06 Boxxer Races - slurping ??? *SOLVED*

[SKT]

I had a bit of oil escaping the left leg through the oil seal on Saturday, and after a few runs I noticed a bit of a slurping/air sucking noise starting, like I've heard in other forks but not in these until Saturday. I knew the left leg had lost a fair bit of oil (the left leg only holds 30ml now and a greasy spring) and when pulling the leg down I found that the rebound valveing exactly the same as in my '04 Boxxers, including the Black Box red base valve was in the left staunchion. Odd really, I was told by a SRAM mech at the Nats that there was nothing bar 25ml of oil and the spring, although the service guide says otherwise.
Anyways, I figured once I'd replaced the seal and 30ml of oil all would be back to normal and no more slurping/sucking.

Not to be.......still slurping/sucking.
To be specific, it is more of a puffing noise..... fffffffffft......happening on the compression, getting more distinct with increase of compression via hte blue adjuster.
I've heard it before in other forks and rear shocks and it was a fairly normal sound, but not in these Boxxers before and they are only about 2 months old.

As I said, the slurping increases when I increase the Compression so I am convinced it's in the right leg with the Motion Control gizmo.
They feel ok around the street and the compression and rebound responds to the individual adjusters as per normal so I am fairly content with that. Just that this fffffffffft has appeared and I can't quite work it out.


I'm not sure if anyone has worked on there Races or Teams yet but this is a little bit curious. Anyone got any clues or ideas as to what may be going on here??

Cheers

 

[S.]

The service guide and the user manual are contradictory - the user manual shows the rebound assembly in the RIGHT leg whereas the service manual shows it in the left leg. Weird that yours is actually in the left leg, cos I know one guy (Josh/oz-freerider) whose rebound adjuster is in the right hand leg.

Also, are you sure that the rebound piston assembly is identical to your 04s? As in, the adjuster still only has quarter of a turn? And have you pulled down the right leg to see what the bottom piston there does?

 

[SKT]

The compression adjuster is definately in the right hand leg (sitting on the bike looking forward) no doubt about that and the forks respond to adjustments made without any issue at all. Same with the Rebound adjuster. There is a huge difference between the old rebound workings and these new 06. There are a few turns of adjustment in these 06s, where as like you said only about 3/4 of turn in the old ones. The cartridge in the left leg, with the base valve actually has the 2 little windows at the bottom where the rebound udjuster used to slide a white plastic inner piece inside the cartridge and block a hole or two, but now theres no little white blocker inside the cart windows. I find all this a little interestind indeed. I have never touched the right side internally and yes, the service manual shows all that is correct.
But when I pulled the left leg down, to my suprise, there was the identical rebound assembly and red Black Box base valve in it, just like my '04s. No joke.
If you look at page 6 of the Service guide you will see that there is indeed a base valve and spring shaft, specifically Fig 24a, b, and c.
So this confirms that there is nothing kooky and I haven't screwed it around, which relieves me alot, I've done some odd stuff to forks in the past.

 

[S.]

The compression adjuster is definately in the right hand leg (sitting on the bike looking forward) no doubt about that and the forks respond to adjustments made without any issue at all. Same with the Rebound adjuster. There is a huge difference between the old rebound workings and these new 06. There are a few turns of adjustment in these 06s, where as like you said only about 3/4 of turn in the old ones. The cartridge in the left leg, with the base valve actually has the 2 little windows at the bottom where the rebound udjuster used to slide a white plastic inner piece inside the cartridge and block a hole or two, but now theres no little white blocker inside the cart windows. I find all this a little interestind indeed. I have never touched the right side internally and yes, the service manual shows all that is correct.
But when I pulled the left leg down, to my suprise, there was the identical rebound assembly and red Black Box base valve in it, just like my '04s. No joke.
If you look at page 6 of the Service guide you will see that there is indeed a base valve and spring shaft, specifically Fig 24a, b, and c.
So this confirms that there is nothing kooky and I haven't screwed it around, which relieves me alot, I've done some odd stuff to forks in the past.

So the rebound adjuster is in the right leg, and there is a non-adjustable rebound assembly in the left leg?

 

[SKT]

So the rebound adjuster is in the right leg, and there is a non-adjustable rebound assembly in the left leg?

Exactly, just like the old rebound cart out of my '04s.......... odd dont you think?

I guess it would reduce some top-out.
I know this because a dickhead bike mech worked on my old Boxxers and managed to put the base valve in upside down....they were kinda stiff and topped out like a mutha farker. Thats the only reason I can think of.
Sorry if I confused you S. I'm thinking maybe the stock oil has gotten all foamy after 5 runs of International and 5 on the newly aggresive and brutal Abom, on top of a National round, a Vic round, the Nats and a few other races and rides. I'll replace the oil in the right side, compression and rebound side, and see if that sorts the slurping out.

Cheers S.

 

[DJ_Robbie]

My pikes make that exact same noise, very little with the compression all the way backed off and gets more loud as you crank up compression, afaik its definantly how the forks are supposed to sound. Sounds like pressureised air escaping. Its part of the motion control gizmo i think.

 

[vien]

i'm running 2006 boxxer teams here. I too am getting a similar sound. But it's quite small in my case - varies with compression setting. I'm guessing it's normal?!?

 

[SKT]

i'm running 2006 boxxer teams here. I too am getting a similar sound. But it's quite small in my case - varies with compression setting. I'm guessing it's normal?!?

I'd guess it was normal too. Except it only started on Saturday
Not to worry. I'm sure it will become apparent as to how big an issue it is.

 

[leight]

My Pikes started doing that too mate, after I gave them their first service. I have put it down to slightly different oil properties than RS oil??? what oil are you using, I used Putoline (spelling?) from wodonga KTM, the same as the stuff we put back in your old boxxers awaaays back.

I thought it was strange at the time too, that previously silent forks could suddenly start a weird blow-off sound with only an oil change.

 

[SKT]

My Pikes started doing that too mate, after I gave them their first service. I have put it down to slightly different oil properties than RS oil??? what oil are you using, I used Putoline (spelling?) from wodonga KTM, the same as the stuff we put back in your old boxxers awaaays back.

I thought it was strange at the time too, that previously silent forks could suddenly start a weird blow-off sound with only an oil change.

Sweet Leight. I haven't changed the right leg oil, it's stock. They feel fine, just odd that all of a sudden they got this blow off noise, but I'll let 'em go for a bit..... nothing like some R&D.

 

[SKT]

When I popped the top of the right leg with the Motion Control gizmo and looked in the stock oil was very frothy. I changed the oil and bingo. No more ffffftt on the compression at any Compression setting.

Solved....pheeewwwww

 

[ajay]

When I popped the top of the right leg with the Motion Control gizmo and looked in the stock oil was very frothy. I changed the oil and bingo. No more ffffftt on the compression at any Compression setting.

Solved....pheeewwwww

Im buying 06 boxxer teams, would you reccomend a oil change straight up, or do you think you just flogged yours pretty hard in the 1st 2 months..?

 

[SKT]

Im buying 06 boxxer teams, would you reccomend a oil change straight up, or do you think you just flogged yours pretty hard in the 1st 2 months..?

I wouldn't touch them until they need it. You'll know the sound when you hear it. Any half decent bike mech will tell you that it's wise to change oil every 3-4 races if you are having a good go.