26" Fox Talas Issue & Service

[john]

Now seemingly have two pairs of not working correctly Talas

The latest pair to fail are a 2006(?) vintage Talas RL. Owned for years. Never serviced.

Working fine until the last week or so.

Seems like occasionally - and now permanently - the rebound becomes extremely heavy to the point the forks pack down totally. Lockout now does not seem to work although Talas adjustment is still ok. On the back of a google search tested the pressure in the air spring whilst compressing the fork - seems to increase under compression as expected.

Pending a proper google search any ideas as to the issue? Is it likely Talas related (which might be the end of the forks) ? Or damper related?

Can anyone point me towards a service guide for this vintage? Assume I can service partially without getting into the Talas assembly?

 

[clubby]

Issue definitely sounds like it is on the damper side. One or more of the seals will have finally given way. Problem with most older Fox forks is that Fox is crap with supporting older designs and stop making service kits after 5 years past the fork being discontinued. That said, damper service kit may well be the same as the basic Float.
All the Talas gubbins are in the air spring leg and wouldn’t need touched to sort the damper.

Silk Suspension list a full rebuild for £70 but don’t know if that would also be for earlier models.

 

[john]

Sadly Silk aren’t servicing Talas anymore

Will have to hit google. Doesn’t seem to much in the way of spare seals for these older forks which is a shame.

 

[Splatter Paint]

Here: https://www.ridefox.com/fox17/help.php?m=bike&listall=service

From memory, I think if you fully open the damper dial i.e. least damping then cycle the damper up and down with the lower legs off, that will purge the old oil. Unless you’ve got the service tools to disassemble the damper, there’s nothing to be achieved by removing it from the upper part of the fork.

 

[clubby]

Doesn’t seem to much in the way of spare seals for these older forks which is a shame.

I totally agree. I understand there’s not much demand for Fox to produce parts for these these anymore but I think the least they could do would be to provide a spec list of what was in these kits.

 

[fiendish feet]

John
im still running a pair of 2008 Talas ll RLC
the service kit needed is shown above
You would need to deflate and inflate the internal air valve ....there was a few threads back in the day to modify a football needle valve and use this on high presure pump to inflate .... I run my talas with a empty internal air chamber ... does not effect talas travel ..
these forks are quite complex to service took me 6 hours last time
Fox used to have Talas sevice on thier site in good detail

 

[fiendish feet]

Lots of seals

 

[mk one]

Any use?