1998 Rock Shox SID Help!

[dullonien]

This is a slightly annoying problem that I've encountered. I've got a pair of 1998 Rock Shox SIDs, they desperitly need re-inflating. I've found a manual for them online, so understand how to do this and what pressure is needed etc., but I can't find a 'football style' needle which fits! The one I've got is just too big and won't even fit past the thread of the small phillips cover screw!

I've been into a few sports shops, and they've all told me that the one I've got is the only 'standard' size they sell, it looks like this:

Does anybody know where to find the correct size needle I need?

Cheers in advance for any help.

 

[Huntso]

Looks very much like the one I use to pump up my SIDS

Could measure the diameter of mine with a vernier, but not much use if you haven't got any

Don't forget it helps with a bit of spit to ease it in (just waiting for the comments now )

 

[longun]

try tf tuned?,they may be able to suply new ones or try some bike shops,you migth be surprised whats lying about


as for spitting for lub :shock: baby oil works better lol

 

[dullonien]

Lol, cheers for the advice. yeh I tried some lubricant (man, this threads getting worse by the second) but it didn't help.

Longun, I'll take a look at tf tuned, I'm sure my SIDs could do with an entire rebuild (I'm not sure if they're leaking air yet :?) so I'll see what they stock. Any experience with rebuilding this fork, easy/hard? I'm pretty useful at this kinda thing, (managed to rebuild the gearbox in my parents Rover after my dad opened the gearbox instead of the clutch), so shouldn't be too bad.

Edit: no luck at TF Tuned, don't carry any spares for this age SID. I'll have to keep looking and hope all the enternals are ok.

 

[garethrl]

I sent my 98 SIDs to TF Tuned a while back for a service etc and while at it I asked them to replace the old football needle valves with standard Schraeder ones like pretty much every other suspension fork does. It was a simple straight swap and while I'm sure it added a few grams the added ease of use is completely and invaluably worthwhile.

If you're thinking of sending them in for a service anyway then you could ask if they can still do this. It was absolutely worthwhile getting them serviced there too, they did a great job. With hindsight the one other thing I'd consider doing at the same time is getting them to fit some Endura seals:

http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id46.html

but you'd need to find out for certain if the 28mm ones they offer will definitely fit an old fork like this. If not then this one should:

http://www.enduroforkseals.com/id29.html

In the meantime, I'll see if I can find my now-obsolete needle valve. If I can you're welcome to it.

Cheers, Gareth.

 

[dullonien]

Cheers Gareth. Thanks for the links, those RockShox XXX wiper/seals on the second link you provided seem like they're worth getting. I'll def change the air valve if I can find a replacement, I believe the later 2000 model SID's unit is a drop in replacement?

I'd like to send them in for a service, but am unwilling to spend £80 to service a fork that only cost £100 to begin with (not long had them from ebay) especially as I'm totally capable of doing it myself. If I can find a rebuild kit, I'll do it myself, but that seems to be tricky nowerdays.

If you do have the original needle, that would be great mate, but don't put yourself out looking for it. I'm sure somewhere must sell one that fits. Come to think about it, what I need it the sh***y ones I used to have when I was a child, they always broke because they were too thin!

 

[Xesh]

.....I believe the later 2000 model SID's unit is a drop in replacement?

All you have to do is unscrew the top caps and screw in the new ones. Make sure that they're proper schraeder valves as the '99 ones used a miniature version that was unique to Rock Shox, iIrc.

Also I may have some spares knocking around for these as I used to have these forks. I'll let you know what I find.

 

[dullonien]

Also I may have some spares knocking around for these as I used to have these forks. I'll let you know what I find.

That would be awesome. But as I said to Gareth, don't put yourself out looking for them.

It was a bit of an odd choice from RockShox to use the football style nozzle wasn't it? They're not exactly the most relieable things, sticking to Schraeder or Presta valves would have been better and easier all round! Suppose they learned from their mistake on the later models.

 

[dullonien]

I finally managed to find an adaptor of the right size. Good old pound-land............ came with a free pump though

 

[longun]

sweeeeeeeeeeeet