[Lelandjt]

Every year or two Fox makes some changes to the tune and sometimes name of their premier fork damper. We refer to some years as needing to be run wide open or other years not having enough damping. So with the benefit of hindsight how are my forks viewed? Which are considered over or under damped? I like plush but care more about support. I use no tokens, but enough air for short sag. I run the HSC 1/3 way in on the 40, open to two clicks in on the 36 & 38, and a little more LSC on all of them. I'm happy with the rebound feel and none of the rebound clickers are near the end of their range.
2021 40 Grip2
2022 38 Grip2
2023 38 Grip2 (on wife's bike)
2023 36 Grip2
2024 38 X2 (haven't ridden yet)

 

[englertracing]

grip 2 that doesnt say vvc can make a ton of damping
these were only found in 36 and 40 up to 2020. I think they are really nice with a crossover shim in the middle of the base valve, and the middle shim pulled out of the mid valve.

Grip 2 that says vvc, which all 38 have and 36 and 40 got are the no damping ones,
close that hsc right up, and you still will have way less than a more typical damper, and by way i mean like 4x less

 

[djjohnr]

2024 Grip 2 has a firmer tune than 21-23. 2025 Grip X2 has quite a bit more damping, and it starts ramping up support at much lower shaft speeds than previous Fox dampers, including the pre-Grip 2 RC2. If you've ever ridden an HC97 the low shaft speed behavior feels similar.

 

[englertracing]

36mm Part Information | Bike Tech Help Center | FOX

tech.ridefox.com

24 looks to use the 21 valving,
and i tried to stack a ton of shims without much success firming it up.

 

[djjohnr]

36mm Part Information | Bike Tech Help Center | FOX

tech.ridefox.com

24 looks to use the 21 valving,
and i tried to stack a ton of shims without much success firming it up.

36mm Part Information | Bike Tech Help Center | FOX

tech.ridefox.com

 

[englertracing]

36mm Part Information | Bike Tech Help Center | FOX

tech.ridefox.com

2021 in thr bottom corner and still looks like the old valving

 

[djjohnr]

2021 in thr bottom corner and still looks like the old valving

Ah, yeah - I think they linked to the wrong schematic, check this one -

 

[Pneuma]

grip 2 that doesnt say vvc can make a ton of damping
these were only found in 36 and 40 up to 2020. I think they are really nice with a crossover shim in the middle of the base valve, and the middle shim pulled out of the mid valve.

Thanks for posting that info. I have read that significant compression damping force comes from the mid valve. I'm not wise in the ways of damping so please excuse my elementary question. To make this cross over stack, is all that needs to happen is to move this shim as shown below? Or, would I need to source extra shims?

 

[englertracing]

Thanks for posting that info. I have read that significant compression damping force comes from the mid valve. I'm not wise in the ways of damping so please excuse my elementary question. To make this cross over stack, is all that needs to happen is to move this shim as shown below? Or, would I need to source extra shims?View attachment 217280

Yes just like that.
And you can remove the middle shim from the mid valve.

And it works pretty good like that.

Really the best fix for a grip 2 vvc is to put this older base valve in.

The vvc already dont have the middle shim in the mv.

 

[englertracing]

Ah, yeah - I think they linked to the wrong schematic, check this one -

View attachment 217281

Ah yes i see that one under the 40
I put at least as manh face shims with the rest of the old stack to no avail....
Also they have ditched a leaf

 

[jrewing]

Englert. With the early grip 2, with the heavy damping. Does that come into range for heavier guys who ride fast demanding damping in their front? Example being the faster i ride my 40 the better it feels.
But my comparison is limited to what ive ridden.

 

[englertracing]

Englert. With the early grip 2, with the heavy damping. Does that come into range for heavier guys who ride fast demanding damping in their front? Example being the faster i ride my 40 the better it feels.
But my comparison is limited to what ive ridden.

yes its way better, but a bit harsh. With that crossover when you close up it gets about as stiff.. it can preload it nearly as much as std config. The range is much better though. The mv contributes to harshness as well

 

[Lelandjt]

Grip 2 that says vvc, which all 38 have and 36 and 40 got are the no damping ones,
close that hsc right up.

Okay, that covers most of my forks. And my new 38 (that I'll start using next Spring) with the X2 cart, what's the word on that?

