[drimena]

Hi guys, my friend recently bought a bike with a slightly older 120mm Fox fork, I'm not sure about the exact model. Anyway, the fork is very rigid,it wont retract even when I push it with all my weight. What is interesting is that when I turn the bike upside down and start pushing the fork down it just loosens up and starts working normally. As soon as I turn the bike back to its wheels the fork kind of inflates itself after a few pushes and becomes rigid again. It has a rebound knob on the bottom and compression knob and air valve at the top of the stanchions. Hope someone will have the idea of what's going on and how can I fix this.
Cheers

 

[Jm_]

Sounds like the lockout is on.

 

[drimena]

I don't see a lockout knob anywhere on the fork. I tried adjusting rebound and compression and nothing happens. I even released all of the air from it and inflated it again with the pump, still the same problem.

 

[slimshady]

Looks like the air is migrating from the positive to the negative chamber, or the fork is hydro-locking. You should change the seals in the air cartridge.

 

[Westy]

Fox forks have a coil for a negative spring. This sounds a lot more like something in the damping leg, and air moving into whatever is locking things up. Post pictures of the top and bottom of the right fork leg so we can see what adjustments this thing has.

 

[Nick]

try it now

 

[HAB]

Fox forks have a coil for a negative spring.

[pedant] Prior to 2015 models, yes. They finally went to an air negative spring. [/pedant]

This sounds a lot more like something in the damping leg, and air moving into whatever is locking things up. Post pictures of the top and bottom of the right fork leg so we can see what adjustments this thing has.

Agreed. Sounds like an open bath damper that's hydro locking. Flipping the fork drains the oil through the damper, which allows it to compress briefly, until the oil returns through the damper and it locks again.

 

[Westy]

[pedant] Prior to 2015 models, yes. They finally went to an air negative spring. [/pedant]

Good to know. I am basically a rolling fatigue testing lab. My newest fork is from 2004. However, I do have a 2015 fox on order. part of my 26" straight steerer hoard.

 

[HAB]

Good to know. I am basically a rolling fatigue testing lab. My newest fork is from 2004. However, I do have a 2015 fox on order. part of my 26" straight steerer hoard.

I'm glad to not have to worry about straight steerers, all the frames I have at this point can take tapered. I am very glad that Fox still makes a 26", 20mm bolt on axle 36 though.

 

[jonKranked]

I am very glad that Fox still makes a 26", 20mm bolt on axle 36 though.

i should get one of these before they go the way of the marketing dodo

 

[drimena]

My friend is out of town for a few days so I'll post pictures as soon as he returns but I'm sure the fork has rebound knob at the bottom right leg, compression knob at the top right and air valve at the top left.
I'm not sure but I thought that this fork uses oil only for lubrication and not for compression. If that is the case than the oil shouldn't affect how soft or rigid the fork is, or it should anyway? I'm just guessing...

 

[HAB]

No, the fork is oil damped.

 

[Hermes475]

The fork is not a Terralogic model is it? That would explain the locked out feeling but I am not sure if turning the fork upside down opens the compression circuit in a terralogic fork or not. I have never actually owned a terralogic but I think if you lift the front wheel up a few inches and slam it down the compression circuits should open for a few moments.

 

[Flo33]

The fork is not a Terralogic model is it? That would explain the locked out feeling but I am not sure if turning the fork upside down opens the compression circuit in a terralogic fork or not. I have never actually owned a terralogic but I think if you lift the front wheel up a few inches and slam it down the compression circuits should open for a few moments.

No they won't. Terralogics are really really stiff bitches. Got a bruise on my hands trying that on a friend's Terralogic. You have to ride the bike over a bump to get it to work. Also I think that the Terralogic would not behave in the way drimena is describing it. The LSC ports would close immediately after flipping the bike around again.

Btw Terralogics had the rebound adjuster on the top of the FIT cartridge afaik