[Commencal-guy]

So I have the "Clicking" problem in my Boxxer wc. It seems to be a top out, when I pull the fork after its been compressed. I know for a fact that the clicking comes from the Air side, but I cant seem to find where its coming from. I know its not the C- clip facing the wrong way, or insufficient oil in the Solo Air assembly. Ive looked at all the parts and Iam not missing any spacers or Bumpers in the Air cartridge. It seems to get worse, the more I put air in the fork, and if I don't burp the lowers.


Does anyone know what the problem is, or a way I can get rid of the sound? Its been getting on my nerves since I just rebuilt the fork with new O-rings.



much help will be appreciated.

 

[Carnaza]

So I have the "Clicking" problem in my Boxxer wc. It seems to be a top out, when I pull the fork after its been compressed. I know for a fact that the clicking comes from the Air side, but I cant seem to find where its coming from. I know its not the C- clip facing the wrong way, or insufficient oil in the Solo Air assembly. Ive looked at all the parts and Iam not missing any spacers or Bumpers in the Air cartridge. It seems to get worse, the more I put air in the fork, and if I don't burp the lowers.


Does anyone know what the problem is, or a way I can get rid of the sound? Its been getting on my nerves since I just rebuilt the fork with new O-rings.



much help will be appreciated.

i think i have the same f#cking problem... and just like you i cannot find the cause of the problem neither.. so.. i just use it with the click... at least i don´t feel it when i´m riding

what year is your wc? a 06 ?

 

[Commencal-guy]

yes mines an 06

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Try this, it will fix the click.

http://www.azonicusa.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=52_28&products_id=215

 

[ridiculous]

damn fell right in to that one. ^^^

 

[TWeerts]

i have an 07 domain, and i have the exact same noise. it comes from the left leg also. i have rebuilt it 3 times. 2 times had new oil. none of the parts seem to be worn/broken.

im starting to think that since it has been ridden for a season, it may be the bushings, or possibly the seals. but i highly doubt it.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

But seriously...could it be something as simple as not having the spring preloaded enough?
I don't like noises...AT ALL, and I've heard of this before and almost shied away from a Boxxer. Have an 07 WC on the way now and like to know answers even before I have problems.
Someone else on here once posted some pics of the slightest sign of a separation in two parts of the Solo. Liek a friggin 1mm gap between the two halves and he was certain that's what it was. Basically just wear and tear...?

 

[MobileChernobyl]

^^ yea that was my buddy. I took his old solo air and popped in in my boxxer to see if an air conversion would work without a honed stanction (if it would hold air for a while, and yes it did work if anyone was wondering, very little stiction). It made the same exact sound, so from process of elimination, that has to be why it was clicking. take your solo air (air piston assembly) and take a look at it. If its the problem send me a PM and i can sell you a new one. lates

 

[JohnnyC]

But seriously...could it be something as simple as not having the spring preloaded enough?
I don't like noises...AT ALL, and I've heard of this before and almost shied away from a Boxxer. Have an 07 WC on the way now and like to know answers even before I have problems.
Someone else on here once posted some pics of the slightest sign of a separation in two parts of the Solo. Liek a friggin 1mm gap between the two halves and he was certain that's what it was. Basically just wear and tear...?

Yeah that's what I've seen before, the bottom part of the solo air is pressed in and punched to hold it in place, this can flog out a bit which makes the clicking at top out. You can try use a punch to tighten it up or just replace the solo air piston.

 

[Commencal-guy]

Yeah that's what I've seen before, the bottom part of the solo air is pressed in and punched to hold it in place, this can flog out a bit which makes the clicking at top out. You can try use a punch to tighten it up or just replace the solo air piston.

whats a punch?

 

[skyst3alth]

Yeah Hwang...I noticed mine was making the same noise the other day. Sorry I lied to you.

 

[DHJUNKIE]

mine was doing the exact same thing.. it drove me EFFING NUTS... .. i forgot which side exactly but i called up rock shock explained my issue and they sent me a new rebound cartridge i believe it was and its good to go now. Did you not change the oil on a regular basis last season? Mine was lack of maintance i think but now with new parts, i tear apart my fork ever month and half fresh oil/lube and hope it works this season with out it dieing completely..

