Fox 34 fork service rebuild. Lower service and fork seal replacement. Trail Breaker
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- čas přidán 25. 09. 2019
- I have a 2 year old FOX Performance 34 fork that is way overdue for a service. I was going to take it in to my local bike shop but decided I needed to know what's going on inside my fork so I can keep it running smooth myself. This is a pretty straight forward project. The 2 most important things are cleanliness and having a few critical tools. Here's a list of the tools, parts and fluids needed to do this:
Some of these are Amazom Affiliate links. Clicking on them costs you nothing but a portion goes to help support my channel. Thanks!
FOX Racing Shox dust wiper kit flangeless 34mm: amzn.to/3oKaENJ
FOX 20 weight Gold Bath Oil: amzn.to/2m6LgEe
FOX 5 weight PTFE Damper Fluid: amzn.to/2myGIXB
Fork Seal Installation Tool: amzn.to/2l1hYqu
Slickoleum Friction Reducing Grease: amzn.to/2l2xWAv
DeWalt 26mm Socket: amzn.to/2kx1Yw6
100mm Large syringe pump: amzn.to/2kQHT4e
Isopropyl Alcohol
Lots of clean shop towels
2, 4,5 & 6mm hex wrenches
10 and 15 mm sockets
small pick and screw driver
drain pan
FOX Float NA air volume spacers (optional): amzn.to/2l3xLVN
Instagram: / trailbreaker01
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Best fox 34 service vid that’s out there. Next time I need to rebuild I’m gonna use this vid
Evan Doyle Evan, that’s awesome! So glad you liked it. Thanks for watching 👊👍
i am SUPER PUMPED about this video - saving me hundreds of dollars - THANK YOU!
0:59 air down the air chamber
1:31 remove rebound knob with 2mm hex key
1:54 loosen nuts at bottom of damper rods to create a few mm gap
2:45 hammer blow on the nuts to knock the damper rods loose from the fork legs
4:00 tip down to drain oil from both legs, then pull the legs off
4:17 (optional to clean air chamber, unscrew air top cap)
5:58 remove circlip from bottom of air fork leg, then ring
6:58 pull air chamber out of air fork leg, wipe off grease
11:25 pre-soak new seals in 20wt oil
12:22 remove old dust wipers and seals, clean insides of fork lowers
16:40 oil new seals before driving them in
17:45 drive in new seals & dust wipers
21:25 grease the air chamber before re-inserting
23:15 re-insert the air chamber with the piston all the way up, then ring and circlip
26:05 slide the lowers on
27:08 with the fork inverted inject correct type and amount of oil in the bottom of each leg
28:36 put crush washer ride-side up on each damper rod and the nuts
30:11 with fork ride-side up inject 3cc 20 wt oil in top of air chamber, screw in air cap (with any volume spacers)
31:28 re-inflate air chamber, adjust compression and rebound knobs
look at this hero! Thank you!
DO NOT use anything metal to pry those dust seals out. I have broken the lowers doing that. It worked a bunch of times before, then one time it didn't. Now I just use my plastic tire lever to pry them out.
What do you recommend ?? Is a tire lever the best option ?? I am buying everything I need to service my fork
@@sotosbrother9389 yeah I still just use my tire levers to do this.
Just use a 17mm open end ring spanner dude!
Mine were so seized that I resorted to a big open-ended wrench. I was scared of scratching it, but after tearing away the rubber part of the seal, I could see that there was a small lip that I could get the wrench under, while still keeping the edge of the wrench on part of the seal, which protected the magnesium lower from being scratched by the wrench. I’ve only done it once, but tearing away the rubber part of the seal was very helpful to see what was going on.
@@Jsemmler7 Yep, I had to use a metal Pedro tire lever to get mine out. Nothing else would work. It didn't damage anything. I know some pro mechanics use them to service their seals.
