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Fox RP3: travel issues revisited

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  Homebrew 
#1 ·
Am I insane or could it be that Fox fixed my shock and pretended like there was nothing wrong?

. I sent my RP3 in for service because I was unable to get full travel on my 05 Saltamontes. I got a call from the service department yesterday saying that they found nothing wrong with my shock after putting it on the "dyno?". It got full travel. I got it back this morning. I put it on my bike and set it where it was before I sent it off to the repair department --80 psi.

The shock felt especially soft -- like it did when I had tried 70 psi. I measured the sag at 3/4" of the total shock stroke . Before, at 80 psi, it was 5/8". the bike felt very plush, and a ride around my property suggested I was getting nearly full travel from your average medium-large size hit. It felt a little sluggish, so I pumped the shock to 90 psi. It gave me 1/2" of sag, accelerated beautifully, and got a little less travel at 1 3/4" of the total shock stroke. (It still feels a little firm, so I'm thinking 85 psi might be the magic number.) but still, the rear shock feels softer than it did before at the same pressures....Are they covering their butts? Would they do such a thing? Or am I nuts?

One thing that got me thinking was that when they sent my shock back, they installed the bushings/spacers such that I had to mount the shock upside down. would this make a difference in plushness?

This is odd to say the least.
 
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#2 ·
******* said:
Am I insane or could it be that Fox fixed my shock and pretended like there was nothing wrong?

. I sent my RP3 in for service because I was unable to get full travel on my 05 Saltamontes. I got a call from the service department yesterday saying that they found nothing wrong with my shock after putting it on the "dyno?". It got full travel. I got it back this morning. I put it on my bike and set it where it was before I sent it off to the repair department --80 psi.

The shock felt especially soft -- like it did when I had tried 70 psi. I measured the sag at 3/4" of the total shock stroke . Before, at 80 psi, it was 5/8". the bike felt very plush, and a ride around my property suggested I was getting nearly full travel from your average medium-large size hit. It felt a little sluggish, so I pumped the shock to 90 psi. It gave me 1/2" of sag, accelerated beautifully, and got a little less travel at 1 3/4" of the total shock stroke. (It still feels a little firm, so I'm thinking 85 psi might be the magic number.) but still, the rear shock feels softer than it did before at the same pressures....Are they covering their butts? Would they do such a thing? Or am I nuts?

One thing that got me thinking was that when they sent my shock back, they installed the bushings/spacers such that I had to mount the shock upside down. would this make a difference in plushness?

This is odd to say the least.
Honestly, what you are saying makes zero sense to me.

I have the RP3 on a Turner 5-Spot, where the shock has a 2 inch stroke. Therefore, I put in enough air to get the recommended 25% sag ( 1/2 inch of movement through the stroke), and it works beautifully. For me at 180 lbs rider weight that comes out to about 150psi, so it sounds like you are way low on your pressure.

I have an RP3 on a Turner Burner, where the shock has a 1.5 inch stroke (37mm), Therefore I pressurize it to get 9-10mm of sag (25%) for XC riding and again it is at least 150psi and it works great.

I don't know what your shocks stroke length is, but you should be working to get 25% of that in sag.

Finally, it is beyond my ability to ride around my property and determine whether I am getting full travel in the rear shock. How are you doing that?

John W.
 
#3 ·
Well, you don't know...

...my property. :)

the compression ratio on the Salty is designed for lower pressures. I realize I didn't specifiy the shock stroke -- it's 2 inches.

I'm just curious if 1: is it at all likely Fox fixed the problem and didn't want to fess up or 2: would mounting a shock upside down make a difference? (I know Push recommends running their shocks upside down on --walking beams, at least)

papajohn said:
Honestly, what you are saying makes zero sense to me.

I have the RP3 on a Turner 5-Spot, where the shock has a 2 inch stroke. Therefore, I put in enough air to get the recommended 25% sag ( 1/2 inch of movement through the stroke), and it works beautifully. For me at 180 lbs rider weight that comes out to about 150psi, so it sounds like you are way low on your pressure.

I have an RP3 on a Turner Burner, where the shock has a 1.5 inch stroke (37mm), Therefore I pressurize it to get 9-10mm of sag (25%) for XC riding and again it is at least 150psi and it works great.

I don't know what your shocks stroke length is, but you should be working to get 25% of that in sag.

Finally, it is beyond my ability to ride around my property and determine whether I am getting full travel in the rear shock. How are you doing that?

John W.
 
#4 ·
I got really strange vibes from Fox during my DHX travails. They did not stonewall per se, but were not exactly gushing mea culpas either. I asked repeatedly for information on the specific clunk problem and what they were doing to solve it and never got much of an answer back. We sort of pieced the picture together here. I guess it is the end result which counts, but the process was not very satisfying.
 
#5 ·
Interesting....

