Just tried doing the install today and once I got the air pressure in the wc to around 160 the seal unseated inself and the air leaked out. Im wondering if I shouldnt have greased the seal before I put it in or if how everyone else put the fox seals in. used rockshox redrum on the foam rings and then put the seals in. They were seated perfectly. Any troubling tips?
SKF seals for Boxxer?
- Thread starter Verskis
- Start date
uh, i don't think the lowers should be pressurized. I think all the air should be in the stanchion and the seals should only keep oil in and dirt out from the lowers. If the air in the lowers popped that seal out, something is wrong, or, try compressing the fork slightly before installing the bolt to give it a little "negative air".
Yeah Sandwich is right, air shouldn't be entering the lowers. Best to check/replace all solo air o-rings if increasing spring pressure is causing the seals to pop out.
But regardless, don't grease the seals before installation - clean both the outside of the seal and seat thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol or similar before installing them (so that both surfaces are completely clean and dry) and if you are lubricating the foam ring, do that and install it after installing the seal. I've had them pop out in boxxers before when lubed (even the stock ones).
If the seals still pop out, compressing the lowers halfway (with the spring/damper rods pushed in to allow air to escape) will decrease how much pressure builds up in the lowers, as Sandwich also suggested.
Also the Fox seals run best on Fox's own "Green" 10wt Oil, and Fox recommends using that product alone for lubricating the foam rings / bushings / seals. It's not a must but it results in lower stiction than any other product combo in my experience.
But regardless, don't grease the seals before installation - clean both the outside of the seal and seat thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol or similar before installing them (so that both surfaces are completely clean and dry) and if you are lubricating the foam ring, do that and install it after installing the seal. I've had them pop out in boxxers before when lubed (even the stock ones).
If the seals still pop out, compressing the lowers halfway (with the spring/damper rods pushed in to allow air to escape) will decrease how much pressure builds up in the lowers, as Sandwich also suggested.
Also the Fox seals run best on Fox's own "Green" 10wt Oil, and Fox recommends using that product alone for lubricating the foam rings / bushings / seals. It's not a must but it results in lower stiction than any other product combo in my experience.
A few questions here: are you pressurising the lowers or the uppers? If the lowers, how and why? If the uppers... a) this should not be happening as all the air is sealed in the stanchion and has nothing to do with the oil seals, and b) why are you pressurising anything in that fork to 160psi? Even 100psi is way firmer than almost anyone would ever need...
Every get that feeling that your brain wasnt processing during the actual work. Yeah I guess there just might be a leak in my air seals. I tried to service that part but the snap ring broke so that It only had one tab on it so in the absence of needle nose pliers I got frustrated and moved on. Now I really hope I dont have a leak in my air spring though because Ive already had to take this fork apart twice in the span of a day.
Ive always greased my rs seals before I put them in otherwise they are more of a chore to get out. I guess the skf seals prob shouldnt have been greased though.
Service manuals from 2006-2009 world cup are 180psi in the pos air chamber for someone of 185lbs.
http://bicyclethailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/air_inflation.pdf see.
Ive always greased my rs seals before I put them in otherwise they are more of a chore to get out. I guess the skf seals prob shouldnt have been greased though.
Service manuals from 2006-2009 world cup are 180psi in the pos air chamber for someone of 185lbs.
http://bicyclethailand.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/air_inflation.pdf see.
Sorry, for some reason I thought you were doing this stuff to a 35mm Boxxer, hence the confusion about the pressure. It sounds like you definitely have a leak of some kind, because you should be able to pull the whole air leg out of the lowers and pressurise it as a standalone part, no air pressure should be held by the oil seals.
Question regarding the Boxxer SKF seal subject: Since the overall height of the boxxer seals would be ~15mm and the skf seals overall height is also ~15mm why would this not work? I know the height of each seal is different, but that should not affect the fork since there is no step of catch for the lower seal. Correct me if I am wrong here but I would like to know as I need to replace my boxxer seals here in a bit.
http://h2rfoxshox.com/parts/skf-seal-kit-35mm-mz.html?SID=7956f8b1e6d5199ce4fcc65f847edcb6
link added above:
http://h2rfoxshox.com/parts/skf-seal-kit-35mm-mz.html?SID=7956f8b1e6d5199ce4fcc65f847edcb6
link added above:
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OD is too large.