from an old boxxer will work as a one softer spring rate from stock in a 2007 team..

thanks

 

[top_dog]

I weigh 150lbs and the stock spring feels to stiff in my 07 Boxxer team. Would it be wise to drop one spring rate or two?

 

[Bicyclist]

I weigh 142 + gear and the X-soft feels great. I'd even like a bit softer as I never bottom it out.

 

[ChrisKring]

I weigh 150lbs and the stock spring feels to stiff in my 07 Boxxer team. Would it be wise to drop one spring rate or two?

yes, I am 195 and use a soft. Depending on how you run the damping, either a soft or extra soft will work. I would lean toward the extra soft based on other replies from people around your weight. Post up what you decided and the results so that it can be put into the archive.

 

[ChrisKring]

Hi, I wonder if a red (firm) spring from an old boxxer will work as a one softer spring rate from stock in a 2007 team..

thanks

See my post on page 2 of this thread. I have done it before in an emergency but you need the long spacer from a 2004 or early fork.

I am not sure on if the 7" springs have enough working length to not fatigue when used on an 8" travel fork. When I did this, it was for a female rider weighing in at 125 with a stock spring. She was only getting 2-3" travel with the stock 2006 spring. She prefered the 2006 extra soft spring over the 2004 yellow hack job.

 

[Superdeft]

With regard to preload spacers, how much of an overlap between springs can one get by with by stacking up a bunch of spacers?

Will the minimum 2 spacers on the soft achieve similar sag to an x-soft with 4? 6+? (can you do 8??)

 

[ChrisKring]

extra soft: 20 lbs/in
Soft: 30 lbs/in
Stock: 40 lbs/in
firm: 50 lbs/in

So in theory with no preload, 2" of sag would be 80 lbs on the fork with a stock spring installed. I haven't done the statics, but it would be a really heavy guy to get 25% sag. Keep in mind that more than half of your weight is on the rear wheel due to the location of the bottom bracket being not centered between the front and rear wheels.