Originally Posted by
dminor
OK, look: you have a low-end Suntour fork with no damping circuits; therefore, no oil. It is a grease-lubed fork; and the grease stiffens in the cold. You are going to find this in most lower-priced replacements too, because lower-end Manitous, most RSTs and a few others - - even if they have rebound-damping circuits - - are grease-lubed forks. As mentioned above, a surer bet is to look for a Marzocchi or some other open- or semi-open oil-bath fork that actually uses fork oil for not only the damping circuits but for keeping the bushings lubed.
ok, look: i have rebuilt many motorcycle forks (among other things), but never a bicycle fork. i just paid for books and tuition, so i was trying to see if rebuilding it would get me through until this summer, when i will have disposable cash. i have not said that i am not looking for a used better quality fork, i'm just asking if this thing is at all salvageable while i look for a new fork. since rebuild = almost free.
sorry for annoying you personally, dminor, but the search isn't working for me right now. i just wanted to know if spending the time taking it all apart and putting it back together would change anything, or if it would be back to the viagra fork in 3 days.
at least this wasn't another "my 29er is soooo much better than any 26" bike, even though i have no facts to back up my claim" thread. AND i kind of did my homework on the suntour website.