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2009 SID World Cup Problem ! Help !!!

5211 Views 31 Replies 8 Participants Last post by totemsub, Jul 31, 2010

totemsub

Discussion Starter · Dec 29, 2009

Hi,
I have a 2009 Rockshox SID World Cup, which I bought (new) around 2 months ago.
The problem is that when I bought it , it was set at 100mm travel (which is what I wanted), and was working fine. Now after a few rides I've noticed that the fork has gone down to 80mm travel :S I don't know how this happened - I have checked the air and everything's fine !
When I push the fork legs down with my hands, it goes back to 100mm, but as soon as I ride it, it goes down to 80mm or less and it doesn't go back up ! And the sag and everything was set up properly !
The only problem I had was that I found my negative air to be very low compared to the positive air, and when I read the manual it said that there shouldn't be any more than 15psi difference, so maybe it was my fault because I didn't set up the negative air properly and maybe damaged something ? I have now adjusted the negative air but still the fork is at 80mm travel or less !
I don't know what the problem is really ! But the fact that I can put the fork back to 100mm by pushing down the stanchions with my hands worries me a bit !
Any ideas ?

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

davep

· #2 · Dec 30, 2009

When was the last time you performed any service on the fork? Did you check any lube levels when the fork was new to verify that it was shipped with the proper amounts??

The seals in the air spring (as well as the bushing lube/splash oil) need quite frequent lube change/check. Oil amounts are very small, and required for proper function.

Go grab the manuals at the rock shox site, and read up.

totemsub

Discussion Starter · #3 · Dec 30, 2009

Well I didn't really perform a service at all since I've only ridden the bike around 8 times since I put the bike together, and since it was new I thought it would be " ready to ride".

I do have the manual ( the one that came with the fork) although it doesn't say much about servicing !

bad mechanic

· #4 · Dec 30, 2009

Rock Shox is known to sends forks from the factory with little or no oil in them. In fact, my SID Team arrived without oil in a air spring, just a huge glob of grease. Service the fork and make sure the oil levels are correct. Once it's back together, fill the positive air chamber first, and then the negative.

davep

· #5 · Dec 30, 2009

What came with your fork is simple consumer protection verbage. All of the service manuals, exploded parts diagrams (with part numbers), blueprints, parts compatability, set-up guides, ho-to videos, etc are all on the sram site onder 'service'.

Download this: http://www.sram.com/_media/pdf/rockshox/dealers/TM_MY10.pdf It is for all of the their products, and broken down in more in terms of technologies rather than models (because all models use the same set of technologies)... ie: U-turn service, dual air service, motion control, etc.

Just pick the technologies that your particular fork has, and go through that particular part. All of the oil levels, types, and locations for all forks and shocks are also provided in table format.

totemsub

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 30, 2009

thanks a lot guys ! I'll have to order Sram Red Rum oil from the internet though as here in Malta (Europe) none of the bike shops actually sell rockshox forks, let alone oil ! ( Malta is a very small island and therefore the bike shops carry limited stock).

Is it harmful to ride the fork until I order the oil ?

Also, I found this guide on how to service a Reba shock . Since I read the SID is similar to a Reba, can I use this guide ?

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/article/workshop-how-to-service-rockshox-reba-suspension-forks-23142

bad mechanic

· #7 · Dec 30, 2009

Don't buy the Rock Shox oil. Just go to your local motorcycle shop and buy the appropraite weight suspension oil. Much cheaper and immediately available. Use this chart to make sure you're actually getting the correct viscosity:
https://www.pvdwiki.com/images/a/a7/PVD-ISO-Viscosity-Data.gif

davep

· #8 · Dec 31, 2009

Yes^^^

ALL 'bike' oils, are simply repackaged and overpriced industrial products.

For the thicker oil (anything but the actual damper fluid) I have had great luck (for almost 10 years) using higher viscosity synthetic motor(car) oil..something like mobil 1.

If you want somethng even thicker (like red-rum) look for 'assembly lube' at an auto parts store. It is a heavy oil designed to pre-lube auto engine parts durring assembly....and at one point sram/rs was using/selling torco assembly lube for this purpose.

veritechy

· #9 · Jan 1, 2010

I own 3 RS shocks and never had a problem with oil level on the new shock. Maybe he should send it back to them?. It shouldn't be low on oil to the point that it doesn't have the right travel. If enough people send them back maybe they won't leave the factory like that?? That just isn't right. Don't get me wrong and agree it's easy to add oil, I love my RS, but they shouldn't leave the factory if they don't have enough oil.

MTBERMISS

· #10 · Jan 3, 2010

I'm not an expert and don't know anything about this fork but if you bought it from a website, some dealers take them off of complete bikes and sell the bikes parts individually. If this is the case the bike company that bought the forks, probably in bulk, asked the company for a discount price and in the end they got a discounted fork because they used cheaper materials to cut price. But if not the low oil levels is a good start and it should still be under warrenty, so I would send it back to Rock Shox regardless for a complete overhaul or replacement. Good Luck

totemsub

Discussion Starter · #11 · Jan 3, 2010

Well, I bought it from Chain Reaction Cycles ( www.chainreactioncycles.com ) which is Europe's biggest online cycling store. It was brand new with all the packaging so I don't think they got it off a bike.

Can't really send it back to RS since I live in Malta (Europe) and postage costs are WAY too high to send it back. I'm just gonna try and add more oil myself .
I ordered some SRAM Red Rum. It'll arrive in about 4 days so I'll try and add the oil as soon as I can.

