Stuck Specialized Suspension Fork
03-11-23, 08:39 PM
#26
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This is the "keep the old bike running" fork. Coil on left side and oil on the right. I'm sure it's as much or more than you paid for the bike.
https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/pro...and-disc-brake
For the price and the purpose I'd get a rigid fork. I like suspension forks in general but sinking money in a 30yo bike... Look out for "suspension corrected" which is longer and is what you want
https://www.modernbike.com/origin8-cromo-lite-26-29-1-1-8-threadless-fork
https://www.worldwidecyclery.com/pro...and-disc-brake
For the price and the purpose I'd get a rigid fork. I like suspension forks in general but sinking money in a 30yo bike... Look out for "suspension corrected" which is longer and is what you want
https://www.modernbike.com/origin8-cromo-lite-26-29-1-1-8-threadless-fork
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Last edited by Darth Lefty; 03-11-23 at 08:47 PM.
03-12-23, 06:01 PM
#27
Newbie
Thread Starter
It's done. My son has a bike with working front suspension.
It wasn't easy. The first fork was fine, but the second one had an issue: the last inch inside the fork was rusty and the black cap and white plastic disk would not travel there and get stuck. This was another reason why the shocks were stuck in the first place.
Here you can see the plastic piece pushed down the fork until it got stuck by the rusty bits you can see along its edge:
The solution:
- use a 1/2" plumbing copper pipe cleaner to clean the inside walls of the fork
- file away the edges of the white plastic disk and black cap so that they become smaller and they could again travel freely up and down inside the fork
That allowed me to insert the elastomer and close up the shocks. Shocks now work fine.
The process messed up the front brake alignment. Now off to Harbor Freight to buy a set of metric wrenches so that I can adjust the brakes. Also learning how to adjust those brakes.
It wasn't easy. The first fork was fine, but the second one had an issue: the last inch inside the fork was rusty and the black cap and white plastic disk would not travel there and get stuck. This was another reason why the shocks were stuck in the first place.
Here you can see the plastic piece pushed down the fork until it got stuck by the rusty bits you can see along its edge:
The solution:
- use a 1/2" plumbing copper pipe cleaner to clean the inside walls of the fork
- file away the edges of the white plastic disk and black cap so that they become smaller and they could again travel freely up and down inside the fork
That allowed me to insert the elastomer and close up the shocks. Shocks now work fine.
The process messed up the front brake alignment. Now off to Harbor Freight to buy a set of metric wrenches so that I can adjust the brakes. Also learning how to adjust those brakes.
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03-12-23, 06:11 PM
#28
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https://www.bikeride.com/adjust-cantilever-brakes/
https://bike.bikegremlin.com/1739/ca...ke-adjustment/
Good luck.. i've watched "experienced" mechanics mess up canti brake settings. the post on the pad should be about horizontal to the ground, and at a 90' angle to the brake arm where it attaches. those shimano pads are great pads, but may have hardened over the decades... if they make a scratchy noise when engaged, they may need replaced... Kool Stop pads work great...
https://bike.bikegremlin.com/1739/ca...ke-adjustment/
Good luck.. i've watched "experienced" mechanics mess up canti brake settings. the post on the pad should be about horizontal to the ground, and at a 90' angle to the brake arm where it attaches. those shimano pads are great pads, but may have hardened over the decades... if they make a scratchy noise when engaged, they may need replaced... Kool Stop pads work great...
Last edited by maddog34; 03-12-23 at 06:23 PM.
03-12-23, 06:23 PM
#29
Newbie
Nice job!!! Not sure if it was mentioned in this thread … but some oil / petroleum based greases will soften the elastomers. If it wasn’t mentioned already consider silicon based lubes. Here is a product for them.
https://www.jensonusa.com/SRAM-Butte...QaAjLzEALw_wcB
https://www.jensonusa.com/SRAM-Butte...QaAjLzEALw_wcB
Last edited by Saddle Tripper; 03-12-23 at 06:27 PM.
03-12-23, 08:51 PM
#30
Newbie
Thread Starter
Cantilever brakes aligned Ok. But the plastic sleeves around the calipers are broken. According to
they cannot be sourced any longer.
Regarding grease: thanks for the suggestion. That one is not too expensive. But I posted above the one I got, hopefully it will work. It's black color.
Regarding grease: thanks for the suggestion. That one is not too expensive. But I posted above the one I got, hopefully it will work. It's black color.
