[ohpossum]

A question to all the Enduro seal users:

Did you notice some period for the seals to "break-in" and no longer have any stiction?

I just put some enduros on my Float fork last weekend. I've had the fork apart plenty of times, so I was familar with what it took to install the new seals. The Enduros went in very easily and I was jazzed to be able to ride later that day. During the ride I could really feel a notchy-ness to the travel; definite stiction. Yesterday I rode for a couple of hours and the seals didn't seem to feel any better. Tonight I tore the whole fork down and popped the enduros out and reinstalled them. I paid close attention so as to make sure the inner oil seals were installed correctly and the wipers were installed evenly and flush with the lowers all the way around..

While I had the fork apart I put a tiny bit of Slick Honey along the inside of oil-seals as well as the wipers.

Once back together, the fork felt a little better, but still has a definite sticky feeling at the beginning of it's travel.

I hope the seals just need a little longer to get comfy in the fork. I wasn't real pleased with the way the stock seals spew oil after awhile, but they felt a whooole lot better than the fresh enduros.


op

 

[Chris2fur]

A question to all the Enduro seal users:

Did you notice some period for the seals to "break-in" and no longer have any stiction?

I just put some enduros on my Float fork last weekend. I've had the fork apart plenty of times, so I was familar with what it took to install the new seals. The Enduros went in very easily and I was jazzed to be able to ride later that day. During the ride I could really feel a notchy-ness to the travel; definite stiction. Yesterday I rode for a couple of hours and the seals didn't seem to feel any better. Tonight I tore the whole fork down and popped the enduros out and reinstalled them. I paid close attention so as to make sure the inner oil seals were installed correctly and the wipers were installed evenly and flush with the lowers all the way around..

While I had the fork apart I put a tiny bit of Slick Honey along the inside of oil-seals as well as the wipers.

Once back together, the fork felt a little better, but still has a definite sticky feeling at the beginning of it's travel.

I hope the seals just need a little longer to get comfy in the fork. I wasn't real pleased with the way the stock seals spew oil after awhile, but they felt a whooole lot better than the fresh enduros.

op

OP, got your PM and answered it. Since you also posted this here, I'm posting the same basic answer for the benefit of those who read your question:
Sorry you are having trouble. Actually, I have never had a stiction complaint on a Fox install. Some of the older RS models, yes, but never on a Fox. The first thing I have to ask is did you get them from our site, since some wholesale distributors have been known to re-tag old U-Cup style kits as "Fox" kits. If you got them from enduroforkseals.com, you don't have to worry about it. The next thing to be sure of is that the inner oil seals are not pushed all the way down to the bushings. The area just above the bushing is slightly smaller in OD and will distort the inner oil seal somewhat (the online instructions show the proper seating proceedure and you probably knew not to push them down past the "stepped" area). If all of these things have been checked, it is possible that you need to lube the stanchions. I would not use a Slick Honey/PrepM type lube (they are fine for re-assembly, as you described, though). I would try something more like TriFlow Teflon lube (not as ideal as StanchionLube, but similar enough to let you know if that's where the stiction is occuring). I've installed the Fox Kits myself on a Vanilla and a F100X, and the Fox Kit is by far our best seller and the best performer, so it is very strange to hear you are having trouble. If the above does not help, let me know and I'll send you another set or refund your money.

-Chris

 

[DrDon]

I noticed stiction on my F100X when riding in wet muddy conditions. I have noticed when I use StanchionLube the travel engages more easily. Also I think part of the problem is that my F100X is smoother when it is warm out (>50 F).

 

[DrDon]

PS. I love the Enduro seals. Blew up the right seal on both of my F100Xs.

 

[ohpossum]

Follow Up..

OP, got your PM and answered it. Since you also posted this here, I'm posting the same basic answer for the benefit of those who read your question:
Sorry you are having trouble. Actually, I have never had a stiction complaint on a Fox install. Some of the older RS models, yes, but never on a Fox. The first thing I have to ask is did you get them from our site, since some wholesale distributors have been known to re-tag old U-Cup style kits as "Fox" kits. If you got them from enduroforkseals.com, you don't have to worry about it. The next thing to be sure of is that the inner oil seals are not pushed all the way down to the bushings. The area just above the bushing is slightly smaller in OD and will distort the inner oil seal somewhat (the online instructions show the proper seating proceedure and you probably knew not to push them down past the "stepped" area). If all of these things have been checked, it is possible that you need to lube the stanchions. I would not use a Slick Honey/PrepM type lube (they are fine for re-assembly, as you described, though). I would try something more like TriFlow Teflon lube (not as ideal as StanchionLube, but similar enough to let you know if that's where the stiction is occuring). I've installed the Fox Kits myself on a Vanilla and a F100X, and the Fox Kit is by far our best seller and the best performer, so it is very strange to hear you are having trouble. If the above does not help, let me know and I'll send you another set or refund your money.