Awesome tutorial, thank you! Glad I checked the bath oil volume chart since mine uses different fluid. Also if anyone has a 3D printer, you can 3D print the seal driver! On Printables there's one called "Fox Seal Driver 34mm" that I'll be trying out soon, looks promising!
You have inspired me to do the service by myself. Thanx, now it doesn't look like super hard science fiction to me as before :) Cheers!
That's great! Yep, this is a project pretty much anyone can do. Thanks!👊
servicing mine this week! very nice detailed explanation here, thanks!!
nice job! You've convinced me to give it a try on my 34
this is very helpful.. just got a brand new 34 stepcast.. won't need to do this service till later but it's good to view it first I recon... thanks a lot for the great work!
Zhang Zhang Thanks!
Excellent video. Skimmed through a few times first, but then the fork service itself was straightforward! Thanks!
Thanks! I know it’s kinda long but easy in the end😁
Super awesome video! Got me through step by step, super easily.
Nice job. Well spoken and thorough. Thanks, I will use as a guide to service my forks.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for this, totally feel confident to service my own fork now.
You can do it!
Nice job mate. Very clear and concise. Thanks for going to the trouble of doing this video. Going to check out some of your others. Cheers.
Much appreciated! Let me know what you want to see
Great video! Thanks for posting as I’ve been wanting to learn this for a long time!
Thanks! Good luck. It's not bad at all👊
Merci from a French mechanical.
It is very explicit !
The way you explain all the procedure is crystal clear
Merci beaucoup mate ^^
Great video, thank you! I may try this myself following your video next time my fork needs servicing instead of spending hundreds of $ at the local service station.
You can do it!👊
Just finished servicing the Fox 34 with "your help". Good video!
Glad it helped!
Crazy how much better suspension feels when you service it.
Thanks for the info. Just what I needed.
FYI: To make sure the the lower legs are completly clean. You could always use hot water ... Just spray hot water into the legs.
Make sure the are completly dry before installing everything back.
Great video. Just did my Rhythm 34 with it, also going from 130-140mm of travel. Picked up most the stuff off the affiliate links that I didn't already have. Thanks a bunch.
That is awesome! Thanks for using the links. I'm gonna up my travel to 150 next week! Can't wait!
Servicing my fox 34 as we speak. Excellent video! You just saved me a good chunk of $ to spend on more fun things.
Thanks, William! Quality time with your machine is priceless! Now go hit Amazon guilt-free😁🤙
Thanks, for making this video! I appreciate your attention to detail. After a couple years of paying for a shop to service my forks, and forking out lots of cash, i think its time to give this a try. Cheers.
You're welcome, Jeffrey! I went into it with a little nervousness but it's actually pretty straight forward👊
Ha. Forking.
I just started to do my own earlier this year. Super simple, my bike shop sends the forks in to the manufacturers to service. Idkw they don't just service them. Also I can do it in an hour and be riding same day, otherwise it's about 2 weeks till I get em back
@@Manwichman Fox took on Apple’s strategy for servicing their hardware. It’s frustrating, for sure. Servicing their Forks is hardly any different that other brands’ forks
This is great! Thanks, I feel like I can do this now.
Awesome! Yep, you absolutely CAN do this. Now that I know how easy it is to remove the lowers, I will freshen up the fluid and dust wipers more often keeping it running like butter :-)
Great video! Thanks for taking the time to do it!
Glad it was helpful!
OKAY !! Fox 34 service down ! Thank a lot for your nice vid my fork is now smooth :)
That wasn't so bad, was it? lol Thanks, Brother!
@@TrailBreaker so simple ! just spend some times to find the right amount of oil.
Brilliant, clean, very clear.many thanks. (And what a garage ❤️)
Glad you liked it!
oh man, you helped me a lot!!
tks for everything from here, Brazil!!
Glad to hear that!
