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Simple 32mm TALAS Dust Wiper & Oil Change

Click here for topcap cutaway view

RLC and RL only: Using a 2mm hex key wrench, remove the screw on top of the red rebound knob. Always hold the knob firmly when unthreading the screw, or damage to the rebound rod will result!
Note: The screw was installed with Blue Loctite at the factory, so it might be a little difficult to unthread at first. On the R model fork, you will not need to remove the screw and knob.
Click here to see Loctite softening techniques.
RLC and RL only: Remove the rebound knob after taking off the screw.
RLC and RL only: Using a 1.5mm hex key wrench, loosen—but do not remove—the three set screws on top of the lockout lever completely.
RLC and RL only: Remove the lockout lever; be careful not to drop the small steel balls (all three of them).
RLC only: lift up and remove the low-speed compression knob. Be careful, as some times the detent ball may be stuck in grease on the under side.
RLC only: After the low speed compression knob has been removed, you will see the tops of the low speed compression needle and small steel ball.
RLC only: Remove the steel detent ball and spring that is underneath the ball bearing and put them in a safe place.
Unscrew—but do not remove—the topcap with a 26mm 6-point socket. Be careful not to slip and damage the wrench flats. You may need to grind down the socket so that it properly grips the wrench flats on the topcap. See an example of a 26mm socket ground flat below.

Leave the top cap engaged a few threads for now.
After loosening the top cap assembly, you are now ready to remove the bottom nuts on the damper side (riders right side) and TALAS side (riders left side), which will allow you to fully remove the damper and lower leg assembly from the crown steer upper tube assembly.
Note: Place your oil pan underneath the fork before loosening the 10 mm bottom nuts. You won't want suspension fluid spilling all over your new shoes.
Note: Remove the Lockout Force Knob if your model of fork has one (RLC only)
Using a 2mm hex key wrench, loosen—but do not remove—the set screw from the blue lock out threshold knob.
Once the set screw is backed out a couple of turns, remove the knob and set it aside.
Using a 10 mm socket, remove the damper side bottom nut.

Screw the bottom nut back onto the threaded stud until it is flush with the end of the adjuster rod. This will serve to protect the adjuster rod from damage.
Using a plastic faced hammer, gently strike the bottom nut to release the damper assembly from the lower leg.

Removing the 32mm TALAS Bottom Nut from the Lower Leg

Using a 10mm socket, remove the TALAS side (the rider's left side) bottom nut and aluminum crush washer.
Turn the fork over and drain the oil into a drain pan.
Un-thread the damper side top cap.
Remove the damper cartridge assembly from the upper tube.
Note: The photo shown below may not match the looks of your damper cartridge.
To remove oil from the damper cartridge, very gently insert a small hex key (1.5mm) into one of the ports. This action will open the spring loaded check shim. While holding the check shim open, gently push and pull (very slowly) on the top cap several times. This action will pump the old oil out of the cartridge. Do this over the oil drain pan.
CAUTION: Wear safety glasses; be careful not to squirt oil onto your shoes, or into your eyes.

Remove the Upper Tube Assembly from the Lower Leg

Remove the lower leg assembly from upper tubes by pulling them apart. Drain any remaining oil into the drain pan.

Clean the upper tube assembly with parts cleaner and a clean shop towel.
Inspect the assembly for any nicks, cuts, scrapes, scratches or gouges, and replace it, if necessary. Upper tubes must be smooth, or dust wiper seal leaks will later return.
Use an 18 mm open-end wrench to remove the dust wipers. Be careful not to scratch the the seal gland as you pry them out.
After the dust wipers have been removed, the foam rings will be visible and you can remove them at this time also.

You can get a general sense of the condition of the fork by examining the foam rings. Dry foam rings indicate service is over due. The anodizing on the upper tubes should be examined. If the anodizing has worn off due to lack of service, replacement of the upper tube assembly is recommended.
After examining the dust wipers and foam rings, replace them with the following replacement kit:
- FOX 32mm Dust Wiper Kit (FOX P/N: 803-00-079)
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 to locate the one nearest you.
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 the 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 6.20mm.
Replace the lower leg assembly if the dropout thickness is at the minimum specification or less.

