[matixsnow]

I have a 4 year Rockshox Pike that has always been serviced regularly. I've noticed the past 2 seasons that the fork bushings make a slight knocking noise when rocking the bike with the front brake held down. You can feel the knock with your finger jammed between the stanchion and fork lowers. It hasn't seemed to affect the fork's performance just a noticeable lateral knock when rocking the bike. Stanchions show no signs of wear or rubbing. It's definitely not the brakes or headset. Is this common on Pike's? Do I have to consider new lowers?

Thanks!

 

[Legbacon]

Send it in for service and new bushings before it does wear the stanchions. Bushings need to be replaced when worn.

 

[06HokieMTB]

Every time I've felt my fork bushings were worn, it was my lower headset bearing or the Shimano brake pads rocking on their guide pin.

Pulling the fork from the bike and trying to replicate in isolation will be your best bet.

I believe having a shop replace the bushings during a lowers overhaul isn't a massive undertaking. It requires a special tool to pull the bushing, which would likely prevent a DIY fix.

 

[beer_coffee_water]

My Yari was giving me the same symptoms after I had it for awhile. A small knocking clunk in the first 10% of travel. I checked the headset and brakes repeatedly and decided it had to be the bushings. I took to my LBS and they figured it was the airspring. I replaced the old airspring with a new debonair spring and the clunk was eliminated and my fork was finally smooth. It might worth to you to try that as the springs are $35-40 and its a perfomance upgrade at the same time.

 

[eshew]

Looks like new lowers are readily available online. I'd say follow beer coffee waters advice, try a new air spring, it's really an upgrade anyway. If that works great.

If not, No need to send in for service if that doesn't solve the issue. New lowers look to cost around $165 on ebay (Confirm part #). Buy em, install em.


That being said, if it doesn't knock when it's 10-20% into it's travel I wouldn't even consider it an issue. I've heard that some forks do this when fully extended & it can be considered normal if that knocking doesn't happen further into the travel.

 

[trailbildr]

Yeah, I bet you a dollar it's not your bushings. It rarely is.

mk

 

[Aglo]

A friend had play on the bushings of his Pike from new, it was ridiculous the amount of play. He was about to send it back, but he sold the bike and the buyer didn't mind because he was going to send the fork to be custom tuned.

 

[matixsnow]

Yeah, it seems like a sustained knock regardless of if I remove the air and squish the fork down further into it's travel rocking the fork back and forth with the brake held down. So it's definitely not just the top 10% of travel (thanks for the suggestion). I still think I'll try the air spring upgrade as you mentioned.

Hmmmm, I've already had a local suspension service look at the fork and they said, "some forks just come like this". The tolerances just aren't quite tight enough from the factory. Funny thing is, I have no idea if the fork was like this when I first purchased it or if the bushing wore down or "settled" (as some say).

29" lowers are hefty expensive $315 on ebay. 27.5" look to be much cheaper.

Any further thoughts would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[Aglo]

Try find a mechanic that do fork service and ask if they resize or fit new bushings, it will be a lot cheaper.

 

[eshew]

To find the correct part # for the debonair air shaft type your fork serial after you open the below link. Click on Upgrade Kits. You'll see a ton of part #'s just find Air Spring Upgrade Kit - DebonAir & the travel you want combined with your wheel size. Then do a google search for the part #, i found the one I needed on ebay. But do make sure to confirm the part #, if it's off by 1 number it's for a different travel air shaft.

https://trailhead.rockshox.com/en/search/