Perfect, just what I needed for the upcoming rebuild 👍! Thank you so much, subscribed 💚
Great video. You work like a pro. Thank you
Timothy Parker Thanks! I really appreciate it 👊🏻
Thanks for the video, it will be very helpful here in the next week or so when I take on the same task.
Glad it was helpful!👊
Very thorough. Thank you! When tapping the shafts on the bottom of the lowers, at least make sure the nut is still threaded on most of the way. I tried to do it as shown in the video and I ended up damaging the threads on the damper side a little bit. I tried to get away with not opening the specialty tool, but I wish I had just opened it and used it from the beginning.
Overall, very helpful!
My bike has been hammered on for the last year and a half, mostly tech stuff. It started leaking oil from the air side. I found this vid and ordered parts direct from your links (hope you get affiliate money). My fork is a slight bit different (two 10mm nuts, and the snap ring is not the same style), but everything fit perfect. I just rode it around my back yard and I amazed at the difference. It is so smooth. I have a hard time believing mine was ever that good. Thank you so much for the video.
Exactly what i need !! thanks a lot.
Super, thanks for putting this up! I had to spend some time getting the foam ring after putting in the seal because the gap is small. On the second leg, I put in the foam ring, then pressed in the seal, done. No 10 minute brain surgery on the foam ring like on the first side.
Good solution 👊
@@TrailBreaker 👊🏻 I also had enough grease for a dozen forks in the air shaft. I am looking forward to riding tomorrow and seeing how it works now, cleaned and with SKF seals.
Amazing video. Well done. Very informative and no jargon.
Thanks! Probably because I don't know the jargon 😀. Glad it helped!
@@TrailBreaker you just have to say “send it” anytime you refer to motion, intention, etc...boom, you’re an MTB expert. Also appreciative for the lack of buzzwords and thorough technical workthrough. 👍🏽
Did the service following your video - great as usual! :) Feels smoother than the new one, and I've also removed a big blob of grease from the air shaft.
That sounds, Mikael! I’m glad it was helpful. I think a lot of forks are over-greased from the factory so we never know how it’s supposed to feel until after a service 😁
@@TrailBreaker guess it is safer than having too little grease, may be faster to assemble (just dip the shaft into the grease bucket, it will spread out inside the fork eventually).
And provides a reward for tinkerers who actually did the service 😊
@@mikaelyalov571 yeah, we're all pro like now 😆
It is nice to get on something u just rebuilt and it doesn't blow up lol at least for me
Great video, thanks for posting it!
Thanks! Glad it helped 👊🏻👍🏻
Fantastic video mate, very well explained. 👌😁
Thank you! 👍 I appreciate that!
Great video. You gave me the confidence to service my forks (fox 36) that have not felt right since brand new. I found a huge glob of grease just like you did.
My forks feel amazing now , the small bump compliance is now what it should be. Before compliance was not happening , so I tried dropping the PSI much lower to compensate.
I am back to factory recommend PSI and it feels completely different and they are so supple.
I do think those holes get filled up with grease and stop your fork performing properly, like you said.
sagerhead Thanks! I think it’s pretty common from the factory. Glad they’re working better now. Plus, you did it😁👊🏻
Awesome video, very helpful. One thing I might add is Fox and Giant Bicycles says don't ever use alcohol for cleaning as it will erode the seals.
Thank you for posting all the parts in the description. I just ordered the parts, but just missing the 26mm socket tool. I will probably order directly from Park tools.
You’re welcome. I just bought the socket from Home Depot and ground it flat with a belt sander.
I was good at disassembling. Assembling was the opposite, spent 3x the time lol. All went well. Thanks!
Brilliant video and very detailed. my bike currently in the shop having this done but think ill be doing it my self next time. Looks pretty straight forward to do
Great video concise every step of the way
Glad it was helpful! Thanks👊
Nice service mate
Thanks, Andrew!
Increíblemente detallado, muchas gracias!
