F29 RLC/RL
Note: Before you jump into the service procedures, be sure that you understand
that there are two models of the FOX 2008 F29 fork, each having a unique rake specification:
- the after market (AM) model, with 44 mm of fork rake
- the TREK-Fisher original equipment (OE) model, with 51 mm of fork rake
Note: Some of these photos, while adequately serving to demonstrate service procedure, may not accurately show the fork model.
Disassembly
Before starting the following procedure, open this diagram to view a graphic cross-sectional overview of the RLC topcap hardware.
Remove the RLC Topcap
- With a
hex key wrench, remove the hex key on top of the red rebound knob.
Note: Before removing the RLC topcap, you must first remove the rebound knob, lockout lever, and the low-speed compression knob. Then, remove the nut at the bottom of the fork leg.
- Remove the rebound knob
by lifting it.
- Using a hex key
wrench, loosen but do not remove the three set screws on top of the lockout
lever.
- Lift up and remove the
lockout lever. If it will not come off, you may need to loosen the set
screws a bit more.
- Lift up and remove the
low–speed compression bezel.
- After all the controls
have been removed, you will see a ball bearing and a pin on the inside
of the topcap. The pin does not need to be removed.
- Using a dental pick,
remove the ball bearing. Also remove the spring that is underneath the
ball bearing.
- Unscrew—but do not remove—the damper topcap with a 26 mm 6-point socket.
Tip: You may opt to grind down the socket as shown below, to improve its meshing with the wrench flats of the topcap.
- Leave the topcap assembly
on. Secure your fork so that the fluid inside of the fork does not spill
out.
- After loosening the RLC topcap assembly, you are
now ready to remove the bottom nut on the damper, which will allow you
to fully remove the RLC damper assembly from the lower leg assembly.
- Place an oil pan underneath the fork before loosening
the bottom nut.
- Make sure the topcap assembly is screwed in a
few turns since you will need to turn the fork upside-down to access the
bottom nut. You will not want suspension fluid spilling all over your
new Hush Puppies.
Remove the Lockout Force Threshold Knob
- Using a 1.5 mm hex key wrench, loosen—but
do not remove—the
bolt on the knob at the bottom of the right fork leg.
- Once the bolt is loose enough, remove the knob
and set it aside.
Remove the RLC Damper
- Using a 10 mm socket, remove the bottom nut.
- Screw the bottom nut back on until it is flush
with the end of the adjuster rod. This is to protect the adjuster rod
from damage in the next step.
- Using a plastic faced hammer, gently strike the
bottom nut to release the damper assembly.
- Holding the fork over an oil pan, remove the bottom
nut and crush washer. If the crush washer isn't attached to the nut, check
the bottom of the lower leg; it might be stuck there. Suspension fluid
should flow out.
- Making sure the fork is right-side up, remove
the topcap.
- Pull up on the topcap and remove the RLC damper
assembly.
Note: The photo shown below may not match the product exactly.
Remove the Air Topcap
Note: Before removing the air topcap, you must release
the air pressure in the air spring.
CAUTION: There is a small amount of FLOAT Fluid in the
air chamber. This fluid can shoot out at high speeds when depressing the
Schrader valve. Cover the Air Topcap assembly with a rag when depressing
the Schrader valve.
- Remove the aircap.
- While holding a rag over
the topcap assembly, depress the Schrader valve to release air pressure.
- Unscrew—but do not
remove—the damper topcap with a 26 mm 6–point socket. Be careful not to slip and damage
the wrench flats.
Tip: You may opt to grind down the socket as shown below, to improve its meshing with the wrench flats of the topcap.
- Leave the topcap assembly
on. Secure your fork so that the fluid inside of the fork does not spill
out.
- After loosening the air topcap, you are now ready
to remove the bottom nut on the lower leg, which will allow you to fully
remove the air spring assembly from the lower leg.
- Place an oil pan underneath the fork before loosening
the bottom nut.
- Make sure the air topcap is screwed in a few turns
since you will need to turn the fork upside-down for better access to
the bottom nut.
Remove the 32 mm Air Spring
- Using a 10 mm socket, remove the bottom nut. If
the washer is not stuck to the bottom of the lower leg, check the inside
of the bottom nut and remove it using a dental pick.
- Screw the bottom nut back on until it is flush
with the end of the air shaft. You should be able to push down on the
bottom nut to push up the air shaft plunger.
