Replacing the Fox Shock Bushing

[flipnidaho]

If you slightly lift up the saddle of 575 and hear a knocking or looseness kinda noise, make sure all the suspension bolts are tight, your rear wheel's bearings are not loose and your saddle is tight on the seatpost. If the sound and sensation is still there, it's more than likely your shock's bushings.
Here is what it would sound like (turn up the volume):


I'm not including the steps to remove the shock from the bike and the dogbone as that was already covered on a different thread.

Step 1- Gather all the tools you will need. In this case, a bushing tool. This tool is made by mtbr member "mtnbiker4life" and he sells it in the classifieds along with bushings for different manufacturers. It is a very well made and I highly recommended it to the DIY crowd! Also shown are the assorted tools needed to remove the shock from the Yeti and it's dogbone linkage.



Here is a picture of the old bushing prior to removal.


Step 2- Insert the Ejector Pin through the bushing and slide the bushing guide on the other side with the counter bore facing the shock so as to capture the bushing once it's pressed out by the pin.



I used a vise to press the bushing out out of the shock eyelet and into the counter bore.


The bushing presses out pretty easily using the vise.


Note that the bushing has been pressed out of the shock's eyelet and into the counterbore on the other side.


Step 3- Installing a new bushing
Clean the eyelet.


Lightly grease the pin


Put the new bushing on the pin


Lightly grease the bushing


Place the support foot (the end cap) into the counter bore of the bushing guide (the counter bore will not be directly against the shock during the bushing installation).


Make sure that the slit in the bushing is facing away from the shock body (or facing the back of the bike).


Put the tool into the vise and slowly press the new bushing in.


Halfway in


Done



Step 4- Put the shock back on the bike and torque all bolts to spec.

Test. No more bushing slop


Total time was 10 minutes to remove the shock and dog bone, 5 minutes to remove and install a new bushing and another 10 minutes to reinstall the dog bone and put the shock back on the bike....

[pinknz]

excellent thanks, glad I got my LBS to do and didnt try and do with a hammer and bolt !
Cost here in NZ US$ 25.00

[crisillo]

awesome pictorial, Flip!

one detail though...aren't bushing supposed to work completely dry? I thought grease actually increased wear and they were "self lubricating".....I am sure mtnbiker4life will drop by and clear this doubt...

[crisillo]

ah...seems I misunderstood...

I just reread that part from the bushing tool instructions

"Rub a light coating of grease on the Ejector Pin o-ring then place a new bushing on the
Ejector Pin. Place the Support Foot into the counter bore on the Bushing Guide as shown.
Then slide the Bushing Guide onto the end of the Ejector Pin. At this point you will want to
position the slit in the new bushing so it opposes the direction of shock travel. Also, to make
the installation a little easier you can add some grease to the outside surface of the new
bushing. Now press the Ejector Pin until the front side of the bushing is flush with the other
side of shock/Bushing Guide. Carefully remove the Ejector Pin.

Before installing shock spacers rub a light coating of grease on the surfaces that will contact
the new bushing. Even though, these bushings are designed to be run dry and the bearing
surface material is extremely durable any excessive rubbing will degrade bushing longevity."

[AZmtncycler]

Thanks for posting. I'm gonna go get one of these . Oh.... BTW you need to get this... Then you can really use that vice
http://www.calcarcover.com/product.aspx?id=591&cid=31

[flipnidaho]

Thanks for posting. I'm gonna go get one of these . Oh.... BTW you need to get this... Then you can really use that vice
http://www.calcarcover.com/product.aspx?id=591&cid=31

Dude... I was looking for those at Harbor Freight a couple of weeks ago. I'm thinking that I can just use some old inner tubes wrapped around the jaws for now...

The tool is surprisingly affordable (it will pay for itself the first time you use it).... And with the number of bikes that you have with Fox shocks and the way the bushings wear out on a 6 month basis, you'd be ahead in less than a year...

[AZmtncycler]

Dude... I was looking for those at Harbor Freight a couple of weeks ago. I'm thinking that I can just use some old inner tubes wrapped around the jaws for now...

The tool is surprisingly affordable (it will pay for itself the first time you use it).... And with the number of bikes that you have with Fox shocks and the way the bushings wear out on a 6 month basis, you'd be ahead in less than a year...

Well, you'll be happy to know that my stable has been reduced to only 4 bikes now Three using Fox shocks though.. So, I'm ordering 6 bushing along with the tool from Vince. Thanks again Flip for posting the good stuff!