Great video thanks. I just recently bought a Whyte T130 which has the same forks. And it seems as if its not travelling over smaller features but bumping over them and giving the feel of a very rough ride, despite sag and rebound set. Not 100% sure of the service history, but after taking off the cap on the air side, I could see a HUGE dollop of grease sitting on top of the internals. I think the previous owner didnt use the bike much after buying "other" bikes so it just sat for over a year. I assume without taking it apart and seeing the grease that too much grease was added at assembly and blocking the air holes in the damper. BTW a spanner specifically for taking the caps off can be bought from Epic Bleeds. Again fantastic easy to follow video
Great video 👍
Thanks, Marc! I hope it helped
your video is very good, I just need to see the other side service.
Thank for sharing
The damper is a delicate and complicated item. Either it works or not and most modern dampers are sealed. Change the fluid and keep it clean. Otherwise buy a new one (probably cheaper than servicing)
Serviced my fork today, although it is the 32 version it is the same stuff. The whole procedure is easier than it looks. I don't know if it a mistake, but you did it too - I soaked the foams both in the 20 wt gold oil, while it is said that every foam should be soaked with the oil in each leg. Mine uses the 5wt oil in the damper side, but I don't think this should be a problem, because after the service my fork feels just like new, definitely I can feel it working better than before the service. And I only did the oil change, I will service the air chamber next time I open it.
Thanx once again and cheers!
Yeah, I thought about that at the time but since the oil in the lower legs doesn't mix with the oil on the seals I don't think it really matters. The oil is just there to wipe the stanchions clean and keep the seals from drying out, I think. Thanks!👊
Yeah, the same I thought about today :) Anyway, my fork now feels better than new, haha :) Buttery smooooooth :D
I'm going to be doing the exact service as well to the same fork. I would recommend using something softer to remove the seals and when tightening the bottom nuts there are torque settings so snug lightly then use a torque wrench. Still quite a good video thanks for posting.
Thanks for the info!
Super Video, thank you very much
Thank you so much for this video.
You are so welcome!
I'm going to have to attempt this over the winter. I gouged a stanchion on a ride so i will have to eventually replace the stanchion and since I have it all apart I may as well change the seals . My LBS wanted $200 plus parts..
You got this!
Great video, so few show the air spring removal. Note that the 34 performance elite FIT does not have that flat ring inside the lock ring at the bottom of the leg
Awesome vid. Thank you.
You’re welcome, Alex! Thanks for watching 😊
Great video!! Thanks
Thanks! Hope it helps
Amazing vid
Thanks, Jonas!
Great vid. Thanks!
Glad you liked it!
You must live in the south....livin bare foot and all. Thanks for the video.
Lol, yeah shoes are optional 😁
Nice video 👍🏻
Thanks! Hope it helped👊
@@TrailBreaker Can you do one on fox rear damper as well ?
Thank you very much ❤
Buen video , muy bien explicado. Gracias
De nada!
My concern was releasing the damper and air shaft. There is a tool they sell for that part... it costs $50. I just couldn't pull the trigger on that one tool. This looks like a good way to get that procedure done. Thanks.
You’re welcome! I’ve taken down this fork 3 times with zero issues
Definitely the most informative video I've seen, thanks! When installing the new foam rings, did you soak one in 5wt fluid for the damper side and the other in 20wt fluid for the air side?
Jack Lindley no. Damper fluid should not really contact the upper damper chamber. Any slight transfer should not be a big deal.
Thanks mate!
You're welcome!
Very clear, precise video of changing out seals in the Fox mtb fork! Inspired to do my own service on my forks when needed!!
Sweet! Do it!
Thank you 🙏
That was an awesome video - thanks so much for all the incredible detail. One question- when using the syringe to measure the cc’s for the Fox oil.. when using the syringe to draw the oil from the container, how do you account for the oil that is in the supply line attached to the syringe?
