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A couple of times now I've had trouble with my 2 step forks, and not with the travel adjust feature. They've become very soft, and not returned to full extension after a hit. Upon opening the forks and disassembling the air spring, I've found that the wave washer that sits under the snap ring of the piston shaft and provides some spring force that allows the air piston to function properly has failed and split in two. Every time the snap ring has still been properly seated in the groove on the air piston shaft.
The snap ring and wave washer seem to be the same as used on the solo air model. While wandering around I lost those which came in the air piston rebuild kit I had, and used an old solo air piston to replace those on the 2 step air piston. I only used the solo air setup for a short time, and I'm guessing that's why it didn't fail similarly to the 2 step system. The last failure was on a new fork about two months old, the previous on a fork about a year old, both after big hits.
Is this a common issue with both air pistons in these forks? Does anyone know what size the wave washer is, and if it's commonly available? I don't want to cough up for a rebuild kit when all I need is this washer. Is it possible to replace the standard one with a higher grade item?
Air pistons:
The pistons from left to right: solo, 08 2step, 10 2step. The wave washer sits between the snap rings on the piston shaft and the plastic pistons at the bottom of the photo. Piston assembly on the right has the wave washer fitted.
Split wave washer:
The snap ring and wave washer seem to be the same as used on the solo air model. While wandering around I lost those which came in the air piston rebuild kit I had, and used an old solo air piston to replace those on the 2 step air piston. I only used the solo air setup for a short time, and I'm guessing that's why it didn't fail similarly to the 2 step system. The last failure was on a new fork about two months old, the previous on a fork about a year old, both after big hits.
Is this a common issue with both air pistons in these forks? Does anyone know what size the wave washer is, and if it's commonly available? I don't want to cough up for a rebuild kit when all I need is this washer. Is it possible to replace the standard one with a higher grade item?
Air pistons:
The pistons from left to right: solo, 08 2step, 10 2step. The wave washer sits between the snap rings on the piston shaft and the plastic pistons at the bottom of the photo. Piston assembly on the right has the wave washer fitted.
Split wave washer:
