[Kornphlake]

I changed the seals on my Fox Forx Vanilla RL because they just got old and started barfing oil. I drained the oil out of the cartridge side and everything seemed okay, a little dingy from gunk getting past the seals but nothing too bad, the spring side was a whole different story though. The spring side has about 30cc oil to lubricate the stanchions and keep the spring from squeeking and such. I drained it into the same pan and noticed that it was alot darker, It was like the difference between vegetable oil and motor oil, the stuff out of the spring side didn't even mix with the cleaner looking oil it floated on top of it. I though it was really wierd so I got to looking closer in the bottom of the pan and there was a whole bunch of metal shavings, the stanchions looked like they were brand new so did the rest of the internal stuff the only thing I can figure is that somewhere in the lowers a chunk of metal is getting ground away.

Is it normal to find a whole bunch of junk when you change the oil in your fork? I haven't done an oil change since I got the fork, it was sent to fox for service on the cartridge twice, I assumed that they would have changed the oil in both sides but maybe not, in which case it may be about a year old in the spring side.

Should I be concerned or just keep an eye on the cartridge side since it is the only part that is really critical?

 

[Urban_P1]

you should contact fox, and ask them what to do, if they havent encountered the problem before, they will probably want you to send it in. call them though, since no one has responded yet.

 

[Kornphlake]

I've had it with Fox, every time I call them it is a huge hassle about my fork being absolutely perfect even though it isn't. I hoped that someone had the same problem with a marzocchi, manitou, rock shox, pro-forx, hanebrink, risse, bombshell, stratos, rigid, or whatever.

 

[usfddeke]

hey, did u buy the fork new or used? first time chaing oil? ive never heard of one side being fine and the other being black. but i do know i waited WAYYY to long on my boxxer and it was a grey black kinda color. change it.... flush out everything.. replace it.... ride.. check on it every 2 weeks or so to see the color of the oil. mthats my suggestion

 

[Rustmouse]

The dirty oil is pretty common, the metal barf is oxidized aluminum suspended in the oil. Marzocchi forks commonly have that when you change the oil in them. Since aluminum oxide is an abrasive, you should change the oil semi frequently. (when the oil looks like that)

Usually, after the first couple of oil changes, the oxidation level goes down and you don't have to change the oil that often. I guess it's cause the oxidation wears off as the springs and tubes wear together, rubbing off the oxidation built up while the shocks are waiting to be assembled.

it's not all that uncommon, and since there's no huge pressure inside that side, I wouldn't worry too much, just change it.