Judy SLs spring kit - easy job?

[coomber]

lots of slick honey on the bushes of the sliders, bottom and top bushings, when you have it apart, before it goes back together, is also a great idea.

Thank you for the reply.

Can I use any old grease for this or does it have to be fork specific?

no, you have to be careful. the rock shox manual specifically says "non lithium" based greases, judy butter being one. slick honey was invented by arlo englund, who made the special air damper spring cartridge system for the judy fork, which also relied on slick honey for it to work well.

slick honey is pretty amazing stuff. its certainly no ordinary bike grease...

Thanks again.

Is this it: http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.p ... slickhoney

 

[merckx]

^ yep, thats the stuff!

here is a good link to a service manual also. only one thing to add,if your crown has pinch bolts holding the staunchions, as the earlier SL did, its much easier to undo the top caps, if those pinch bolts are loosened off fully.


http://www.mtb-kataloge.de/Bikekataloge ... judyxc.pdf

 

[Chris]

I bought one of those wings kits and it came with some plastic mesh to put over the springs to keep them quiet.

The kits are good but it shows up any faults with your dampers, as by there nature elastomers had some of there own.

Chris.

 

[mechagouki]

Actually, if you're swapping in springs in place of elastomers you don't have to worry so much about using non-lithium grease - lithium grease breaks down urethane so is very bad for elastomers - not a problem with springs.

@ OP - if you're taking the forks apart it's worth checking your damping cartridge too, removal is easy but you will need a set of circlip pliers, the cartridge should offer resistance as you pull the rod back and forth - if it moves freely your oil is gone - you can rebuild some of the cartridges, but if you find one made of plastic you're best to ditch it and look for a replacement.

 

[coomber]

Super, thanks so much for all the advice.

Have bought the forks so will report back how I get on!

 

[FluffyChicken]

Fork grease, any will do. I like Rock'n'Roll Super Slippery, I also have JUDY butter tube that came with one of my forks I bought on here.

I have Wings springs with the mesh in a set of mine. Don't know if they are the original ones or the newer one up ion the link. They work very well and the mesh keeps them from rocking around. They also fit in the top caps well and can be preloaded.

Speed springs are harder to fit into the top caps but they do go and so the netting also doesn't really fit around them.

Later kits (Type II/III) used a narrower top spring iirc so they fit in the caps better.

The newer JUDY Hydrocoil springs work fine as well, at least the one's I've got, think I need a 1/2" spacer in it.

You may need to pinch a spacer or cut a hard elastomer down to fit the springs in properly, but that depends on the spring you get. Wings use a spacer iirc, so should Speed 6" (for 60mm travel anyway)

so much about using non-lithium grease

It stops it damaging the seals as well I thought.

 

[mechagouki]

so much about using non-lithium grease

It stops it damaging the seals as well I thought.

No, just the elastomers, in fact white lithium grease is recommended for packing behind the seals of motorcycle forks, which I would imagine are made of similar material to MTB fork seals.

I might be wrong though, it's been known to happen.

 

[FluffyChicken]

so much about using non-lithium grease

It stops it damaging the seals as well I thought.

No, just the elastomers, in fact white lithium grease is recommended for packing behind the seals of motorcycle forks, which I would imagine are made of similar material to MTB fork seals.

I might be wrong though, it's been known to happen.

Ah it was the caking up then (checked the 1998 Judy manual), which are full spring, none mcu forks.

LUBRICANTS, CLEANERS AND MAINTENANCE PARTS:
Degreaser
RockShox 15wt oil (or fork oil without seal-sweller additives)
Judy Butter or high quality teflon fortified grease
Oil Bath Crush Washer
IMPORTANT: FOR BEST PERFORMANCE, AVOID LITHIUM-BASED GREASES. SOME LITHIUM GREASES CAN BECOME STICKY, TURN
GRAY AND CAKEUP WHEN USED TO LUBRICATE THE BUSHINGS.WHEN THIS HAPPENS , SMOOTH FORK ACTION IS GREATLY LIMITED
AND PERFORMANCE IS GREATLY REDUCED. IF YOU USE LITHIUM GREASE, CHECK GREASE QUALITY AND CONDITION AT EACH
25-HOUR SERVICE INTERVAL TO ENSURE GREASE IS PERFORMING PROPERLY. IF YOU EXPERIENCE PROBLEMS, TRY USING ANOTHER
TYPE OF LUBRICANT.

Either way just get fork grease, it doesn't cost the earth and lasts for a very long time and many many rebuilds, even the small tube.

 

[mechagouki]

Good to know FC, thanks!

 

[Rio]

if the damper of a judy is broken, are they hard to come by?