-Chris

I'm posting this follow up also as a benefit to anyone that runs across this thread. I dribbled some Triflow on the stanchions as Chris suggested and it made a big difference. The only noticable stiction is is right at the very beginning of the travel. After the fork moves a couple of milimeters, it's action is very smooth. Under real riding circumstances, I don't think the stiction would be noticible. I'm also going to order some Stanchion Lube to see if it cuts down on that little bit of stickiness that is left..

I would recommend anyone planning to install Enduro seals/wipers on Fox forks to also get some Stanchion Lube and use it right after installation. It seems to make a big difference.

op

 

[El Beastro]

A question to all the Enduro seal users:

Did you notice some period for the seals to "break-in" and no longer have any stiction?

I replaced the stock '04 Fox seals on my F100X with the Enduro seals at around 350 miles of riding as my stock Fox seals were starting to seep. I noticed a tiny bit of stiction for the first ride of 7-8 miles. However I haven't felt any on subsequent rides. The seals are working awesome.

However, just FYI, I hear from reliable sources that the new '05 Fox seals are improved and possibly even better than the Enduro seals. So much so, that when PUSH Industries rebuilds the latest generations of Fox forks....they are using '05 Fox seals instead of Enduro seals.

 

[ccm]

I

However, just FYI, I hear from reliable sources that the new '05 Fox seals are improved and possibly even better than the Enduro seals. So much so, that when PUSH Industries rebuilds the latest generations of Fox forks....they are using '05 Fox seals instead of Enduro seals.

I heard from reliable sources that 05 Fox seals are not much different

 

[El Beastro]

Yet we must agree....

I heard from reliable sources that 05 Fox seals are not much different

Yet me must agree that they are different....and just a little difference has the potential to make a large impact. Time will tell. I don't have any of the new '05 seals to test myself so time will tell.

 

[Chris2fur]

Time has already told.

Yet me must agree that they are different....and just a little difference has the potential to make a large impact. Time will tell. I don't have any of the new '05 seals to test myself so time will tell.

You may not have any to test, but plenty of people do. I sell replacement to kits 05 Fox owners on a regular basis. They appear to last a few weeks weeks longer than the earlier ones, but still end up leaking prematurely.

-Chris

 

[DrDon]

I have a 05 and a 04 F100X. The right sided seals crapped out on both and I have Enduros on both now. In this part of the country for the past few months there has been a lot of slop and they are holding up. It warmed up today and the fork loosened up. It seems to be more of a oil viscosity issue rather than the seals affecting plushness.

 

[Lucky13]

little lube and give 'em a week or two; worked for me.

 

[jdcamb]

Did nothing to them. Worked fine right out of the box.

 

[tedsti]

Chris,
Any word on when/if you will have graphite (gray) seals for Fox soon? My F100X needs seals, but I won't be riding it for a month or two anyhow (Minnesota). I will wait if the gray seals are coming.
Ted

 

[Chris2fur]

Chris,
Any word on when/if you will have graphite (gray) seals for Fox soon? My F100X needs seals, but I won't be riding it for a month or two anyhow (Minnesota). I will wait if the gray seals are coming.
Ted

Not anytime soon, Ted. Design changes in the wipers have yielded better improvement than material changes. Running the seals in graphite formulation would be amount to little more than a color change.

-Chris

 

[katman11]

Chris:

I did not see any mention of the white foam rings that are supposed to sit directly on top of the upper bushings. That is a very important step in the enduro installation procedure correct? Could that be the reason some of these folks are having the stiction problems?

Also, if the foam rings are place above the internal black oil seals, instead of below, that would defeat the whole purpose of the white foam rings providing critical lubrication to the bushings/stanchions.

 

[Chris2fur]

Chris:

I did not see any mention of the white foam rings that are supposed to sit directly on top of the upper bushings. That is a very important step in the enduro installation procedure correct? Could that be the reason some of these folks are having the stiction problems?

Also, if the foam rings are place above the internal black oil seals, instead of below, that would defeat the whole purpose of the white foam rings providing critical lubrication to the bushings/stanchions.

Katmann11, please--this thread is over 2 years old. All of the issues in this thread and many other issues have been discussed in subsequent threads. Most are also familiar with our website, where are pictorial instructions show in detail the proper use of the foam rings, etc. If you have any questions, please start a new thread. No offense, it just serves everyone better if we can keep things current. A lot changes in 2 years.