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Fox X2 air stuck down

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
Hoping you guys can get my sorted out.

Have a 2019 Fox X2 that is stuck down. Bike has been hanging on the wall and I noticed the rear tire wasn't sitting on on the shelf and the shock has sucked down about an inch of the shock shaft.

Hoping the shock isn't toast. It only has ~400 miles since new and was already rebuilt once by Fox in that time.

My Googlefu didn't come up with much that was useful.
Is there an easy way for me to fix this?
 
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Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,944
21,974
Sleazattle
Assuming you don't have a major leak somewhere I am pretty sure you can just air it back up until it can move across the pos/neg transfer port.
 
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englertracing

you owe me a sandwich
Mar 5, 2012
1,658
1,145
La Verne
Your positive chamber leaked, while your negative didn't.
Probably schrader or air can.
Could/should be an easy fix
 

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
Assuming you don't have a major leak somewhere I am pretty sure you can just air it back up until it can move across the pos/neg transfer port.
Aired it up to 300psi. I can't get the shock to extend enough to get the pressures to equalize. Any suggestions on how to get the shock to extend more? Should I hook it up to a come along?

Your positive chamber leaked, while your negative didn't.
Probably schrader or air can.
Could/should be an easy fix
Yes but how do I fix it? Still need to get the shock depressurized. Do I use Kidwoo's suggestion or is there a more cost effective option?

Don't have a shotgun. If I choose this fix it method can I use my AR instead?
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,314
14,123
Cackalacka du Nord
Aired it up to 300psi. I can't get the shock to extend enough to get the pressures to equalize. Any suggestions on how to get the shock to extend more? Should I hook it up to a come along?

Yes but how do I fix it? Still need to get the shock depressurized. Do I use Kidwoo's suggestion or is there a more cost effective option?

Don't have a shotgun. If I choose this fix it method can I use my AR instead?
take it over to @vinnycactus and let him crosspump the shit outta it.
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,634
1,084
coloRADo
I've had that happen to my RockShox. A few years ago. Can't remember the exact model, but it was like "deluxe". Tried everything I knew including taking the canister off, cleaning everything, all that jive turkey. Many pumping and cycling. It just never equalized. This was on my first gen Ridegg Mega, which tells you how long ago that was. It wasn't GG's fault, but they sent to RS and RS replaced it. Something like the port was clogged? Knot sure how that happens. I'm sure it's a thing.

I'd go with AR tho. More precision? Buck shot ain't exactly precise. Or is it? :D
 

Westy

the teste
Nov 22, 2002
55,944
21,974
Sleazattle
I've had that happen to my RockShox. A few years ago. Can't remember the exact model, but it was like "deluxe". Tried everything I knew including taking the canister off, cleaning everything, all that jive turkey. Many pumping and cycling. It just never equalized. This was on my first gen Ridegg Mega, which tells you how long ago that was. It wasn't GG's fault, but they sent to RS and RS replaced it. Something like the port was clogged? Knot sure how that happens. I'm sure it's a thing.

I'd go with AR tho. More precision? Buck shot ain't exactly precise. Or is it? :D

I hate it when I cycling my shaft in a can and my port gets clogged
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,634
1,084
coloRADo
I hate it when I cycling my shaft in a can and my port gets clogged
LMAO

Yeah, the wife doesn't like that either, because then she thinks it's her fault. And I'm like "No, Honey, this is normal all the mountain bikers have this problem!"

:D
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
20,065
10,630
AK
Fuck me, I've got it.

Buy one of the old pull shock Yeti bikes, install it, huck it, problem solved.
 

Lelandjt

adorbs
Apr 4, 2008
2,636
997
Breckenridge, CO/Lahaina,HI
With the shock on the bike and schrader valve core removed, you can't use the frame to extend it to the sag point? If so, you need to open the air can and be ready for the explosion with rags around it to absorb the can firing along the shaft.
 
Feb 21, 2020
939
1,298
SoCo Western Slope
X2's are notorious for being hard to equalize. I think the ports are much shallower than on other shocks/air cans.
Best bet it to try and pull it on a hand dyno if you have access to one.

If not...the outer "shell" that your remove first will release the negative pressure. Might be hard to get it off if under lots of pressure, and sketchy as you can't do the usual rag in the eyelet trick. Might have to drill a little hole in it to release pressure and then get a new one from Fox? Sux as you need a few special tools to get those apart and access the air seals.

Send it to @bullcrew and he'll just beat it back in shape? :D

Edit: That's not right, I was thinking Fox EVOL/older RS Debonair style. The outer air can sleeve is all positive chamber. It will be a pain to open it up if you can't get the neg chamber air out.
 
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Andeh

Customer Title
Mar 3, 2020
1,182
1,147
The trend of really low slung shocks in general is a pain in that regard. I get why it's nice from engineering for low center of gravity, but with my Vivid or a DHX2 on my Nomad 6, the rebound knob is a total pain to adjust under the mini fender. With the Vivid, you even have to pop off the removable LSR knob because it rubs on the fender. The HBO and HSC adjusters require taking your water bottle out of the cage and either using that removable knob or an L-wrench because of tight access - straight allens like those on a multi-tool don't fit.
 

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
takes longer but sure



let all the pressure out, cycle it through the travel. Then pump it back up and cycle it through the travel again as best you can, Ideally through full travel again. Everything said above about equalizing the two chambers is accurate.
Finally had some time to mess with it.

Pumped it up to 300 psi, hung it from the ceiling and used my 180 lbs to get it extend as much as possible.

Let the air out completely very very slowly so it didn't suck back down. Then hung from it again to get it fully extend.

So now the question is:
How and what seals need be replaced so it does not happen again?

Or do I just leave it alone for now and ride it?
 

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
wrong direction ;)

You need to pass the air piston over the equalization cavity..usually just past or around sag. Compression, not extension


put the bike on the wheels, then go jump on it from the roof
It that assuming I have full stroke available and can compress to the equalization point?

That shit was so stuck down I couldn't extend it enough to get to the equalization cavity.

So wouldn't compression just have made it worse? When I originally tried letting all the air out of it rapidly it sucked down all the way, zero stroke available at all.

What am I missing from your description?
 
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Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
And now that it is showing full stroke and I have the shock chambers equalized do I just send it as is or replace the seals on the POS first?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
It that assuming I have full stroke available and can compress to the equalization point?

That shit was so stuck down I couldn't extend it enough to get to the equalization cavity.

So wouldn't compression just have made it worse? When I originally tried letting all the air out of it rapidly it sucked down all the way, zero stroke available at all.

What am I missing from your description?

Sorry, I thought you'd already gotten it loose


yeah hang and swing like a baboon
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Now that it is properly equalized and up to correct pressure, thoughts on riding it as is?
NOW depressure it and cycle it, then pressurize to whatever you ride with


You're basically trying to restore function to the thing. If it sticks again, you know you have a seal problem. I've done that to air shocks once and it never happened again. Others it was continuous until I replaced some o-rings. Gotta just ride it and see if it was a one-off event, or caused by worn rubber bits.
 

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,788
121
Waxhaw, NC
NOW depressure it and cycle it, then pressurize to whatever you ride with
Already done


You're basically trying to restore function to the thing. If it sticks again, you know you have a seal problem. I've done that to air shocks once and it never happened again. Others it was continuous until I replaced some o-rings. Gotta just ride it and see if it was a one-off event, or caused by worn rubber bits.
Thanks!
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,824
5,201
Australia
Yeah new air can seals normally fixes the issue but you might get lucky and have it work for awhile now.