[plume]

I sent my headshock back to c'dale about a week and a half ago. Just called today to check up on it, I just wanted it to get it's annual love since my last one blew out totally due to lack of service. The rep freaked me out when she said I needed a whole new fork... um, I can't afford that right now, and the thing was working, just not as well as I wanted it to.

so... they're replacing the fork itself I guess and using the cartridge etc from the old one. Does this make sense? Aparently the spring had corroded and caused some scraping near the needle bearings. I CANNOT wait until I learn to work on these things myself dammit. I feel so helpless having to send these things back every time they need love.

Yes, I do want a lefty, but it's not in the budget right now so I have to make do with another dlr heady. I'm fine with that, and what's more it's warrantied so I don't have to pay for a thing! thank god. Points for c'dale on that one. Keeping me a loyal fanboy for sure.

ok so... you c'dale suspension experts, I ask you. How do I avoid getting into these problems again? I mean there has to be some preventive maintenance that I'm missing here. I keep fresh grease on the thing just as the manual says but beyond that, well it's beyond me (for now). I luckily work in a shop. Luckily we just picked up c'dale and eventually we'll be trained to service these things, but in the meantime what can I do to avoid screwing up my fork? The same thing happened to my last HS, rusty spring did damage to the rest of the fork.

thanks for any advice. I'd love to find a some technical manuals on these things so I can get a jump on learning the stuff.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

How do I avoid getting into these problems again? I mean there has to be some preventive maintenance that I'm missing here. I keep fresh grease on the thing just as the manual says but beyond that, well it's beyond me (for now). but in the meantime what can I do to avoid screwing up my fork? The same thing happened to my last HS, rusty spring did damage to the rest of the fork.

Best thing to do is, go on Cannondales website, look at the tech section. It lists the tools that are needed, and their part numbers. They will run you a few bucks, but get them. Cannondale will happily take your credit card number, and the phone folks are great. Ask you rep, next time they're in. Tell them you bought the tools, and want to learn, can you watch them tear it down? If they can't do that, you need to go to the room at Cannondale, they generally have tours at least once a year. That's the best way to see the whole thing done correctly, and efficiently, right before your eyes. As for your forks, sounds like either your seals are torn, or they are dried out. The water get's into the air sleeve, can't get out, and causes rust on the negative/top-out spring which rests around the piston, at the bottom, outside the cartidge, inside the air sleeve . You ride in the wet frequently? I recommend pulling the cartridge apart at least 2 times a year, with the castle tool, that takes about 5 minutes. Have fun.

 

[jdog]

The best bet by far is a day spent in the tech room.

Derek showed me more in one day than I could have ever figured out on my own. If you are a dealer it makes sense to get out there at least once every few years.

These guys make some very good products yet even as a dealer I find it difficult at times to get proper manuals and tips on paper.

There is basically no substitute for hands on time.

j-

 

[ossmink]

My advice would be don't be scared by having a go yourself. Everyone seems to be saying that only trained mechanics are capable of repairing a headshok. I was hacked off by having to spend £80 everytime I wanted it serviced (and doubted some of the quality of those services) so had a go myself.

Yes it is time consuming the first time but when it was all put back together it worked better than it has ever worked before. The tricky part is removing the needle bearings and getting them back in the right position. By buying an SPA1 pin spanner, a tub of grease and shock oil and improvising on the castle wrench, all for about £30 I am now able to service the headshok whenever I want and it is as smooth as can be (and the lockout works properly for the first time in ages).

There is some guidance on how to remove and service a headshok somewhere on this forum (try searching for "headshok service"). The model seems to be quite an old one but the principles for the needle bearings seem to be the same. The rest of the information can be gleaned from the cannondale website.

At the end of the day, if you mess it up, you will just have to send it in anyway so you won't have lost anything. From a safety perspective, you will know immediately if it is not back together properly. Just make sure the travel of the fork is within the Cannondale recommendations and you should be fine.

Its really not that difficult. Cannondale just want to make you think that it is so they can charge lots of money for servicing them.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

Its really not that difficult. Cannondale just want to make you think that it is so they can charge lots of money for servicing them.

Well.........I'm the last person to think Cannondale is not after the almighty buck, but, these forks can be dangerous, if you don't do something in the right order, or don't reassemble it correctly. I help a great number of people do them themselves, but there are those out there who just should not touch tools. Cannondale offers the service of making your fork happy, to those who'd rather not deal with it. Chances are, you do your own tuneups too, good for you. Those who choose not to, come to a shop, same thing:thumbsup:

 

[ossmink]

Fair point. I'm just having a grumble at Cannondale really because my local dealer (in the UK) has stopped stocking or servicing Cannondale leaving me with the option of posting the fork away or doing it myself. I just wish Cannondale would offer more technical support to those who do want to have a go themselves rather than leaving them to try and glean what little information there is on the web.

 

[MendonCycleSmith]

I just wish Cannondale would offer more technical support to those who do want to have a go themselves rather than leaving them to try and glean what little information there is on the web.

Forget Cannondale, you've come to the right place :thumbsup:

 

[plume]

Cool, thanks guys. I think I'm going to really push my shop to send me to get trained on this stuff. I definitly need to learn it.