Fork Stiction

[GALAXY]

I just got a new set of Rock Shox Tora 302’s and they are very nice forks but it seems as though they shipped them dry and un-lubed.The fork seals at the top of the lower section should be packed with grease shouldn’t they? I took it to the LBS last week and the guy put a dab of gray Park tool grease around each seal and that worked for the weekend and the fork was nice and smooth…the next day it seemed dry and sticky again.

I went back to the LBS last week and asked a different guy what he thought would be good for lubing the stanchions and he suggested some dry teflon lube so I picked a small bottle up and tried it yesterday and was not pleased.it seemed smooth at first but a couple miles into the ride was really sticky feeling again.

What should I do? Should I take the seals out and check for grease? Is there a good lube that everyone likes for fork stanchions that would help?

[Vtolds]

Sounds like there is something not right with the fork. I use just use Tri-Flow on my Stanchions which is Teflon Based Lubricant. I use the Wet Version, I put it on around the seals, and push the fork up and down and wipe up the excess. Some people like to use grease. I hear good things about this product called slick honey.

[trailrider247]

i would suggest not using Tri-Flow on the wiper seals as the lube can work its way into the suspension fluid if its a open bath damper and cause dampening problems. if i was you i would remove the lowers, take out the wiper seals and the foam rings and soak the foam rings in suspension fluid and use some Buzzy’s Slick Honey on the wiper seals and if its not an open bath damper i would put 15cc Fox Float Fluid in the lowers to keep everthing lubed up.

[GALAXY]

They were a factory refurbished model from Jenson so I’ll look into sending them back but I’d honestly be comfortable doing the work myself as they are the lower end model with no air or oil to deal with as far as I know.

I’ll look for some slick honey no matter what though,that just sounds like it will be nice.

[Dacorr]

I have the same forks, from new and they have always stuck a little but then they always seem a little hard too, i figured they were just how they were and decided to save for some fox floats

[GALAXY]

I’ve never owned a really nice set of forks,just nice low end stuff…2 sets of Noleen Mega Air 100mm and something on an old Parkpre that I can’t remember the name of but nothing has ever felt so dry like this.

I downloaded the Tora service manual and greasing the fork seals/wipers is pretty easy from what I can tell but it does require a small amount of shock oil (about 15cc) to be replaced into the lowers once re-installed.

[trailrider247]

"GALAXY" wrote

I took it to the LBS last week and the guy put a dab of gray Park tool grease around each seal and that worked for the weekend and the fork was nice and smooth…the next day it seemed dry and sticky again.

i just noticed that you said he used gray Park Tool grease, that grey "grease" is actually anti-sieze compound.

[GALAXY]

"trailrider247" wrote

If i was you i would remove the lowers, take out the wiper seals and the foam rings and soak the foam rings in suspension fluid and use some Buzzy’s Slick Honey on the wiper seals and if its not an open bath damper i would put 15cc Fox Float Fluid in the lowers to keep everything lubed up.

Thanks trailrider247,I believe I’m gonna do something very close to what you suggested.I’m limited on time but talented with a wrench so with the help of the service manual I’m gonna drop the lowers and grease the seals this weekend.I’ve got to make a soft faced hammer to tap the bolts loose before I can get started.

[GALAXY]

I liked that "grease",haha,that was the best thing yet actually…it sure didn’t seize! 😃

[GALAXY]

I picked up a small tube of Buzzy’s Slick Honey and a bottle of 7wt. Shock Nectar so once I make the hammer I’ll get the lowers dropped and everything lubed up real good.

[trailrider247]

i would just use a 5mm hex socket bit and a 10mm deep well socket and tap those with a hammer to break the press fit instead of taping on the bolts, when you do break the bolts loose on the bottom of the fork lowers make sure to have your forks inverted so you dont end up with oil all over the floor, thats if thier is any oil in thier 😆

[GALAXY]

I don’t have a 5mm hex bit socket,and for some reason,I just can’t picture how you would do that with those 2 sockets…possibly too early in the morning for me to comprehend that. 😀

It said in the service manual to just tap the hex bit with a soft faced hammer,while it is in the head of the bolt.

I’ll see if I can round up a 5mm hex bit socket at work and think some more on how to do that,haha.

[trailrider247]

the 5mm hex socket is for the right side and the 10mm deep well socket is for the left side, if i remember correctly the left side should have a 10mm nut and the right side should have a 5mm hex bolt. i always just use a ball peen hammer with a extension on the bit so if i miss im less likely to hit the fork lowers and do damage.

[GALAXY]

There is a 5mm hex bolt on each side of the lowers…here is what the manual says about them…

"Using a 5mm hex wrench, loosen both shaft bolts 3 to 4
turns (fig. 3a).

With hex wrench in shaft bolt, tap each bolt free with
plastic mallet. Using your fingers, remove both shaft
bolts completely (fig. 3b).

Using your fingers, remove shaft bolts from both
threaded shaft ends (fig. 3c)."

After reading that again,step 3 is kind of redundant,haha.I’ll get those cracked open in a little bit and lube ’em up.

[Author]

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