I'm running a Push 11.6 and an ACS3 on my 2019 Evil Offering with a Fox 36 150mm. Great improvement on small bumps & chatter. I've always preferred coil suspension over air. I typically ride Demo, Pacifica and occasionally UCSC. The downside to the Push kit as once its installed you can't convert it back to air as the spring will scratch the inside of the stanchion not allowing the air spring to properly stay air tight so you'd need to buy new stanchions if you decide you don't like it, or want to move the kit to another fork. I still say go for it!.
Push coil conversion?
Hey NorCal-ians! I have a 17 Firebird that I have been thinking about replacing but with bike availability and prices I decided to keep another year, at least. During COVID I replaced drivetrain and brakes so keeping another year. The fork is a Fox 36 performance elite and it’s fine but I never thought it was great. That version allows for extending to 180mm and I did that years ago. I was thinking about whether it would be an upgrade to install the push coil conversion. I would have to go back to 170mm but, I don’t see that bothering me.
So, I think it would feel different but, would it be better? by better, I’m thinking “plusher“. I ride Pacifica and Santa Cruz area trails and a bike park trip (or two) every summer. more of a downhill oriented rider. Curious what experience the norcal-ian brain trust has had.
the install seems rather straight forward, any experiences worth mentioning?
So, I think it would feel different but, would it be better? by better, I’m thinking “plusher“. I ride Pacifica and Santa Cruz area trails and a bike park trip (or two) every summer. more of a downhill oriented rider. Curious what experience the norcal-ian brain trust has had.
the install seems rather straight forward, any experiences worth mentioning?
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^^^Yep go for it! Theres a reason why Mfr's suggest that their air forks are "coil like". I have had the PUSH ACS in several forks and it is better than air. Although DVO comes closer than most.
Vorspring makes a kit as well
Do it! Got a Push’d 36 on my Tallboy. So plush.
Smashpot has hydraulic bottom out and more coil rate choice. As for scratching the internals and going back to air...you can simply install the damper in the left leg and coil in the right leg instead to keep the left leg inner stanchion walls preserved.
I did the Smashpot in my Fox 36, and to be honest I am not to happy about it, the installation was easy but I am not sure if the coil that I have it is still to hard, but when I try to get a new coils they were out of it. I got a new frame and build it with a EXT coil shock and 38 fork and I am so happy with this combination. I ride pacifica, UCSC and demo with out any issues.
Brilliant idea! Never even thought of that.Smashpot has hydraulic bottom out and more coil rate choice. As for scratching the internals and going back to air...you can simply install the damper in the left leg and coil in the right leg instead to keep the left leg inner stanchion walls preserved.
You probably can’t do this. The foot nut stud on the damper of a 36 is 15mm with the hole at the bottom of the lower sized for it and the foot nut stud on the air side is 10mm with a hole Sized for that. Also the finish on the inside of the stanchions are different from each other.Brilliant idea! Never even thought of that.
Might have been a Rockshox I saw someone do it on but I have seen the damper and Smashpot swapped to the other leg. I have a ZEB so can't verify the FOX leg hole sizes.
Thanks for the replies. In looking at the vorsprung option, I could keep the 180 mm travel if i wanted to but, wondering if 170 mm would actually be better since that is what the bike was designed for. The install seems a bit more involved, not terrible just a couple more things to do. At first pass, it just doesn't seem to be as refined an option as the PUSH option. I'm just reading the install manual so If someone has a different opinion, I'd like to hear it.
It's probably more refined..hydraulic bottom out works well and is speed dependant..you have a wider range of coil weights to choose from and the bottom out won't be temperature sensitive. Plus Steve who runs Vorsprung is the most down to earth and helpful guy you will ever deal with...he almost always replies within a few hours at worse case a day if you have any issues and as a bonus it's cheaper but importantly not inferior. It's by far the most popular coil conversion on the market.
I have the Vorsprung Smashpot 180mm on a Marzocchi Z1 and I absolutely love it - I bought it with this setup so can't comment on install but changing spring is easy - I tried a couple different air forks on same bike (including DC) and went right back to the coil fork - I like it much better than the MRP Ribbon coil I had on a previous bike although that was 160mm so maybe not a fair comparison - only minor downside IME is that it just absorbs everything so I have a more difficult time "popping" off small features, but you don't get this setup for small features!
What dual crowns are you comparing to...and how would you say they compare...was that at 200mm travel or 180mm?I have the Vorsprung Smashpot 180mm on a Marzocchi Z1 and I absolutely love it - I bought it with this setup so can't comment on install but changing spring is easy - I tried a couple different air forks on same bike (including DC) and went right back to the coil fork - I like it much better than the MRP Ribbon coil I had on a previous bike although that was 160mm so maybe not a fair comparison - only minor downside IME is that it just absorbs everything so I have a more difficult time "popping" off small features, but you don't get this setup for small features!
After looking at the Vorsprung, it looks like it may be more customizable. The install guide has some interesting steps.
It seems like Vorsprung is more customizable than PUSH but, vorsprung isn't specific to a particular fork. I guess this allows vorspung to be less expensive and more tunable. The downside is, I need to know what I'm doing. Just not sure if i want to have to tinker to the degree that vorsprung requires. I know it sounds lazy.
It seems like Vorsprung is more customizable than PUSH but, vorsprung isn't specific to a particular fork. I guess this allows vorspung to be less expensive and more tunable. The downside is, I need to know what I'm doing. Just not sure if i want to have to tinker to the degree that vorsprung requires. I know it sounds lazy.
Boxxer Select (air) 180mm; while the Boxxer did start to come alive when you are really moving fast in a straightaway, I liked the feel and traction of the coil single crown in almost all other conditions, especially small bumps, jumps, and definitely in tighter cornering - I also tried a 200mm Boxxer just for sh!ts and giggles but absolutely did not like the way it rode - steering was tooo slow and didn't feel balanced but that was probably to be expected when you put a 200mm fork on a bike meant for180mmWhat dual crowns are you comparing to...and how would you say they compare...was that at 200mm travel or 180mm?
In fairness, I have a lot more experience with single crown overall and did not spend a ton of time really tinkering with any of the forks since I'm not the best at that and don't tend to tinker with suspension a lot so that may play a role in the comparison - I just tend to get the sag to recommended settings, set the rebound by feel compared to other forks I've ridden and liked, and open up the compression and just set and forget - on the Marzocchi once I found the right spring, I haven't touched any settings since (not that there's much to adjust)
Now that I think of it, you're correct. Yep, new stanchions.You probably can’t do this. The foot nut stud on the damper of a 36 is 15mm with the hole at the bottom of the lower sized for it and the foot nut stud on the air side is 10mm with a hole Sized for that. Also the finish on the inside of the stanchions are different from each other.
I've switched a CC Helm back and forth air to coil depending where I'm riding for the last 2 years with no problems. I do keep the the spring clean and well greased. I am using a Push Ind. spring with an extra wrap of heat shrink tubing.Now that I think of it, you're correct. Yep, new stanchions.
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