 

[djjohnr]

Some more observations as I get more ride time on the '24 G2 and '25 GX2 - with the '24 G2 I'm still running max/close to max high speed compression with no change to spring rate (compared to '23 G2); with the '25 GX2 I'm 4 clicks out and down 4 psi with low speed comp in a range that's close to wide open. Trying to match the OEM DHX2 tune on my '24 Altitude is proving harder with the '25 GX2 (and I generally like the stock tune on that DHX2 for that bike).

 

[jrewing]

With the middle shim on the MV removed, do i need add another shims to keep the height?
is it just pull the middle one and bolt it up?

 

[englertracing]

With the middle shim on the MV removed, do i need add another shims to keep the height?
is it just pull the middle one and bolt it up?

No adding more float is part of it

 

[jrewing]

No adding more float is part of it

.

 

[jrewing]

No adding more float is part of it

So i did get it rebuilt, but in the doings, ive learnt that grip2 MV is 3 shims, where on the Grip1 i have is just 1 shim/check valve.
What is their reasoning for this? Cheaper?perhaps the dial comp adjuster can close up the BV totally and combined with no bleed has a firm Base setting?
I have modded my Base Valve with a bleed and taken away some preload previously( much better traction)
Anyway now i removed one of the 3 x .15 rebound shims and replaced with 2 x 6x8x.1 in there. I feel it had too much HSR as i also run only 1 token.

I think i might add 1x more .1 shim of some size in the MV to increase support. Englert do you think this is a good direction?

 

[englertracing]

So i did get it rebuilt, but in the doings, ive learnt that grip2 MV is 3 shims, where on the Grip1 i have is just 1 shim/check valve.
What is their reasoning for this? Cheaper?perhaps the dial comp adjuster can close up the BV totally and combined with no bleed has a firm Base setting?
I have modded my Base Valve with a bleed and taken away some preload previously( much better traction)
Anyway now i removed one of the 3 x .15 rebound shims and replaced with 2 x 6x8x.1 in there. I feel it had too much HSR as i also run only 1 token.

I think i might add 1x more .1 shim of some size in the MV to increase support. Englert do you think this is a good direction?

Grip 1 has a stiffer shim with more float, it you have enough float it just becomes a check valve.

With too soft a bv and too stiff mv you get cavitation, and will loose rebound damping after hard compressions

 

[jrewing]

Grip 1 has a stiffer shim with more float, it you have enough float it just becomes a check valve.

With too soft a bv and too stiff mv you get cavitation, and will loose rebound damping after hard compressions

Do you see any point in running 3x 17x0.1mm v the 1x0.15mm? Closing up some float and more reliable shim fatigue?

 

[Milleratio]

I have a 2022 Fox 40 with a Grip2 damper. Yesterday, I tried compressing the damper with my hands to see if I could feel the difference between rebound/compress fully open or fully closed. The rebound settings can be felt clearly when fully closed or open, but I don't feel much difference in compression settings.

Does this sound normal? Should I even feel anything special by moving the shock tube by hand? The fork was serviced last winter.

When doing the same with my Cane Creek Helm there's a clear difference in compression closed/open. I've read too much from the internet about shitty Grip2 so my own is starting to transform into one even if it might be totally good.

 

[englertracing]

yeah unfortunately that is normal, dev crew at fox didnt notice on their way to the bong shed.

 

[toodles]

I've got one of those Marz bomber air shocks (basically a Fox Float X I believe) and I can't tell the difference between compression full open and closed. What the hell - is that a normal Fox thing or is mine munted?

 

[Milleratio]

I can't believe it. So what's the point of reading all the fancy Fox suspension tables and carefully adjusting the compression clickers if they don't change anything? Maybe Fox magic was supposed to only happen between the ears as a higher suspension consciousness.

Anyway. As I still don't understand much about shim stacks is there a shortcut like a let's say updated piston kit that would give me more compression adjustment so I can feel better and fuck up my damper to an adjustment that I don't need? WPS? Andreani? Öhlins? Or do I have to take my life's biggest risk and send the damper to a vendor that owns the Internet's oldest web page?

Disclaimer: This topic might be covered several times around the internet but I'm too lazy atm.

 

[jrewing]

I can't believe it. So what's the point of reading all the fancy Fox suspension tables and carefully adjusting the compression clickers if they don't change anything? Maybe Fox magic was supposed to only happen between the ears as a higher suspension consciousness.

Anyway. As I still don't understand much about shim stacks is there a shortcut like a let's say updated piston kit that would give me more compression adjustment so I can feel better and fuck up my damper to an adjustment that I don't need? WPS? Andreani? Öhlins? Or do I have to take my life's biggest risk and send the damper to a vendor that owns the Internet's oldest web page?