- If you cannot dislodge the damper by pushing down
on the bottom nut, dislodge the air shaft by tapping on it with a soft–faced
mallet.
- Both the damper shaft and air spring shaft should
be dislodged from the lower legs.
- Remove the air spring from the upper tube.
Remove the Crown Steerer Assembly
- If the damper and spring assemblies are still
in the crown steerer tube assembly, they can be removed at this
point without issue. Unscrew the topcap assembly from the crown and lift
up on the corresponding damper/spring assembly.
- The upper tubes and steerer tube are pressed into
the crown using a one-time press fit assembly. The crown steerer assembly is not a serviceable item; any deformation of this assembly
requires its replacement.
- Both the damper shaft and air spring shaft
should be dislodged from the lower legs, allowing you to remove the lower
leg assembly. Drain the lower leg assembly into an oil pan before putting
it aside.
- Clean the crown steerer assembly.
- Inspect the
assembly for any nicks, cuts, scrapes, scratches or gouges, and replace
if necessary.
- The assemblies that normally prevent the removal
of the lower legs should already have been removed.
- Removal of the lower legs should be done with
the fork secured in a bike stand, and positioned over an oil pan.
Remove the 32 mm Lower Assembly
- Making sure the fork
is secured in a bike stand or soft–jawed vise and over an oil pan, turn
the fork upside down.
- Remove the topcap assemblies
from both sides of the fork, and let the oil drain out.
- If not already done,
remove all the base valve bolts and knobs.
- Gently pull up on the
lower legs, to fully disengage them from the upper tubes.
- Drain any remaining fluid
from the lower legs into an oil pan.
- After removal of the lower assembly, it is best practice to replace the dust wipers and foam rings
- When possible, the bicycle/fork should be stored
upside-down to keep the dust wipers and foam rings lubricated
Remove the Dust Wipers from the Lowers
- Using an open-end wrench,
pry up the dust wipers. Be careful not to scratch the inner surface of the lower
legs.
- After the dust wipers
are removed, the foam rings will be visible. Lift them out of the lower
legs. If they cannot be located, check under the dust wipers; they might
be stuck underneath.
Tip: You can get a general sense of the condition of the fork by examining
the foam rings. Dry foam rings indicate a lack of fluids or, possibly,
a leak. Dirty foam rings may indicate a faulty dust wiper. In either condition,
the anodizing on the upper tubes should be examined. If the anodizing
has worn off due to insufficient lubrication, replacement of the crown steerer assembly might be necessary.
Lower Leg Bushings:
FOX Racing Shox recommends that you have your bushings serviced at a Factory Authorized Service Center. Refer to http://www.foxracingshox.com/fox_tech_center/service.htm.
Bottom-out Bumpers:
- Bottom-out bumpers are technically not a serviceable item,
so they rarely need to be replaced.
Dropouts:
- Over time the knurled surfaces of the front wheel
hub and quick-release skewer wear out the dropout region of the lower
leg (see Dropout photo below).
- Inspect and measure the thickness of the dropouts
every 6 months or 100 hours. Ensure that any point on the surface is above
the minimum specification of 6.20 mm (see Measure
Dropout photo below).
- Replace the lower leg assembly if the dropout
thickness is at the minimum specification or less.
Dropout
Measure Dropout
Replacing the Dust Wipers
Discard the original dust wipers and foam rings,
and install new ones from the FOX 32 mm dust wiper kit (PN 803-00-079).
- Presoak the new foam rings in 10 wt. damper oil.
- Place the oil-soaked foam rings in the lower legs as shown.
- Install the new dust wipers over the foam rings and seat them fully into place using thumb pressure, as shown. You can apply a thin coat of oil to the sides of the dust wipers, to ease their installation.
Note: be sure to seat the dust wipers into the lower assembly completely and evenly.
Damper Cartridge Service
For specific service instructions for internal assemblies, click this link to open the 2007 32 mm RL and RLC cartridge servicing procedure.
Note: Before proceeding from this point, be sure that you have drained all oil from the damper cartridge.
Go to for more information about this procedure.
Install the 32 mm Air Spring and Lower Assembly
- Grease the threads on the upper tube.
- Drop the air spring into the upper tube.
