Are you ready to rebuild a damper?

Β Are You Ready to Rebuild a Fork or Shock Damper?

⚠️ WARNING: Suspension systems are highly pressurized. Incorrect disassembly can result in serious injury or death. This level of service is only for experienced and confident mechanics. These tools are for home mechanics only, not for professional workshop use.

Minimum Skill Requirements

  • You’re comfortable bleeding brakes and changing pads
  • You know how to pull a cassette out, work on your freehub and change bearings on your bike
  • You’ve done at least two fork lower leg service (50-hour interval) and were very comfortable with it
  • You’ve used a torque wrench or luggage scale to torque parts properly
  • You understand what an IFP or bladder is, how it works, and how to pressurize your damper
  • You know all the suspension words and parts
  • You understand what is pressurized in your suspensions and what is not.
  • You understand well what bleeding air from a hydraulic circuit means

Depressurization Must-Knows

  • Rear Shocks: All air shocks are pressurized in both the air spring and damper. Always depressurize slowly with the shock mounted on your bike, drop pressure 30–50β€―psi at a time and cycle it to equalize chambers. If it "sucks down," reinflate, stroke, and try again. If you don't do it on the bike, it will be hard to pull when it starts to suck down, the negative pressure can't escape so it's gonna become stronger than the postive spring.
  • Coil Shocks: Damper is still pressurized! Never assume it’s safe. Learn the correct depressurization method first.
  • Forks: Air spring is pressurized. Fully release all air before service. Most damper in forks are not pressurized but check your model’s manual.
    • Make sure to equalize the chambers at the end to release all the remaining pressure in the positive chamber as the fork gets sucked down.

πŸ’‘ Extra Tip for Air Shocks: After releasing air from the Schrader valve or with a needle, always open the bleed port slowly. Especially on highly aerated shocks (squishy) or air shocks in general. If you insert a needle/push the piggy back cap and it hits something right away, your IFP is likely at the top and it touches it. That’s dangerous, the damper is still pressurized. Basically the oil becomes aerated and takes more volume so, even if you release the pressure from the IFP reservoir, the oil stays pressurized because the IFP hits the top. Wear safety glasses.

Point the shock away from your body into a blastic bucket or tray. Release the remaining pressure slowly.

Find Your Manual First

Use your serial number or TuneID to find full specs and manuals.

Β Fork Oil Volumes

  • RockShox Oil Volume Chart
  • FOX Oil Volume Chart
  • DVO Oil Chart
  • For forks equipped with GRIP dampers, always match the oil in your lowers to the damper oil. GRIP dampers slowly ingest lower-leg oil into the damping circuit, so if you top up the lowers with a different viscosity, say 20 wt when your damper uses 4 w, the fork will gradually feel harsher. To keep your suspension dialing in exactly as intended, use the same oil weight.

Cane Creek Helm: Use Motorex 15wt Fork Oil or just some fox 20wt Gold : 5ml in Air Spring, 7ml in Damper Leg.

Rule of thumb: 15-20ml per leg unless otherwise specified. FOX GRIP dampers often require 40ml because they recirculate and overflow oil from the damper side

Ohlins or boutique brands: Try to find a manual or use best judgment if confident. We don’t cover them.

Research Your Shock

Tool Usage Is Critical

⚠️ Every tool we sell has a specific manual on our website.

Don’t guess how to use shaft clamps or sockets. If you mess this up, the shaft will slip, and the shock could be damaged. Read the instructions. Follow them.

Still Unsure?

If you’re stuck, tell us exactly where you got stuck and what you did. We’ll help.

Bear in mind, if you’ve read this far, you’re smarter than most. You care, and that alone makes a good mechanic. Be precise. Be patient. You got this.

⚠️ By using any tools, manuals, or rebuild kits from Shock Wave Parts, you acknowledge that suspension systems are dangerous if mishandled and agree to our Terms of Service.