How to lower your Fox Float 32 the GHETTO no-special-tools, or spacers method!

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How to lower your Fox Float 32 the GHETTO no-special-tools, or spacers method!
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Posted: Aug 10, 2009 at 16:17 Quote
Hey there, I lowered my float 32 w/out special tools, and more importantly, without using spacers of any kind, and since this method is not mentioned in the tech/service manuals online, I decided to make a tutorial for those ones who'd like to save money or have limited access to a good LBS. Enjoy Smile

1. Know your Fox website for the basics: http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/index.htm This site tells you how to remove the basics; air caps, top and bottom caps/nuts, the air pressures needed..etc, and this tutorial assumes you know everything from this site.

2. Find a nice large area for you to sit w/ some good music preferably

3. The tools needed for the job. Note the rusty hammer and the dollar store mallet.
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4. Follow the instructions on the the previously linked Fox website to remove your BLUE or AIR SPRING side topcap and bottom bolt. You do not need to touch the red or damper side of the fork to lower it!

IMPORTANT: Since you are a) ghetto or b)far away from a LBS, make sure you save the oil that comes out of the corresponding ends. The topcap end of the fork is "float fluid" lubricant, and is dark. The bottom nut end of the fork is "7 wt fox suspension fluid" and it is lighter in colour and more in volume.
Basic reference pics:
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5. Remove the AIR SPRING as per Fox's instructions and you will end up here:
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IMPORTANT: This is a pic of a already lowered air spring. Note the labels that show the original location of the pin.
Again:
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6. Now it gets tricky. To change the travel without purchasing and using travel spacers, you must punch out the pin and relocate the plastic stopper. To do this, you need another person, to hold, and a 3mm allen key, preferable in a multi-tool style, as shown. This is because you need to hammer the pin out, and the large flat surface of the multi-tool allen key helps a LOT. Take note of the mallet used here to ensure no damage to the rod. Do not attempt to hammer it on a flat surface or on your lap.
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7. After you've hammered out the pin and re-hammered it into which ever pin location you want for your travel, take a (rusty)flat head screw driver and press in any burrs on the plastic stopper made from the 3mm allen key (its a very snug fit).
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8. Put back the air piston, and making maximum usage out of the $1 mallet, push the piston into the stanchions while the fork is upside down. Make sure you don't push it too far just yet.
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9. Pour back the 7 wt suspension fluid into the lower leg. And then push the piston all the way in, until the threads show again. Install the washer and bottom nut till it becomes suddenly tight, and then tighten a tiny bit more than that. (the ghetto torque wrench is your arm)
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10. Flip the fork right side up and pour in the float fluid you saved in that "container" you stole from the washroom closet.
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11. Put on the topcap, and screw in until it becomes suddenly tight. Now carefully place the fork between your legs as you sit down and tighten the topcap another 1/8 or so using your adjustable wrench. YES this is sketchy, NO don't wreck your crown/topcap doing this. As for the torque: you need to put a fair bit of power using a 12" wrench while holding the fork with your legs.
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12. Pump the fork with your bicycle pump until the fork feels somewhat close to what it was before. Enjoy the new travel setting!
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DISCLAIMER: I do not take responsibility for the lack of common sense, basic mechanical skills, or other problems one may have in following this tutorial. This tutorial is simply a guide to help the mechanically inclined about this specific fork. If you have to Google to figure out which way to turn to loosen a screw, you should take it to a LBS no matter how far.

Note:
- You can only change the travel to whichever pin holes there are for it. Which means, either 140mm, 120mm or 100mm. If you want it at another travel, say 80mm, you must buy a corresponding travel spacer (20mm spacer after lowering it to 100mm) OR you can drill another hole on the shaft (do not attempt if you do not own a vice and/or a drill press.

Any questions, just pm me or post here.

Posted: Sep 16, 2009 at 12:23 Quote
really helpful thanks

Posted: May 29, 2010 at 4:07 Quote
hey does this reduce the axle to crown length?

Posted: May 29, 2010 at 12:12 Quote
LoganSTP wrote:
hey does this reduce the axle to crown length?

obviously... why wouldnt it?

Posted: Jun 1, 2010 at 6:11 Quote
I am getting my float this week and this is super helpfull.

Posted: Jun 23, 2010 at 3:33 Quote
How does this affect the spring rate. If you are going from 100 to 140, would you need a stiffer or longer spring? I have a 120mm fox fork,would extending it to 140 have any adverse effect on the spring rate ?

Posted: Jun 23, 2010 at 9:46 Quote
The float float is an air fork, so it uses an air spring. Changing the travel won't affect the spring rate if you adjust the air pressure as well (lower psi for higher travel to obtain same sag as before).

Spring rate progression curve will be changed though, since the air chamber is higher volume. This just makes the fork ramp up slower (more linear). Vice versa if the travel is lower (lower volume, ramp up faster)

If you have a fox Vanilla, it is coil sprung and this guide won't help you.

Posted: Nov 14, 2010 at 13:06 Quote
mate quality slippers

Posted: Nov 16, 2010 at 11:29 Quote
i like your very GHETTO rug lol

Posted: Nov 19, 2010 at 6:12 Quote
why aint this working on my f120? I removed the pin and put it at the 100mm hole but the fork is still 120mm wtf?

Posted: Dec 2, 2010 at 2:38 Quote
Is it possible to lower to 80mm with this method? Can't see if there's a slot for it.

Posted: Dec 2, 2010 at 11:51 Quote
if its a piston rod from a 140mm fox float 32, then you can't lower it to 80mm unless you drill a new hole or add 20mm of spacers after lowering the pin to 100mm.

Posted: Dec 2, 2010 at 12:34 Quote
lafalot wrote:
if its a piston rod from a 140mm fox float 32, then you can't lower it to 80mm unless you drill a new hole or add 20mm of spacers after lowering the pin to 100mm.
Cheers, my fork has already been lowered to 100mm so if it was done with spacers I should be able to combine the two methods Smile

Posted: Feb 19, 2011 at 19:39 Quote
It looks like for a 2010 or newer Float, you have to remove the air spring from the bottom. Ran into that issue after I tried to pull it out of the top today. This would require taking apart the rebound side as well. Looks easy enough though. Might give it a try tomorrow.

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