- While tilting and gently pressing the upper tubes into the lower leg assembly, push past the newly installed dust wipers and foam rings, sliding the
lower leg assembly onto the crown steerer assembly part way.
Tip: slightly stretching the outer lip of the dust wipers in this step won't risk damaging them.
- Turn the fork upside-down
and pour the proper amount of FOX suspension oil through the hole in the bottom of the lower leg. Consult the Oil Volumes table for suspension oil weight and amount specifications per fork year and model.
- Push the air shaft until it protrudes from
the bottom of the lower leg. With a new crush washer,
thread the bottom nut onto the shaft.
- Tighten the bottom nut to 50 in-lb (5.65 N-m) torque with
a 10 mm socket and torque wrench.
- Turn the fork right-side up and place 5 cc of FLOAT
Fluid (one pillow pack) into the left upper tube.
Install the Air Topcap
- Tighten the damper topcap
to 220 in-lb (24.86 N-m) torque with a 26 mm 6-point socket. Be careful not to
slip and damage the topcap with the wrench flats.
- Remove the air topcap.
- Using a FOX High Pressure
Pump, inflate the spring-side topcap Schrader valve to between 45 - 125
psi (3.10 - 8.62 bar), depending on rider weight. Consult the table below
for air pressure guidelines.
CAUTION: Never exceed 200 psi (13.79 bar).
AIR SPRING SETTING guidelines |
Rider Weight | Air Pressure |
< 125 lbs. | 45 psi |
125 - 135 lbs. | 50 psi |
135 - 145 lbs. | 55 psi |
145 - 155 lbs. | 65 psi |
155 - 170 lbs. | 75 psi |
170 - 185 lbs. | 85 psi |
185 - 200 lbs. | 95 psi |
200 - 215 lbs. | 105 psi |
215 - 230 lbs. | 115 psi |
230 - 250 lbs. | 125 psi |
- Screw on the air topcap.
Install the RLC Damper
- Insert the damper assembly into the right upper
tube. Make sure the adjuster shaft protrudes from the bottom of the lower
leg.
- Place a new crush washer on the end of the adjuster
shaft.
- Screw on the bottom nut. Using a torque wrench
and 10 mm socket, tighten the bottom nut to 50 in-lb (5.65 N-m) torque.
- Turn the fork right-side up and pull up on the
topcap assembly and pour in the proper amount of FOX suspension oil into the right upper tube. Consult the Oil Volumes table for suspension oil weight and amount specifications per fork year and model.
- Screw the topcap assembly
on and tighten to 220 in-lb (24.86 N-m) torque with a 26 mm socket and torque
wrench.
Install the RLC Topcap
Before starting the following procedure, open this diagram to view a graphic cross-sectional overview of the RLC topcap hardware.
- Place the spring the
spring back into the detent, then place the ball bearing on top of the
spring.
- Place the low-speed compression
bezel onto the topcap. Align the multiple divots with the ball bearing;
do not align the divots with the
low-speed compression adjuster needle.
- Place the lockout lever
on top of the low-speed compression bezel. Using the lever as a wrench,
turn the lockout lever clockwise as far as it will go. Take the lever
off, replace it and turn again until you are sure that you have turned
the adjuster shaft fully clockwise. Remove the lever one more time and
position it near the 6 o'clock position; this is now the locked-out position
of the fork. Turning the lever counterclockwise will unlock the fork.
However, note that the fork will mechanically be locked out once the lever
has past the 3 o'clock position, although it is a good idea to turn the
lever full counterclockwise anyway.
- Using a 1.5 mm hex key
wrench, tighten the three set screws on top of the lockout lever. Do not
over-tighten these set screws; doing so will damage the lockout lever, and
also the low-speed compression bezel. Over-tightening the screws cause
the associated ball bearings to stress the surrounding aluminum surfaces,
causing permanent damage. To be safe, lightly tighten the screws, then
back off 1/2 turn. Turn the lockout lever and check for proper, smooth
operation.
- Place the rebound knob
on top of the lockout lever. The lever and adjuster shaft are indexed.
- Using a 1.3 mm (0.050")
hex key wrench, tighten the hex key on top of the rebound knob.
Install the Lockout Force Threshold Knob
- Place the knob on to the adjuster shaft. Align
the set screw on the knob with the divot on the end of the adjuster shaft.
- Using a 1.5 mm hex key wrench, tighten the set screw.