Thanks! I’m glad you found it helpful. Once you pull the plunger to draw fluid the amount on the syringe doesn’t include the tube. If I need to insert 20 ml, I’ll draw in 30 and depress the plunger until it shows 10 ml. The remainder goes back into the bottle. That’s about as precise as you need to be😁
Great video mate! I have the same fork and i will do the same soon✌️...
...but, could you please tell where did you find the quantities and the type of the oil tnat you have to use per side? Because i can not find something about that... Share a link if is possible 🙂
Thank you in advance!
You are amazing
Save yourself a lot of trouble by placing the dust wiper in the lower before placing the seals. Could save you from buying another set of seals. I couldn’t fit my dust wipers in but was able to remove my new seals and put the dust wipers in first.
Great video and I really like the table top bike stand. Can I ask where you got that one? I have a Park Tool but would like a second cheaper one for a bench. thanks.
Thanks, for making this video! afrom chile santiago
That's awesome! Thanks for watching, Glad it helped
Great vid. Just what I was looking for. My forks feel too stiff in compression damping at the moment, even on the lowest setting. I'm considering a lighter weight oil. Now that I now that the standard is a 5W, maybe a 2.5W would be better in mine. I don't see that chart you used for oil quantities. Where can I get that please?
Thanks! I'm glad it helped. You might have unwanted air trapped on the negative side of the air chamber. Doing this procedure and applying an appropriate amount of grease should help. Remember to air it back up a little at a time, cycling the fork throughout the process to allow the air to balance. Here's a source for fox fork info: www.ridefox.com/fox17/help.php?m=bike&listall=service Good luck!
Thanks great job. I've got a problem on the compression side. My lover rebound screw is stuck doesn't move. Iam looking for a rebuild on that side
Thanks, Robert. Do you mean you can't rotate the adjustment knob or you can't remove it?
Can I add 3cc 20wt oil without opening the topcap? I think it could be done before installing the air spring because I can see those spacers.
I don't have a flat washer on mine to stick in before the snap ring? I didn't see one when I took it out.
Awesome video. I have the exact same bike and will definitely use this video to service my fork. Did you ever service your rear shock? I would love to do mine, but not totally sure what seal kit it uses or the oil capacity
Thanks, Kevin! No, I haven't opened it up but I think it's pretty simple compared to the fork. I'll look into maybe doing a video on that. I know I'm overdue😬
Great info. I'm about to take my shock apart this week. What are the extra spacers for?
Thanks! The spacers are there to take up some of the air volume. More spacers make it more "progressive". This means as you compress the shock further toward bottom out, it gets firmer and helps resist bottoming. Fewer spacers will make the compression more linear and might feel more responsive and comfortable during normal trail riding however, rally big hits may cause you to bottom out more easily. For basic set-up, first adjust air pressure to set sag. There's a label on the back of your fork to give you a ballpark psi. Set rebound damping (bottom right leg knob) about in the middle. Ride a bunch. Too harsh? reduce air pressure some. Too much bottom out? increase psi. If the pressure you need is so high that it's really uncomfortable, THEN consider adding 1 or 2 volume reducers and starting over. You can probably get a more subtle ride in the beginning of travle and have more bottom out resistance.
Hey Trail Breaker,
This is a really great tutorial for the service. Thank you very much. I did follow along step by step but after the service my Fox 34 developed a "sucking" or "slurping" sound. This was defintely not present before. Do you maybe know where this comes from or have the same issue? The fork feels really good so I dont know if it is a problem at all. Thanks in advance.
Malte Lenz That’s tough. First check the two lower leg retaining bolts aren’t loose. Next would be the seals and wipers. Are they new? How was the condition of the air spring/ o rings? Air could be getting past the air shaft into the negative side with the bath oil. Try airing it all the way down and removing the top cap and cycle it through it’s travel to see if the sound remains. This may help to rule out air issues vs seal/o ring issues. Also, when pressurizing it cycle the fork every 10-15 psi so it can equalize with the negative air chamber. Hope you get it running quite and smooth👊🏻
Hi. I have a Fox Rhythm 32 fork from 2019; I am doing maintenance at home; however, there is no Fox 20wt Gold oil in my city; there is also no infused Fox 5wt Teflon oil; Could you recommend oils to replace the aforementioned? PS: Sorry for the bad English; It is a translation from Spanish to English.