MTBERMISS

· #12 · Jan 4, 2010

Well thats good to know. Good luck with the fix

shopcat_cycles

· #13 · Jan 4, 2010

What weight is the Sram redrum oil? I think you might have wanted the Sram Pitstop oil in 5 weight & 15 weight.

Not a hard job to do yourself. The Sram technical manual will walk you through it. You will need to pick up a pair of internal/external snap ring pliers, a 10mm 6point deep socket, and a 24mm 6 point socket - if you go by the book.

bad mechanic

· #14 · Jan 4, 2010

ncfisherman said:
I think you might have wanted the Sram Pitstop oil in 5 weight & 15 weight.

Not a hard job to do yourself. The Sram technical manual will walk you through it. You will need to pick up a pair of internal/external snap ring pliers, a 10mm 6point deep socket, and a 24mm 6 point socket - if you go by the book.

Don't waste your money on Pitstop oils.

You'll also need a 5mm allen bit socket for the damper side bottom nut.

Finally, remember that the lock ring goes in sharp edge down.

totemsub

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jan 12, 2010

Hi guys,
this is the Red Rum I bought - there was no indication of oil weight on the website, and not even on the bottle ( which arrived a couple of days ago). Do you think it's ok to use it even if it might not be the correct weight ?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3047

Also, I have realized that the fork is leaking air from the lower leg ( negative air chamber) , which I think is the source of my problems ! It sucks as this is a brand new fork . I think I'll have to get new seals

shopcat_cycles

· #16 · Jan 13, 2010

totemsub said:
Hi guys,
this is the Red Rum I bought - there was no indication of oil weight on the website, and not even on the bottle ( which arrived a couple of days ago). Do you think it's ok to use it even if it might not be the correct weight ?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=3047

Also, I have realized that the fork is leaking air from the lower leg ( negative air chamber) , which I think is the source of my problems ! It sucks as this is a brand new fork . I think I'll have to get new seals

I believe that the Red Rum suspension fluid is for lubricating o-rings. I wouldn't use it. I'd recommend getting some thinner suspension oil. You can get the suspension oil through a motorcycle shop, as bad mechanic mentioned, or get SRAM Pitstop oil 5 wt & 15 wt.

How did you realize the fork was leaking air? Be specific, details.

davep

· #17 · Jan 13, 2010

Red rum is assembly lube (as I mentioned a week ago above). It CANNOT be used as a damper fluid..it is NOT suspension fluid....it is used ONLY for bushing/seal lubrication. It is very thick as oil go...possible somewhere in the range of 90wt gear oil. Putting this kind of oil in any 'normal' damper will cause some serious issues and will most likely cost a fir bit of $$ in the end.

For bushing/seal lube, the exact viscosity in not important..thick enough to coat, thin enough to flow/splash around. Heavy suspension fluid, synthetic motor oil, assembly lube, gear oil, tenacious oil will all work (as will overpriced, repackaged 'bike' products).

totemsub

Discussion Starter · #18 · Jan 13, 2010

ncfisherman - I realized that the fork was leaking air because I checked the air in both chambers and pumped both up to my preferred settings before I went for a short ride yesterday.
When I came back, the negative air ( lower leg) pressure had gone down by about 10 PSI. I don't think this is normal ! Also, the travel now has gone down more ! On SID's there is a travel/sag indicator printed on the upper leg, and now my travel is at the 30% mark of 80mm

. Will buy some 5W suspension oil from a motorcycle shop and try to serice it this weekend and see how it goes .

shopcat_cycles

· #19 · Jan 13, 2010

totemsub said:
ncfisherman - I realized that the fork was leaking air because I checked the air in both chambers and pumped both up to my preferred settings before I went for a short ride yesterday.
When I came back, the negative air ( lower leg) pressure had gone down by about 10 PSI. I don't think this is normal !.

This actually could be normal. So, you pump up the fork and set it at the desired pressures. When you came back, you attached the pump to get a reading. The pressure between the two chambers(neg. & pump) equalizes and is spread out between the two, which will give you a lower reading - magnified by the fact that the negative chamber is much smaller than the positive, which explains why you only noticed this on the negative chamber and not the positive.

totemsub said:
Also, the travel now has gone down more ! On SID's there is a travel/sag indicator printed on the upper leg, and now my travel is at the 30% mark of 80mm . Will buy some 5W suspension oil from a motorcycle shop and try to serice it this weekend and see how it goes .

What do you set the positive and negative chambers to(roughly)? The negative chamber has to be within 15 psi of the positive. As the negative goes above the positive, you will notice the travel sucking up a bit - 30mm seems out of the ordinary, unless your negative chamber is being set well above the positive.

Get some 15 wt oil too. There are some other tools you will need to work on it - take a look at the manual, it's thorough. If I was in your position, sending it to SRAM would be the first option. Atleast give them a call, tell them your situation, and see if they can give you any help for a possible fix. Draining and refilling all the oil(to the proper levels & weight, as per the chart), would be a start. Might not be a fix, but you could go from there - next step would be a seal kit.

Before investing even more $$, you may want to see if SRAM can help you out.

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totemsub

Discussion Starter · #20 · Jan 13, 2010

I had set up both chambers to be 100 PSI. Back from the ride, the negative chamber was at 90, while the postive was still ok.

I can't really send it to Rockshox as it would cost me a fortune to send it to the USA. They

I'll see if I can open it up and clean it and I;ll take it from there.

I think I'll need extra-deep sockets to open it up as the legs are recessed.

1 - 20 of 32 Posts

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