[AZmtncycler]

Gotta say.... If anyone of you fellow 575 tribe members have that slight play when you lift you bike by the seatpost, Get one of these. My '05 Tangerine Dream was exhibiting this small vertical play and after replacing the DU bushings with this tool... zippo, nada, none whatsoever. I rate this as a .

[VaughnA]

I had mine replaced about a month ago. My great LBS (Bikes Unlimited Lynchburg Va) replaced it at NO COST. My bike was about a year old. They said it shouldn't be like that so soon so they took care of me. Great shop!

[RocketMagnet]

Aye if you lift your bike up by the rear end unweighted (thats u off the bike) and it knocks or you can feel play replace you bushings. Also you can often see the tiny movement which confirms it's the shock busings worn and not something else.

I assume most people basic service their rear shocks - air can clean etc. As long as you've got the correct tool and the correct bushings this is a pretty simple job actually.
If you can take your shock off - clean the can and regrease then refit - thats the hardest part already done IMO - pushing out the old ones and pressing in the new ones with the tool is pretty idiot proof imo as the above pictorial demonstrates. Only without the right tool is it risky.

Personally the first time I had ever mine done on a bike I got them replaced at the service centre (for a major service) - once you get the tool and have a vice however the bushings replacement is a 5 minute job and nothing to be really scared of. Of course if your not sure then it's worth getting your LBS to do it - but it's really really simple tbh and if i can do it then I assume most people can.

A few years ago when I started biking I knew nothing about bike maintenance and I worked up from simple tasks to the more complicated stuff by reading the various books. I reasoned that when i'm biking in the middle of nowhere I need to know how it all works and how to fix it. Now i've got no reservations in building a bike from scratch and i'm suprised how easy it really is.

[james page]

anybody know where i can get one of these bushing tools (online maybe) and bushings?

[flipnidaho]

http://classifieds.mtbr.com/showprod...ct=30189&cat=9

[antonio]

Forgot all about this tool. I'll order one now.

[antonio]

BTW - The Yeti linkage tool is on Jenson for $20.

[antonio]

I finally got around to replacing the bushing on the rp3 of my wife's 06 575, and I just wanted to say thanks to flipnidaho, jeremyp11, and mtnbiker4life.


mtnbiker4life's bushing tool, and this thread and bits of info from the following threads (with pics and steps) from flip and jeremy made the whole process VERY easy.

RP23 Woes...Today just was not my day!
Blown RP3 help...

Thanks,
Ant

Gotta love the tribe!!

[Notahammer]

where can i get the eyelet bushings

[kiwirider]

where can i get the eyelet bushings

From your local bike shop - they are pretty common and cheap.

[bing!]

From your local bike shop - they are pretty common and cheap.

or you could swtich them to needle bearings. 50+ bucks for a set

http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id276.html

[AZmtncycler]

If you own a 575, you are stuck with the DU bushings.. there isn't enough space between the dog bone and the shock to fit these needle bearing kits

[hssp]

If you own a 575, you are stuck with the DU bushings.. there isn't enough space between the dog bone and the shock to fit these needle bearing kits

You really do not need the needle bearings on the lower shock mount, as the dogbone and seat stay both have cartridge bearings, keeping things smooth. You can however mount it on the upper mount. I did My opinion is that the bigger movement on a pivot, the more you will benefit from upgrading to needle bearings from bushings. My ASR has needle bearings on both eyes.

[Mark G]

I have a knocking sound on my 09 575, but not from lifting the back, when I put weight on the saddle and push down there is an annoying knock which I can also hear when riding, my LBS have tightened all bolts and checked the shock bushings but can't seem to find any thing, I have taken seat post off and it's still there, I have swapped forks recently and still there, I've removed cables and swapped wheels. Please can any one help

[AZmtncycler]

try cycling the suspension with the shock disconnected at the upper mount. At least you can then feel for what may be binding up. Does it knock at the same location every time?

[Mark G]

Disconnected the shock at the top mount, but it takes a bit of weight onto the top tube or saddle for it to knock.

[AZmtncycler]

Disconnected the shock at the top mount, but it takes a bit of weight onto the top tube or saddle for it to knock.

does the knock occur at the same spot of the suspension cycle? If so, it might be the bearings in the dogbone.

[Mark G]

Yes it seems too, I will check the dog bone bearings, thanks