The guy I dealt with was, well, let's just say he was a bit snide....I'm being a bit diplomatic. When I asked him to lighten the spring rate so I could get a slightly softer shock (per Ventana's suggestion) , he gave me a long diatribe concerning the fact that to alter the internals is tantamount to a custom valve job and why they wouldn't do a custom valve job for me. (I did't catch it all -- too much cold medicine) Then, suddenly, he said, "you know, I probably just told you more than I should. So, I'm going to stop talking now blah blah blah." he then told me the only way to fix the spring rate was to get a whole new shock. No explanation of why I was having these problems -- very reticent .

I tend to think we're seeing a limitiation in Fox's pro-pedal damping, here. (I don't know this - I know very little about suspension ) They set the spring rate for Ventana's rocker design, not Ventana. Ventana simply tells them their rocker specifications -- they don't telll them what they want the shock to do. My bike has a riising rate linkage designed to resist bottoming. Granted, I weigh less than most Ventana owners, but you would think that if I can get a shock to sag 1/2" to 5/8" of its total shock travel, I should be able to bottom it at 25 mph in super rocky situations with a little air-catching thrown in.

By the way, I placed an order with Push yesterday. I've only gotten a preliminary response -- no order form to send off with my shock. They alo didn't return my call. Any idea what's up with that?

tscheezy said:
I got really strange vibes from Fox during my DHX travails. They did not stonewall per se, but were not exactly gushing mea culpas either. I asked repeatedly for information on the specific clunk problem and what they were doing to solve it and never got much of an answer back. We sort of pieced the picture together here. I guess it is the end result which counts, but the process was not very satisfying.
 
#6 ·
Towing the company line?

tscheezy said:
I got really strange vibes from Fox during my DHX travails. They did not stonewall per se, but were not exactly gushing mea culpas either. I asked repeatedly for information on the specific clunk problem and what they were doing to solve it and never got much of an answer back. We sort of pieced the picture together here. I guess it is the end result which counts, but the process was not very satisfying.
Yeah, I talk to Fox occasionally from the shop I work at and am on an "almost" first name basis with a couple of their tech and sales folks. When I had to send in both of my relatively new DHXs for the clunk, they were very reserved about any issues with these shocks, only acknowledging a "few" problems with DHXs. I'm a realist and don't usually go berserk over an issue with a new product as long as it is remedied appropriately. Both of my DHXs have been flawless since their repair service, and I'd rate it as the best shock I've tried to this point...I've tried a lot. I think Fox is just keeping understandably quiet on the issue, but addressing all complaints on the clunk with the appropriate response. It would be nice for techno geeks like some us to know what the "nuts & bolts" problem was in the first place...straight from the horse's mouth.
 
#7 ·
I got mine back last night

******* said:
Am I insane or could it be that Fox fixed my shock and pretended like there was nothing wrong?

. I sent my RP3 in for service because I was unable to get full travel on my 05 Saltamontes. I got a call from the service department yesterday saying that they found nothing wrong with my shock after putting it on the "dyno?". It got full travel. I got it back this morning. I put it on my bike and set it where it was before I sent it off to the repair department --80 psi.

The shock felt especially soft -- like it did when I had tried 70 psi. I measured the sag at 3/4" of the total shock stroke . Before, at 80 psi, it was 5/8". the bike felt very plush, and a ride around my property suggested I was getting nearly full travel from your average medium-large size hit. It felt a little sluggish, so I pumped the shock to 90 psi. It gave me 1/2" of sag, accelerated beautifully, and got a little less travel at 1 3/4" of the total shock stroke. (It still feels a little firm, so I'm thinking 85 psi might be the magic number.) but still, the rear shock feels softer than it did before at the same pressures....Are they covering their butts? Would they do such a thing? Or am I nuts?

One thing that got me thinking was that when they sent my shock back, they installed the bushings/spacers such that I had to mount the shock upside down. would this make a difference in plushness?

This is odd to say the least.
After the shock not allowing full stroke using the right psi and with the rebound at 5 clicks and in the (-) PP setting. Kinda like compression lockout but the shock was able to compress but very slowly. My reciept states that they installed, replaced or repaired the "3 way compression" on the shock.
 
#8 ·
******* said:
They set the spring rate for Ventana's rocker design, not Ventana. Ventana simply tells them their rocker specifications -- they don't telll them what they want the shock to do. My bike has a riising rate linkage designed to resist bottoming. Granted, I weigh less than most Ventana owners, but you would think that if I can get a shock to sag 1/2" to 5/8" of its total shock travel, I should be able to bottom it at 25 mph in super rocky situations with a little air-catching thrown in.
Ventana can spec the lighter valved RP3 OEM. I know Titus does this for the Racer-X and MotoLite (also low leverage). Anyway, you're much better off with Push although I'm not sure how useful the adjustable platform will be after the mods.
 
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