[metalMTB]

So i send in my fork for an overhaul with a 60-100 dollar eastimate and it comes to just under 400 bucks. Turns out the tiny scratches on the stanchion will ruin my fork according to the tech guy. He said it will last 6 months max with a tiny scratch. Now I know i'm going to crash and hurt my stanchions again this season and I don't feel like paying 200 bucks for some new stanchions again. Is there anything I can do to protect it besides riding like a pussy?

 

[Mountain_Dewd]

thats kinda bogus, did he swap the stanchions without asking, then just tell you to cough up.

You can fab up some stanchion gaurds but on non inverted forks they usually look stupid.

 

[thaflyinfatman]

BS. Fill the scratches up with nail polish, then sand it back gently till it's 100% flush with the stanchion. You'll need to do it first with some fine grit sandpaper (probably about 800 or so) then move up to REALLY fine grit paper (as in, 1500 or more - it'll feel like you're rubbing it with normal paper by this stage). Make sure the nail polish is completely dry by the time you sand it back though, obviously, and try not to take much of the anodising off the stanchion nearby.

 

[metalMTB]

yea i did that, but the tech guy still insists on me replacing them.

but whatever.

does anyone make stanchion gaurds for this fork (clear plastic kind)? I know go-ride had some cool ones but they stopped production and they never made them for the 40. Any way to make it myself? I really would like it to be clear. Thanks guys

 

[thaflyinfatman]

Get some polycarbonate sheet in 3mm thickness or whatever, cut out a section long/wide enough (probably want about 70mm wide strips for 40s), heat it up a bit by gently toasting it over the stove (or a hairdryer may barely do enough), then bend it around your lowers (lengthways) to give it the curve you need. Then just drill 2 or 3 pairs of holes down it and zip tie it firmly to your lowers (or even do it between the crowns if you'd rather do it that way and have them move with the stanchions rather than move with the lowers). Make sure that if you zip tie the guard to the lower, that it overlaps the bottom crown (you'll want to put some protective tape on the crown so the paint/ano doesn't get rubbed off) so it doesn't jam on it or anything, and obviously same thing if you ziptie it to the stanchion between the crowns, make sure it overlaps with the lowers so it doesn't jam.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Upgrade to an 888.

 

[metalMTB]

i don't wanna downgrade to an 888

 

[Turd Ferguson]

i don't wanna downgrade to an 888

Well, you know what they say:"Once you go black..."

 

[maxyedor]

Damn 40s I second turd up there 888 stanchions never die. I had gouges in my old 888 and it didn't even leak.

 

[metalMTB]

o no no no no....my fox 40 didn't leak at all, in fact, i don't think the scratches affected anything. I didn't even want to replace them until I told my mom. And she's like "if you're gonna be riding that expensive bike wouldn't you want it to be running perfect??" so she's paying for the stanchions. I was very surprised when she offered that, haha.

 

[Turd Ferguson]

Parents-The next best thing to sponsors.

 

[zmtber]

i ask them for stanchions for my 36 talas and they gave me a quote of 275, this seems to much.

 

[degoose]

O really you bought a 36 talas? I could have sworn that Adam had the 36 not you....

 

[SXtrailrider]

thats funney, degoose why are you always out to start trouble.

 

[Rik]

Aren't they a sealed cartridge damper? Similar to the Sherman, where having a scratch on the stanchion isn't going to affect the damping seals therefore it's almost irrelevant?
Would a scratch that's sanded down affect the bushes? I'd be thinking not, but it's worth noting.

 

[maxyedor]

Rik, what fow is truely worried about when you scratch a stanchion is the thing imploding on you, they are super thin, as far as the damping cart. I'm not sure

 

[RaID]

does anyone know the actual wall thickness of the stanchions?

Surely a small scratch that can be filled with nail polish isnt going to decrease the strength of the stanchions that significantly. The designers had to take into account that end users are going to scratch them a little bit so there must a be a bit of leeway.

 

[kail]

i don't wanna downgrade to an 888

*Ahem* Exactly how is it a downgrade to get an 888? Is it because it costs $400 less? Out of all the new forks, the 40, the Travis, and the 888RC2X, (I have'nt tried the new Boxxer) the 888 feels the best, has just as much adjustment, and are proven to be durable. How is that a downgrade?

 

[wingman24]

all I have to say is that fox products are great, but that in my and many others experiance, foxshox as a company may be the biggest pain in the a$$ to deal with in the whole bike biz. thats why I am seriously considering putting them on my "ignore list" with shimano.
switching from a 40 to a WBdh2.0 for this season and maybe a Double Barrel from a DHX5, at least the guys at those companys are cool to work with........

 

[wingman24]

*Ahem* Exactly how is it a downgrade to get an 888? Is it because it costs $400 less? Out of all the new forks, the 40, the Travis, and the 888RC2X, (I have'nt tried the new Boxxer) the 888 feels the best, has just as much adjustment, and are proven to be durable. How is that a downgrade?

because it doesn't say "FOX" on it, and because its bullit proof, if it isn't super light and have the possability of going to total $HIT in the blink of an eye, it's Crap.

 

[metalMTB]

well i'm paying for the stanchions and an overhaul thats why its so much.

 

[wingman24]

what happens next time you scratch one, another $400?
I just looked at a 888 that has about $3200 worth of scrathes on it and it's still going "STRONG"

 

[metalMTB]

I guess so man. I may start riding cross country on it just so I don't fall.

 

[wingman24]

that made soup come out of my nose, thank you very much...........I actualy took many 20mile loops on my 40, it's not as bad as you think for that kind of thing..........just don't want to haveto worry about it getting messed up, 40mm stanchions are cool, as well as the width, i just have some reservations about crash sensative durability.