 

[Commencal-guy]

mine was doing the exact same thing.. it drove me EFFING NUTS... .. i forgot which side exactly but i called up rock shock explained my issue and they sent me a new rebound cartridge i believe it was and its good to go now. Did you not change the oil on a regular basis last season? Mine was lack of maintance i think but now with new parts, i tear apart my fork ever month and half fresh oil/lube and hope it works this season with out it dieing completely..

So did the new rebound cartidge fix the clicking?

I thought it was the air side, becuase the air side seems to top out before the rebound side does.

 

[Carnaza]

the air side seems to top out before the rebound side does.

that´s 100% true

 

[Curious_George]

y'all be freaking me out cauz i just bought a totem solo....so whats to do???

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Don't sweat it and ride, sounds like it's just a noise, plain and simple.
I remember getting an annoying top end click with my 66. Don't remember now exactly what I did to make it stop, but I want to say I either backed off or added a little HSC...?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Don't sweat it and ride, sounds like it's just a noise, plain and simple.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Is the poopy face aimed at my comment or the noise? Cuz the "Boxxer Click" ain't my fault!

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

Is the poopy face aimed at my comment or the noise? Cuz the "Boxxer Click" ain't my fault!

The comment. If you passed off every noise in mechanical things as "just a noise," I'm pretty sure you'd be fvcked in life.

 

[Carnaza]

Yeah that's what I've seen before, the bottom part of the solo air is pressed in and punched to hold it in place, this can flog out a bit which makes the clicking at top out. You can try use a punch to tighten it up or just replace the solo air piston.

what´s a punch?.....

 

[PatBranch]

It's use to punch small nails past the surface a bit. It's commonly used with molding.

 

[KiwiHusser]

So I have the "Clicking" problem in my Boxxer wc. It seems to be a top out, when I pull the fork after its been compressed. I know for a fact that the clicking comes from the Air side, but I cant seem to find where its coming from. I know its not the C- clip facing the wrong way, or insufficient oil in the Solo Air assembly. Ive looked at all the parts and Iam not missing any spacers or Bumpers in the Air cartridge. It seems to get worse, the more I put air in the fork, and if I don't burp the lowers.


Does anyone know what the problem is, or a way I can get rid of the sound? Its been getting on my nerves since I just rebuilt the fork with new O-rings.


much help will be appreciated.

I've fixed this problem a couple of times.
There is a small wavy looking washer underneath the air piston, with wear it compresses an the piston "knocks" up an down on the shaft.
As far as i know you cannot buy a new washer and the only way to fix problem is a new air piston assembly.

 

[djamgils]

I experienced the click today with my totem solo air. It clicks when you change from compression to rebound and I suspect it is in the solo air side. I increased the air pressure today by 5 psi and now it is clicking. I even hear it while riding. Last week I also took the lowers off to clean the seals because they where leaking oil(enduro seals on its way) so maybe it has something to do with that but I doubt it.
I will take it apart this week and see if something is wrong and try to make some pictures so everyone knows we are talking about the same thing here.

 

[Commencal-guy]

I've fixed this problem a couple of times.
There is a small wavy looking washer underneath the air piston, with wear it compresses an the piston "knocks" up an down on the shaft.
As far as i know you cannot buy a new washer and the only way to fix problem is a new air piston assembly.

Do you have a picture that would give me a better picture in what you are saying?


I kinda get what you are saying but isnt the little washer on top of the air piston? in between the c-clip and the air piston.

 

[Aman112]

you could always just run a spring uh oh did i say that

 

[DirtEveryDay]

you could always just run a spring uh oh did i say that

The spring washer is in the Team as well, but I don't think that's the problem at all. Don't they just keep the stacks seated? If it IS...somehow...the issue, then it's lack of pressure against it or something that isn't present in the WC version. I just got my used 07 WC and I have no noise and I'm pretty sure there's some decent miles on mine. If I get some annoyance in mine, I'll tear it down and see what I can find as well.

