Simple suspension fork maintenance

[jorgemartin]

Any tips for simple suspension fork maintenance while out and about? Should I wipe and apply some oil on the stanchion tubes everyday? Is that too much?

 

[mr Mag00]

fork juice is what your after not oil look it up

 

[Zoiders]

Forks do actually use oil, at least some do, no such thing as some magic "fork juice". If you have an oil damped fork a simple squirt of teflon oil on the wiper seals keeps things moving, don't use water dispersants like WD40 or GT85.

You need to find out the type of fork you have and download the manufacturers specs form the web page, it could be coil sprung, oil damped and lubricated, air sprung and damped with grease lubrication etc etc.

A very cheap fork will just have stacks of spring and rubber called elastometers inside them slathered in grease, they are the simplest to service, more advanced forks are not a simple or quick job.

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Any tips for simple suspension fork maintenance while out and about? Should I wipe and apply some oil on the stanchion tubes everyday? Is that too much?

Which fork and what year is it?

AFAIK you probably wouldn't want to wipe and apply oil on the stanchion tubes everyday, the reason is you don't want grit to stick onto the oil, which when trapped by the seal will sand your stanchion down rather effectively.

For out and about maintenance for my RS the official recommendation is for users simply to wipe clean the stanchion after every ride, and only after 25 hours worth or 10 rides drip just a couple of drops of fork or teflon oil on each of the foam rings under the dust seals.

As a matter of fact, the last step of a major maintenance is to spray the whole fork with isopropyl alcohol and wipe clean.

 

[jorgemartin]

Thanks it's coil sprung fork: Rockshox Tora Sl (2010). RecordAceFromNew, when you write dripping a couple of drops under the dust seals, I'm assuming that you imply that I have to lift the seals. Is that correct?

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

Thanks it's coil sprung fork: Rockshox Tora Sl (2010). RecordAceFromNew, when you write dripping a couple of drops under the dust seals, I'm assuming that you imply that I have to lift the seals. Is that correct?

Mine is not a Tora and I don't see a 2010 service manual for it on Sram's website either, but the latest (2006) Tora service manual I can find is here. If your fork is similar then I think step 37 on indicates same. But since your fork is a much more recent model, if I were you I would check with RS. Also for some forks the oil baths and internals are such that all you need to ensure the internals are adequately lubricated is to invert* the fork/bike once in a while. You might also be able to work out from the first full service if that would work for your fork.


Either way I think stanchions should be kept "clean" is clear.

* Warning: inverting a bike with hydraulic brakes could result in brake performance problems.

 

[snailracer]

Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. Applying random oils/fluids on the forks is risky, as it may not be compatible with the plastic seals and lead to premature failure.