 

[Transcend]

Aren't they a sealed cartridge damper? Similar to the Sherman, where having a scratch on the stanchion isn't going to affect the damping seals therefore it's almost irrelevant?
Would a scratch that's sanded down affect the bushes? I'd be thinking not, but it's worth noting.

Yes on all counts. The only thing in the damper side leg is about 40cc of the forx oil (which is about 7wt) for lube.

 

[metalMTB]

I guess fox just wanted my money

 

[wingman24]

I think they want everybodys money, that's why they made an underbuilt, crash sensitive DH fork.............and than charge $1500 for it, and huge amount of money to fix it if if looks like it has been used on a bike....

 

[Transcend]

I think they want everybodys money, that's why they made an underbuilt, crash sensitive DH fork.............and than charge $1500 for it, and huge amount of money to fix it if if looks like it has been used on a bike....

Ya, sure. I have crashed 40s probably more then most people, and have yet to see a single problem.

OMG Fox is a greedy corporation! It's a consipracy!

 

[metalMTB]

I really don't think it's crash sensivite. I'm sure if I was a fox tech I would call and ask to see if the customer would like it to be perfect again. But this guy was saying I absolutely needed new ones. I wonder what their commission is like....

 

[Transcend]

I really don't think it's crash sensivite. I'm sure if I was a fox tech I would call and ask to see if the customer would like it to be perfect again. But this guy was saying I absolutely needed new ones. I wonder what their commission is like....

They get no commission. Fox is reknowned for covering their asses. IF you fix the fork and don't fix the uppers, then a guy blows out seals or something which leads to dirt getting in and screwing up a damper....they will get blamed for not fixing it when they had the fork the first time. (Yes, this has actually happenned - I have firsthand experience with ranting customers).

 

[Radarr]

Stanchions are expensive to replace.

Moral of the story: Just leave your bike in the garage. Never ride it.

Seriously, you can probably either do the nail polish thing or use some JB weld. Either one works (although the JB will last longer). Sand it down smooth, get a beer and some blow, pick up a hooker, and call it a night.

 

[bballe336]

It's too bad that they like to cover their asses so much. The stantions would have been fine. I have more scrapes and scratches on my sherman than anyone else I have seen and it's still fine.

 

[Jm_]

It's too bad that they like to cover their asses so much. The stantions would have been fine. I have more scrapes and scratches on my sherman than anyone else I have seen and it's still fine.

Well, fox marketing works. Everybody "wanted" the 6lb 8" travel 40mm fork....

 

[bballe336]

Well, fox marketing works. Everybody "wanted" the 6lb 8" travel 40mm fork....

It's almost 7 pounds. And 40mm stantions seem overkill. The 888 and other forks like it are just as strong if not stronger.

 

[wingman24]

make sure they send you those old stantions back when they send back the fork, then you could use them for backup if you dent the new ones, and as far as accident prone, I have personaly seen 5 dented stantions and 2 broken lowers, my personal Fox fork was fine, if you don't count the wierd valving that made them compress to much in g-out turns. So I question their durability, even if others don't. as far as wieght, they are only the lightest coil sprung fork if you use the med TI spring, the lighter and heavier spring that come in the box are steel, so if your a light or heavy guy, the fork gets back into the mid 7lb range, just like most every other coil sprung fork.

 

[bballe336]

make sure they send you those old stantions back when they send back the fork, then you could use them for backup if you dent the new ones, and as far as accident prone, I have personaly seen 5 dented stantions and 2 broken lowers, my personal Fox fork was fine, if you don't count the wierd valving that made them compress to much in g-out turns. So I question their durability, even if others don't. as far as wieght, they are only the lightest coil sprung fork if you use the med TI spring, the lighter and heavier spring that come in the box are steel, so if your a light or heavy guy, the fork gets back into the mid 7lb range, just like most every other coil sprung fork.

That's a good idea. If they send back your old stantions that would be pretty good of them. But I doubt they will. They replaced them for safety and performance reasons so why would they send something back that they see as unsafe?

 

[wingman24]

hopefully because you own them, i sometimes ask for my car parts back and they give them to me, just tell them you want them for something else.......to hang on the wall or something. they are yours, you did buy them. If they give you $hit (which they probably will) tell them if they won't give them back that you want some credit applied to your account. That'll fix'em.

 

[DirtyMike]

Ok i Did not read the whole post But i will Drop My Expierence here. I Have seen some forks with some seriously Jacked Stanchions on them... i mean GOUGES. Brutall abuse...Sure it tears up the seals a little faster.... But your normally getting new ones with your rebuild/overhaul kit. My suggestion would be to get some Literature and learn how the fox's oil is changed and just do it yourself when tis needed. I know for marzocchi forks there is a CD you can order for about 20 dollars that details all there forks and how to and how much oil and such. Any chance of a Picture of your stanchions???

 

[DirtyMike]

hopefully because you own them, i sometimes ask for my car parts back and they give them to me, just tell them you want them for something else.......to hang on the wall or something. they are yours, you did buy them. If they give you $hit (which they probably will) tell them if they won't give them back that you want some credit applied to your account. That'll fix'em.

About the car parts.... Law requires that Us Tech's give you your parts back when asked. Sometimes though a part May have a core charge because its a rebuildable part so youll be asked to pay that charge to take your part...... The shop doesnt get to keep that money By the way They Pass it straight on to there supplier..... Just saying this cause it is possible that There could be a simmilar law with this typoe of service. Also Little warning.. they might send it back in a Body bag. That means totally dissasembled for those who havent heard that phrase before. Asking for something like that back Fox is Probably going to charge you to SHip them back also.

 

[wingman24]

Sand it down smooth, get a beer and some blow, pick up a hooker, and call it a night.

Wow, someone likes a party.