Bicycle Mechanics - RST Adjustable Shock doesn't compress

Hello,
2007 GF Tarpon RST shock This thing is like riding a fixed fork. Any quick Ideas on how to free it up besides taking it apart? The adjusting knobs are super hard to turn as well. Any way to shoot some grease in there? Pliers and a hammer? Thanks!

RST fork = low end. Unless these are rebuildable which I doubt once they go bad they're junk. Time to look for a new fork, prepare for sticker shock. Although I suppose you can try hammering on your fork, not much to lose at this point.

IMO a rigid fork is better than a cheap crappy suspension fork but everyone wants suspension so that's how they come..

If it's like the RST I used to have, the two plastic caps unscrew from the fork crown with either a) the special RST tool or b) a large pair of locking pliers. The springs should then come out. Unless you have an extremely long 5mm allen key, you won't be able to get the lower legs separated from the uppers, though.

Also, I had the issue with the adjusters, it turned out they'd bottomed out and when I tried to turn them further, I'd caused them to cross-thread. I managed to get them working again once I saw what the issue was.

TBH, it's probably easier to upgrade. I got a much nicer fork on eBay quite cheaply.

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to sell the bike so just trying to get them working again. I'll take them apart to see what I can do.

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to sell the bike so just trying to get them working again. I'll take them apart to see what I can do.

Just be careful, I just remembered that I managed to get the lowers OFF my forks just fine, it was putting them back on that was the issue. There's an allen-headed bolt in the bottom of each lower leg which you can unscrew fairly easily (it's recessed about a centimetre), but the bolt threads into an allen-headed nut thingy in the bottom of each upper leg.

I was able to unscrew mine from the bottom, but then when I came to reassemble the fork, I had to borrow several extension bars (the sort you get in socket sets) and an allen key "socket" that went on the end, then string all the extension bars together to get enough length to tighten the bolt.

Thanks for the replies. I am trying to sell the bike so just trying to get them working again. I'll take them apart to see what I can do.

Before you tear them apart, I just remembered I got an RST fork to work quite a bit better after dripping a bunch of oil on the uppers (shiny part) and pumping them to work the oil in. If they move at all and aren't completely locked up I'd give that a try.

Bolt on the bottom takes them apart.. .. yea probably sticks from internal corrosion.

if it does not move, since you are flipping the bike, lower the price,
and don't sweat it not working well.