Forks leaking oil, advice please?

matt_aus

I have a set of 2005 Skareb Comps (80 mm travel) that are only about 2 months old, I have done a fair bit of riding on them including one XC race. Where the rebound adjustment is on the bottom of the fork there is oil leaking. The oil is only present after a ride; it does not leak just standing there. Its not a huge amount of oil, just enough the over the end of your index finger. I spoke to a mechanic at my local bike shop and he said forks will invariably leak from this part of the fork and he said that about 90% of forks will. He showed me his SIDs and they leak like mine also. Given that the oil is not 'dripping' out all over the rim he said it should not be a problem. I have not noticed any reduced performance from the fork at all.

Any advice, experience or comments would be appreciate. Thanks.

dabac

Very few things are MEANT leak oil, and I seriously doubt that your fork are among them. But maybe they simply aren't any better? Then you'll have to decide whether to accept it, or if its worth the hassle of trying to get your fork replaced. If the mechanic is right, then you stand a fair chance to encounter the problem again, even if you decide to switch forks. If you decide to keep it you should watch out for increased leakage and also remember to fill up with oil at suitable interval. Maybe it's a small leak, but there isn't that much oil in there in the first place.

stevemtbsteve

I have to agree that no equipment is designed to leak oil think about possible contamination of disc brake rotors I've run several forks, including a pair of sid's (on which I probably pushed them past their xc use on serious trails) and have never had any leak oil before!! i now run manitou minute 2's(i am a pretty aggressive rider), which run a similar (if not probably the same semi bath lubrication), and no oil appears anywhere outside the fork, and if it did i'd be down my LBS. My concerns would be that a change in the volume of oil would change the suspension characteristics as it went down; checking the level of oil is not a straight forward task; leaking just implies increased maintenance and less time riding
I'm not dissing ur LBS mechanic, he has probably seen more forks than me, but I would be looking for another opinion or if they are the shop that sold you them, it may be worth e-mailing manitou via their website. just my opinion

ahinalu

Aloha Matt,
No fork should leak oil at ANY TIME. One of the guys I ride w/ is cert bike mech, both the mechs at two LBS's ALL agree that no fork should leak oil ever.

Aside from disc contamination, environmental concerns (oil and nature probably not a good idea), extra maintanence, and just a generaly bad idea, it will destroy your stanchions. If any of that oil gets blown upward onto the stanchions, it will make dirt/dust stick, when you cycle through your travel it will scratch the stanchion.

Some forks have a bolt on the bottom or if that's where your rebound adjustment is a shaft with some kind of packing gland or O-ring.

Sorry for the long post, I suggest finding another LBS or drop a email to the fork maker and get it solved.

It sounds like an easy fix (replace O-ring), so I wouldn't stress too much. It's a lot better than having a bent or gouged stanchion

Peace
Chris

matt_aus

thanks for the advice guys - I was not happy to see the oil leaking, my LBS has looked after me for a number of years and is very reliable; but I was left unsure about his comments on the forks. I have since found out it is a matter of replacing an O-Ring - but I am surprised it needs replacing after such a short amount of riding!