I recently purchased a fox air shock which has turned up without any hardware, other than DU bushings. This is fine, but now I'm faced with the dilemma of what shock mount option to use. The original plan was to use the cheapest form, but now I'm not too sure. It's been a number of years since I've owned a full suspension bike, there weren't this many options in those days!
Seems there is three different mount systems available:
Standard (Du bushing, then a press in fitting either side, now onto the mounting bolt)
Fox five piece mounting kit (No DU bushing uses a plastic fitting either side, then onto a steel though pin, spacers either side, onto the mounting bolt)
Needle bearing (bit unsure how this works. Looks like needle bearing replaces DU bushing altogether.. spacers on the outside of the needle bearing and the inner rollers are directly on the shock mount bolt)
Standard: $11 per end = $22 (this is using X-Fusion fittings, but should work)
Fox five piece mounting kit $30 per end = $60
Needle: $20 per end = $40
I'm keen on using needle as I can see the benefit (looks far, far smoother), but I just don't really get what the inner rollers of the bearing are actually resting on - is it the bolt directly or should there be a sleeve in there? Do they also need more frequent replacement or maintenance with all those moving parts? (this is for a commute bike)
If I think about the five piece design, its like Fox is trying to have a plastic, replaceable sleeve or buffer in between the shock and the bolt to prevent wear or damage to either the shock or bolt?
Seems there is three different mount systems available:
Standard (Du bushing, then a press in fitting either side, now onto the mounting bolt)
Fox five piece mounting kit (No DU bushing uses a plastic fitting either side, then onto a steel though pin, spacers either side, onto the mounting bolt)
Needle bearing (bit unsure how this works. Looks like needle bearing replaces DU bushing altogether.. spacers on the outside of the needle bearing and the inner rollers are directly on the shock mount bolt)
Standard: $11 per end = $22 (this is using X-Fusion fittings, but should work)
Fox five piece mounting kit $30 per end = $60
Needle: $20 per end = $40
I'm keen on using needle as I can see the benefit (looks far, far smoother), but I just don't really get what the inner rollers of the bearing are actually resting on - is it the bolt directly or should there be a sleeve in there? Do they also need more frequent replacement or maintenance with all those moving parts? (this is for a commute bike)
If I think about the five piece design, its like Fox is trying to have a plastic, replaceable sleeve or buffer in between the shock and the bolt to prevent wear or damage to either the shock or bolt?