 

[FOXROX]

The spring washer is in the Team as well, but I don't think that's the problem at all. Don't they just keep the stacks seated? If it IS...somehow...the issue, then it's lack of pressure against it or something that isn't present in the WC version. I just got my used 07 WC and I have no noise and I'm pretty sure there's some decent miles on mine. If I get some annoyance in mine, I'll tear it down and see what I can find as well.

i think he was suggesting this......

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Yeah, I know what he was suggesting, as have many others. But has anyone who keeps suggesting the Team ridden a WC first? I couldn't believe the amount of stiction in the Team, not to mention all the friggin noise and the obvious FEEL of springs! Yuck. Complaining about noise in WC? Don't get a Team! And yeah, you can wrap the springs up in shrinkwrap and bubbletape and all the other things you don't want in a fork, a bandaid is a bandaid. I, for one, would rather have a click than a screech.

 

[FOXROX]

i know lol i love my wc! lol well at least the one that i cant wait to get soon

 

[Steve M]

Yeah, I know what he was suggesting, as have many others. But has anyone who keeps suggesting the Team ridden a WC first? I couldn't believe the amount of stiction in the Team, not to mention all the friggin noise and the obvious FEEL of springs! Yuck. Complaining about noise in WC? Don't get a Team! And yeah, you can wrap the springs up in shrinkwrap and bubbletape and all the other things you don't want in a fork, a bandaid is a bandaid. I, for one, would rather have a click than a screech.

hahaha, if there's stiction in any coil fork, it's not because of the coil dude... there is no friction when it comes to bending metal, in fact it's pretty well impossible for the spring assembly in the Team to have more friction than the WC, simply because there are fewer tight tolerance sliding parts. If the fork was more sticky, you should be looking at the bushings, seals, or even stiction in the damper (which is the same as the WC so not likely to be an issue).

As for the "feel" of springs, well if you prefer a spring rate that's falling rate early in the travel and more progressive at the end of it with less mid-stroke control, then yeah, WCs (and any air-sprung stuff really) is a better alternative than coils. That mid-range wallow people whinge about with DHX-airs isn't anything to do with the damping, it's the spring rate. If that's what you prefer though (and some people do, I think it has its place to a degree, it's just not for me) then yeah air springs can offer something that coils can't. IMO though the only real advantage of air springs is simply the lighter weight (oh actually and fine-tuning now that I think about it, with coils you either choose one rate or another, air springs are infinitely adjustable)... performance wise they lose out in pretty well every way, marginal though it may be.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

The springs are shoved against the inside of the stanchions the second you sit on the bike. You can feel it and you can hear it. I just ran both forks in the same month, WC is the better choice for a quiet, more efficient fork. There is less stiction in my WC than there was in my recently sold, 2 year old, used every day, "buttery" 66 RC2X.

 

[Steve M]

The springs are shoved against the inside of the stanchions the second you sit on the bike. You can feel it and you can hear it. I just ran both forks in the same month, WC is the better choice for a quiet, more efficient fork. There is less stiction in my WC than there was in my recently sold, 2 year old, used every day, "buttery" 66 RC2X.

Yeah and the coefficient of friction of lubricated steel on hard anodised aluminium is about 0.00001. Yeah you can hear springs clicking and sometimes rubbing, but if you're actually feeling stiction, it's not the coil. Don't delude yourself just to try and justify the more expensive fork by assuming that whatever problems the cheaper one has must be due to the cheaper parts, because they're not.

 

[DirtEveryDay]

Bahahaha! If you can hear it rubbing, it has more than "0.00001!"
And don't delude yourself into trying to downplay the WC just because you DON'T have it!
I'm not trying to justify anything...I've got $600 into my mint 07 WC. And like I said, I had a Team and a WC at the same time, I sold the Team because it was sticky and noisy. Shove springs into a WC and guess what's gonna happen? That's right. Air doesn't make noise and air doesn't stick, and this is from a guy who had NO faith in air until about a month ago.

 

[djamgils]

I took it apart today but I didn't have the camera with me to take pictures but I have made a print screen of the service manual with some arrows.

When I took it apart I noticed that the (first picture)wavy spring and washer, that is in the bottom of the inner stanchion that holds the shaft guide in place, was stuck inside the stanchion and wasn't resting on the edge in the stanchion so I thought the problem would be that the shaft guide was moving up and down.

I didn't notice anything else with the piston(second picture) itself so I put everything back together but there still is the clicking noise. So I will see later if the wavy spring is dislocated again if not I will inspect the piston head again.

next time I will bring a camera and maybe even make a video of the clicking noise.

 

[Steve M]

Bahahaha! If you can hear it rubbing, it has more than "0.00001!"
And don't delude yourself into trying to downplay the WC just because you DON'T have it!
I'm not trying to justify anything...I've got $600 into my mint 07 WC. And like I said, I had a Team and a WC at the same time, I sold the Team because it was sticky and noisy. Shove springs into a WC and guess what's gonna happen? That's right. Air doesn't make noise and air doesn't stick, and this is from a guy who had NO faith in air until about a month ago.

Nope, being able to hear something and associating that with significant force is simply wrong. You're also missing where stiction comes from - sliding surfaces where the coefficient of friction is high, or the force holding the two surfaces together is high. A lubricated steel coil on polished, hard anodised aluminium, with a low normal force and a very low surface contact area simply cannot have much friction. However, an air piston with a tight-tolerance rubber o-ring pressed evenly against all sides of the stanchion, coupled with another tight tolerance rubber/polymer air seal in the stanchion seal head has much more potential for friction (especially if it's not kept properly lubricated , and when the seals/o-rings get old). Bending metal (what a spring is) has no friction, and neither does compressing air, as you point out. What I am trying to say that you keep missing is that a coil spring (unless it's done in some totally retarded fashion, nothing like current coil forks) does not cause stiction or significant friction. You've simply taken two forks and assumed that the difference in stiction between them was because one has an air spring and the other had a coil. It wasn't, isn't, and won't be. You can take two of the same model forks and find that same kind of variation, it's almost universally because of the friction between the stanchion and the bushings/seals in my experience. Having owned 3 or 4 Boxxers with a wide variety of assembly options (esp with different lowers, I've had 04s, 05s, and 07s) and ridden many more, I'm pretty confident in what I'm saying. Feel free to disagree, as long as you don't mind being wrong

 

[DirtEveryDay]

So, basically what you're saying is...you feel that you know a lot about absolutely nothing that has anything to do with this thread...?
Which means you just felt the need to express a useless opinion, then defend it to the bone....
Next time, try this:
I DON'T KNOW WHAT THE CLICKING SOUND IS IN YOUR BOXXER WC, I LIKE FORKS WITH SPRINGS AND AM OF NO USE TO YOU, SORRY.

 

[TWeerts]

the problem is oil levels.

i have a domain that had the same problem, rebuilt it fresh w/ new oil. the click went away.

 

[djamgils]

If the oil level would be too low there would be inconsistent damping, that isn't happening. and if the oil level would be too high I wouldn't expect it to start clicking.

when I take the top cap off at the spring side the click gets a lot louder. and I dont think it could be resonance comming from the damper side of the fork so therefore I would expect it to be coming from the solo air side.
and as others already stated that there experience was that it came from the solo air side.

 

[KiwiHusser]

Do you have a picture that would give me a better picture in what you are saying?


I kinda get what you are saying but isnt the little washer on top of the air piston? in between the c-clip and the air piston.

sorry dude no pics, yea haven't fixed one for a while so yea is either on the top or below the piston, but seriously, replace with a new air piston assembly the noise will be gone.

 

[KiwiHusser]

The spring washer is in the Team as well, but I don't think that's the problem at all. Don't they just keep the stacks seated? If it IS...somehow...the issue, then it's lack of pressure against it or something that isn't present in the WC version. I just got my used 07 WC and I have no noise and I'm pretty sure there's some decent miles on mine. If I get some annoyance in mine, I'll tear it down and see what I can find as well.

Not to be rude but bit confused on how the Boxxer Team has the same wavy spring on the air piston as its a COIL fork?