Dropout

Measuring the Dropout

Damper Cartridge Service

For specific service instructions for internal assemblies:

Assembly

Install the Upper Tube Assembly into the Lower Leg Assembly

Gently slide the new dust wipers onto the each upper tube.
Dip the foam rings into fresh 7 wt. suspension oil and slide them up to the dust wipers.
Push the seals and foam rings about halfway up on upper tubes.
Slide the upper tube assembly into the lower leg assembly.

Installing the Dust Wipers

Slide dust foam ring and dust wiper seal down into seal gland bore.

In most cases you will be able to push the seal in by hand.

If you cannot push the seal in all the way by hand, use a 10mm socket driver tool or 10mm socket with extension to help aid pushing them into place.
Push on the side edge of the seal. Move around the seals outer edge to several locations as you push the seal into place.
CAUTION: Do not push on the dust wiper lip and spring, or damage to the seal and spring may result.

The seal is now flush; repeat the procedure on the other side.

Filling the Fork with Oil

Turn the fork upside-down and pour 10cc of FOX 7 wt. suspension fluid through the hole on the bottom end of the left lower leg (TALAS System side).
After adding 10cc of oil to the TALAS side, push the lower leg up until the TALAS system lower assembly stud pushes through the lower leg hole. You may need to use a small flat blade screw driver to help guide the stud through the hole. Install a new aluminum crush washer and nut onto the threaded stud. Torque the TALAS nut to 50 in/lb (5.65 N-m) using a 10mm socket and torque wrench.

Installing the Damper

Insert the damper assembly into the right upper tube. Make sure the threaded stud protrudes from the bottom of the lower leg.
Place a new black crush washer on the end of the threaded stud.
Screw on the bottom nut. Using a torque wrench and 10mm socket, torque the bottom nut to 50 in/lb (5.65 N-m).
Turn the fork right-side up and gently pull up on the cartridge topcap. Fill the upper tube up with 160cc of FOX 7 wt. to prime the cartridge, and cycle the top cap up and down a few times. If the topcap does not come out enough to allow you to pour the oil in, you can let some air out to the main TALAS air chamber. This will allow you to compress the fork down. This will also give you more room to pour the oil into the cartridge side of the fork.
Screw the topcap assembly on and torque to 165 in/lb (18.64 N-m), using a 26mm socket and torque wrench.

Installing the Topcap Adjuster Parts

RLC only: grease and place the detent spring back into the detent pocket, then place the steel ball bearing on top of the spring.
RLC only: place the low-speed compression bezel onto the top cap. Align the bezel to any one of the multiple detent pockets with the detent ball bearing; do not align the detent pockets with the low-speed compression adjuster needle. The low-speed compression needle rides on the ramp feature milled into the bottom side of the compression bezel.
RLC and RL only: look at the ID of the lockout lever knob. You need to make sure the three small steel balls are in position; they should be flush with the ID bore.
Note: Each ball bearing must be on the in-board side of its set screw. This permits the ball bearings to glide in the hex adjuster shaft ball groove.
Now you can place the lockout lever on top of the low-speed compression bezel and the hex shaped lock-out adjuster shaft. Using the lever as a clocking tool, turn the lockout lever clockwise as far as it will go. Take the lever off and repeat again until you are sure that you have turned the adjuster shaft fully clockwise. Remove the lever one more time and re-position the lever near the 6 o'clock position (rear side of the fork); this is now the locked-out position of the fork. Leave the lever in place (do not remove again), and turn the lever counterclockwise until the lever is moved to the 12 o’clock position (front side of fork).
Gently tighten the three set screws. Do not over tighten the screws. Doing so will damage the lockout lever. 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 until you feel a little tension on the hex wrench, then back off the screw a 1/2 turn. Turn the lockout lever and check for proper, smooth operation.
RLC and RL only: place the rebound knob on top of the lockout lever. The lever and adjuster shaft are indexed.

RLC and RL only: using a 2mm hex key wrench, tighten the hex key on top of the rebound knob.

Note: Some cartridges may use a hex key of a smaller size that is .050"

Installing the Lockout Force Knob

Place the knob on to the adjuster shaft. Align the hex nut on the knob with the divot on the end of the adjuster shaft.
Using a 2mm hex key wrench, tighten the hex nut.

You are now finished; have a great ride!