air forks usually leak ?
 

do air forks usually leak ? or there are some that never leak, i see many people saying that they lose a very small amount of air and that it doesnt bother them too much.. but it would bother me a lot.. i dont want to buy a fork that leaks.. so anyway im thinking of buying a marzocchi z1 FR SL 2006 anybody had any leaking problem with it ?

Air forks will leak overtime...whether it is very very slowly, over many many months, or regulary. It can depend on the quality of the fork or seals but someone will know more about this than me! :p.


For example, i have a RockShox Tora Air, and i have pumped it up once...that was 3months ago...havn't touched it again! Besides...you would buy a fork pump anyway, they are not too expensive and you pump it up yourself.

I have the Marz... (sp) EXR air/coil fork. It took a few weeks before sealing properly. Now holds air and haven't refilled in 3 months.
Hockey

Hum, I have a Manitou Minute and it hasn't leaked any and I have used it almost 3 months.

Not usual at all, maybe is a break in thing but it hasn't happened to me on any of the air sprung forks that have or had.

My SID has leaked oil, water(!?) and grease, but never air. It's beyond old now, coming up on 16,000km, and I can't even remember when I last added air. Like 6 months ago maybe.

I hope the Tora won't leak.

Mrs. M.'s 2004 Fox Talas Float RLC has been tight since April...just remember that you lose about 10lb every time you check the pressure (it goes back into the pump)

a friend of mine has a rockshox sid.. and leaks air a lot.. after i saw his fork going that bad i posted this thread.. well i dunno what to think.. i hope marzocchi forks dont leak air..

My headshok has never leaked and its 8 years old.

wow 8 years.. cool :D

any more people with marzocchi air forks have anything to say about this ? :P
btw.. the feel on an air fork is similar to a coil spring fork ? i mean.. is it as progressive as a coil ?

i learned the hard way =(
i stored my bike upside down for a day or so and when i got it out for a ride, it started leaking (first oil then air and now both).
i am so pi$$!!!! New seal = $20 and service = $40
I have no confidence in myself to solo this job, plus I dont have to tools -_- I will never ever ever ever ever ever ever put the fork upside down for more than 2seconds!

WHAT? please tell me that's not true for all air forks... i'm getting a reba sometime down the road... whenever i service anything i usually flip the bike on its back... i don't have the storage space nor the resources just to get a stand... :S

well... this is my first air fork and it's a little old, so I dont think it's same with general air fork. but from what just experienced, i'm never storing my bike upside down ever again. I was exeggerating with the "2sec" part =P

whew... for a moment there i thought u had me.

also, hydraulic discs can be stored upside down right?

as long as there are no bubbles in any part of the system i.e. reservoir...

I bought a 2003 rockshox Duke XC air fork used and pumped it up 1 time about 10 months ago and it's still holding the same air pressure.

Seals of any type on anything will wear out over time so if something leaks then it means it's being used and it's normal to replace those seals.

but normally if those seals are ok the fork should never leak right ? and i heard marzocchi has a very good lubrification on the air seals

I say go for it man. It's like asking for a chain that never needs to be replaced.

its just that.. i always had bad luck with forks.. i never had one that i really liked.. but anyway ill try my luck again, thanks everybody for the replies :)

Hmm, I have a Duke on my '04 Cake. I've had to pump it up 3 times in about 3 months. Guess it's shop time.

The guy I bought it from runs a bike shop and rebuilt it right before I bought it so that might be the reason why I've had good luck with it. So far I have no complaints about the fork.

I've never had a fork leak air or oil. My present '04 Fox air 100RLC has about 1800 miles on it and has been solid. I never bother even checking the air pressure as it never changes. I do keep up with the required oil change intervals and always replace the upper lip-seals though it's not required.

My Fox (rear) shock leaked air once when I used the seals too long. Good to have a lock-out when that happens. It works best for me to put a seal kit in every 80 hours or every second 40 hour specified maintenance. The air pressure will change slightly due to remperature changes, but I don't bother checking it either.

Before I ride, I just push down on the fork and rear wheel and check the resistance.

Al

There are many stories to this. Some people say theirs leak all the time. Some never, so do when they get over, some have to be pump every two weeks or every ride.

If you get a new air fork, it will usually last at least two years unless you got a LEMON product. In that case, the seals might be bad and you might want to get it service either by yourself if you know how to or bring it to a local bike shop or professional fork rebuild places if you can afford to like PUSH.

With the two air fork that I have, one is a 99 RockShox SID SL Dual air. I used it for a season when I bought it back then. Lefted it until 05, used for one season of 05, and started to leak in 06. Thats because the seals and cartaiges stuff has been sitting so long as well as they got old.

My other one 04 Fox Float RLC used for 2.5 seasons now and NEVER leaked at PSI.