What is float fluid? Can any other fluid be used without trashing the air chamber in either a fork or shock. I replaced RS Red Rum with 80WT gear oil which works GREAT! What is the replacement for FFF?
Moo
Moo
Fox Float Fluid
MOO
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I just looked at the Fox website for the simplified oil change and seal service for a 36 and fox said to soak the foam rings in 7wt suspension fluid.
I agree, raise the seal and pump the fork and observe. Bath oil does work it's way up during use and back down during storage. I noticed it does take a bit of cycling for the fork to butter up and if inverted first it's nice from the get go.
Cheers!
I agree, raise the seal and pump the fork and observe. Bath oil does work it's way up during use and back down during storage. I noticed it does take a bit of cycling for the fork to butter up and if inverted first it's nice from the get go.
Cheers!
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80w Redline Gear Oil is the Tits
Another great thread. Thanks all.
Regarding inverting forks arguments. I am sure I also read to do this in either some Marz instructions and/or some Rockshox instructs I had at some point. I have been doing it and it's def a good idea. Obviously, if you clean the dirt off your stanchions/seals w a little oil after every ride, that also helps a lot. Just dry excess oil off them before you ride or a lot of dust will stick in the oil right away and work on your seals.
Re alternatives to float fluid.
If Fox float fluid is indeed the same as Torco assembly lube (prob not exactly the same IMO, FFF is prob at least diluted - but this is just speculation so take it as such):
Torco assembly lube is available online direct from the manufacturer for $8 for 4oz. http://www.torcousa.com/products-auto-pro.html
May need watering down a little w some fork oil. Not tried it, but I probably will.
Also, by sheer luck/coincidence synthetic gear oil is available on that same page for $18/L! Equiv to 9cents per pack of float fluid.
Anyone trying these products, please post back w results and comparison w float fluid. Thanks again.
Regarding inverting forks arguments. I am sure I also read to do this in either some Marz instructions and/or some Rockshox instructs I had at some point. I have been doing it and it's def a good idea. Obviously, if you clean the dirt off your stanchions/seals w a little oil after every ride, that also helps a lot. Just dry excess oil off them before you ride or a lot of dust will stick in the oil right away and work on your seals.
Re alternatives to float fluid.
If Fox float fluid is indeed the same as Torco assembly lube (prob not exactly the same IMO, FFF is prob at least diluted - but this is just speculation so take it as such):
Torco assembly lube is available online direct from the manufacturer for $8 for 4oz. http://www.torcousa.com/products-auto-pro.html
May need watering down a little w some fork oil. Not tried it, but I probably will.
Also, by sheer luck/coincidence synthetic gear oil is available on that same page for $18/L! Equiv to 9cents per pack of float fluid.
Anyone trying these products, please post back w results and comparison w float fluid. Thanks again.
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It's made by Torco but it is not the same as their MPZ assembly lube. It's a product developed specifically for internal lubrication of air springs. I know because we use the same thing for our RWC Air Piston Lube. That's not to say that other things won't work OK. I'm just saying it's a specific product and it's not available as a retail Torco product.
Ecogeek said:
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Really though, 80w Redline Gear Oil is the best substitute for FFF. It's extremely high quality and it's even the same color.
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I'll throw my observation out here based on my current lapse in service attention. I've been blissfully riding and endurance racing my Fox F 32 RLC for the last year with only the normal cleaning when dirty approach. Now, after my first servicing I found major stanchion wear down to silver on the left tube(fox fluid side) and the foam and seal were both trashed.
So, based on my misfortune and the Fox service recomendations I view both perspectives in this thread as correct. Had I followed either course of regularly seeing to my foam getting lubed (and inspecting the seals) I probably wouldn't be needing a new stanchion tube. Fox says to manually lube the foam on both tubes regularly with the blue stuff, but, doesn't mention inverting regularly. In my scenario, the tube with the biggest bath was fine and if I had inverted regularly the small bath side probably would have been protected better and not failed.
So, I could have followed either argument here and would have been better off then I am now. I plan to lube both foams with blue oil at installation, then do regular blue lubes per Fox as well as inverting before rides - it's an $800 part that needs more attention then what I gave it.
So, based on my misfortune and the Fox service recomendations I view both perspectives in this thread as correct. Had I followed either course of regularly seeing to my foam getting lubed (and inspecting the seals) I probably wouldn't be needing a new stanchion tube. Fox says to manually lube the foam on both tubes regularly with the blue stuff, but, doesn't mention inverting regularly. In my scenario, the tube with the biggest bath was fine and if I had inverted regularly the small bath side probably would have been protected better and not failed.
So, I could have followed either argument here and would have been better off then I am now. I plan to lube both foams with blue oil at installation, then do regular blue lubes per Fox as well as inverting before rides - it's an $800 part that needs more attention then what I gave it.
I know this thread is old, very old. Is it okay to use Fox Float fluid around the dust wipers after each ride? Of course you have to wipe the stanchions first before applying the Float fluid. That's what I've been doing recently. Clean the stanchions with a dry cloth, put some of the Float fluid on my finger and apply on the stanchions. Compress the fork a few times and wipe the excessive lube. Hopefully this is good to do because I've been doing it for a few weeks now.
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It's pointless and will only help attract dirt. Stop doing it and just follow the maintenance schedule instead.
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its definitely not a bad thing to do, but i agree with bad mechanic, it is sort of pointless. cleaning your seals and stanchions are not pointless though, it helps things stay cleaner, longer.
if you really want to make sure your stanchions/seals are lubed, just flip the bike upside down for a couple of minutes before you ride. sometimes i will do this if my bike has been sitting for a while.
if you really want to make sure your stanchions/seals are lubed, just flip the bike upside down for a couple of minutes before you ride. sometimes i will do this if my bike has been sitting for a while.
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Yes, just wipe them clean with a damp cloth.
No need to compress your fork a few times as the ride will already have done that.
No need to compress your fork a few times as the ride will already have done that.
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new routine this year, Bike flip between each ride. Tell you the pros at the end of the season.
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Just be sure to follow the maintenance schedule.
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Turning the bike over when fork was idle for a while (even 1-2 days) works. Foam rings (if present) and upper bushings are always starved for oil, even though there's plenty of oil on the bottom of the lowers. Turning the fork upside down wets upper bushings and soaks foam rings, thus avoiding "dry start" scenario.
Recently Manitou lowers (Mattoc for sure, and hopefully new batches of Circus) have been getting grooves in the casting right outside upper bushings. This is to avoid using grooved bushings (for uninterrupted bushing-to-stanchion contact patches) while still letting more oil to foam rings.
Recently Manitou lowers (Mattoc for sure, and hopefully new batches of Circus) have been getting grooves in the casting right outside upper bushings. This is to avoid using grooved bushings (for uninterrupted bushing-to-stanchion contact patches) while still letting more oil to foam rings.
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Is Float Fluid necessary in a Fox Air Can? I just opened mine up to put in a volume spacer and noticed that it was just greased. This is a recently serviced shock so it hasn't had time to leak, etc. I don't want to unnecessary question my shop about this if its ok.
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