Disclaimer: This topic might be covered several times around the internet but I'm too lazy atm.

Buy rockshox haha

 

[Milleratio]

Buy rockshox haha

What a lovely idea! With the price difference between selling Fox and buying Rockshox, I could maybe afford your mom. Maybe that's the plush feeling I'm after. Why not buy a real suspension like Öhlins?

How do I know if the compression works how it should if the adjustments don't have any function? Just trust that Fox knows what they are doing?

 

[jrewing]

What a lovely idea! With the price difference between selling Fox and buying Rockshox, I could maybe afford your mom. Maybe that's the plush feeling I'm after. Why not buy a real suspension like Öhlins?

How do I know if the compression works how it should if the adjustments don't have any function? Just trust that Fox knows what they are doing?

Got a live one here fellas

 

[englertracing]

What a lovely idea! With the price difference between selling Fox and buying Rockshox, I could maybe afford your mom. Maybe that's the plush feeling I'm after. Why not buy a real suspension like Öhlins?

How do I know if the compression works how it should if the adjustments don't have any function? Just trust that Fox knows what they are doing?

The did know at one time? Perhaps that guy retired

Not only does it not do anything (narrow range) its also very little damping.

Changing nothing but the bv from grip 2 to grip 2 vvc... stroking the vvc by hand with the adjusters in is a lot of damping.... lockout levels. The grip 2 vvc is nothing.... i took it back apart when i noticed this and checked that the lsc needle actually seals at zero clicks. So yes the valving is too soft to generate any lsc. I had limited success adding shims and stiffening the valving, thought the way to fix it is cutting a small dish cut in the piston face to preload the shims enough to seal but never did it. I found my grip 2 non vvc sufficient with the crossover setup.

The new grip x2 looks promising, but ive got little faith in them getting anything right.....

 

[djjohnr]

I still have an RC2 in one of my forks. The Grip X2 creates a lot more compression damping force, although I'm not convinced mine isn't horked as it seems to make too much (high speed comp open is still a lot).

 

[englertracing]

I still have an RC2 in one of my forks. The Grip X2 creates a lot more compression damping force, although I'm not convinced mine isn't horked as it seems to make too much (high speed comp open is still a lot).

Would be easy to pull a few of the 23 shimz
And perhaps open mv float
Lez Shimz

 

[jrewing]

Would be easy to pull a few of the 23 shimz
And perhaps open mv float
Lez Shimz

The architecture on the x2 should allow it to be tuned for anyone. is it not just an evolution on the previous damper, addressing its limitations though.

 

[Westy]

I can't believe it. So what's the point of reading all the fancy Fox suspension tables and carefully adjusting the compression clickers if they don't change anything? Maybe Fox magic was supposed to only happen between the ears as a higher suspension consciousness.

Anyway. As I still don't understand much about shim stacks is there a shortcut like a let's say updated piston kit that would give me more compression adjustment so I can feel better and fuck up my damper to an adjustment that I don't need? WPS? Andreani? Öhlins? Or do I have to take my life's biggest risk and send the damper to a vendor that owns the Internet's oldest web page?

Disclaimer: This topic might be covered several times around the internet but I'm too lazy atm.

The average schmuck will just fuck up their suspension tuning when given options, so sell them high end dampers that don't do anything and they will end up with a better product. That has been the Rock Shox long term strategy.

 

[Leafy]

The average schmuck will just fuck up their suspension tuning when given options, so sell them high end dampers that don't do anything and they will end up with a better product. That has been the Rock Shox long term strategy.

I think it’s more that RS had been so shit with charger 1 and 2 and motion control that Fox looked like gods in the suspension duopoly for forks, and for shocks they traded on the good name they made from the Van RC. Anyone, simpleton or not, who’d been riding a yari or revelation and tried out a fox rhythm fork was be blown away.

more on topic to the post. Where are you guys buying the kits to convert to non-vvc grip2 base valves? The part number is perpetually out of stock everywhere.

 

[Lelandjt]

So I believe you guys that my 2021 Fox 40 Grip 2vvc has "no compression damping".
However, riding Killington's rough trails I started out in my normal setting of LSC on the 6th click in and HSC on the 3rd (LSC has 17, HSC has 9). I backed both off 1 click and the front felt plusher. It used more travel at the end of each lap and the front felt lower & more planted. I shouldn't be able to feel that change right? I went back & forth a couple times throughout the day and could feel the difference going both ways. I'm having a hard time believing this was just in my head, that adding a click of HSC & LSC on this damper isn't noticeable.