Best video on this fork,hands down.What brand of suspension vice is that mounted to your work table?
cory vanasse Thanks, Cory 👊🏻. It’s a bench mount bike stand no longer available on Amazon. Keep looking. It’s great for a small space and only cost $35.
@@TrailBreaker Thanks
Awesome video, any way you can share the link to where you got the bench top stand/vise? Thanks
George Edwards I’ll check but it wasn’t available on Amazon last time I checked. I’ll see
To any person using a standard socket, file it flat so you dont slip, or you will round off the aluminum nut. Fox sell sockets like this but pricey, just file a regular one down so the bevel is gone on the inside where it grabs the nut.
Yer Sir! That’s what I did. A lot cheaper from Auto Zone😁
Is this the same for the non-EVOL fork? I have the 2017 Fox 34 Performance. 2018 they started to get EVOL. Thanks for the amazing video also.
olivierhacking Thanks! The basic procedure is the same for all FOX forks. Just check the web site for the specific fluids and capacities for your fork and travel. The EVOL mod just increased the volume of the negative air chamber side of the air shaft (I believe) to make it more responsive.
I’m not sure how much this really affects the fork on the trail, but I’ve heard you’re not supposed to check the sag with the pump still connected, as it effectively increases the air volume of the fork.
Qwerty Huh, never thought of that. However, I always check it again after and it’s the same. Sag is very inaccurate. It’s just a starting point. So you set a ballpark sag to 30% and note the pressure. Once you ride it you adjust up or down using psi. So if you started at 85psi and it was too firm, you may reduce to 82 til it feels good. THAT is your pressure regardless of the sag percentage.
I installed exactly like this and am getting a bit of fork "suck down". Too much air in negative chamber maybe? Any ideas?
Does anybody know where to find instructions for damper side service?
First? Sweet ! I have the same fork so this is a great video for me for the future . What is the recommended service intervals for this fork ?
Thomas Fenlon I think they recommend a lower service every 50 hours and a complete service annually
I see you didn't use fox float fluid. Can I also use slikoleum instead of float fluid? Thanks
Hello, did you use a bench grinder for the 26mm socket? I've had one for a while but only have a 9inch not keen on using it. Your advise would be appreciated
Thankyou.
Did you notice if removing the extra grease off the air spring helped equalize the negative and positive chambers? Did the fork feel better? Thanks! Great video. This will be my next project.
Yes I did. There is almost always too much grease applied.
Thanks, great vid. But what about the damper side, why don't you clean the shaft?
Unless you're having issues with the damper there's not much you need to do. It's self contained and pretty complicated in there😬. Changing the fluid in the lower legs is good "bang for the buck!"
I have a 34 rhythm from 2018, are the parts linked in this video similar since they are bother 34s?
Question - how come you installed the lower seals before the dust rings? Wouldn’t be just as easy to do dust rings and then seals over ? Then you can also make sure you don’t go too far down with the seals.
What is that front through axle you are using? Also, great video!
guys, my fox float 34 has only 70mm of travel even when air is at 110 psi. did something collapse internally?
Just did my 34 and this was of great help to complement the Fox instructions... Fox says to torque the bottom bolts to 50 in-lb. I found this ok for the larger 15 mm bolt but seems high for the 10 mm bolt. Any take on that anyone?
I tend to use "feel" on smaller nuts and bolts even though I try to use torque wrenches when I can
Thanks for this video..really helpful. Can I ask one question? Why did you not put the dust wiper in before driving in oil the seal ? Is there a reason ? Thanks
I wanted to judge how deep to drive it in and left a gap the same size as the wiper