Quieting a Suntour XCT fork?

A

alfantastic

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Before anyone starts poo pooing this thread, I know that the fork I have on my bike is the lowest of the low and probably not worth having, but unfortunately it came with the bike.

I was planning on just upgrading the fork, but it makes more sense to buy a better all round bike and that will probably be next Summer.

So for the time being I'm stuck with this:

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/fi...Exploded views/2014/SF13-XCT-DS-26-80-(1).PDF

It's not truly awful, but is a bit rattly and noisy on the bumpy stuff, and I don't think only having the one spring helps either.
So I was wondering if anyone has managed to quieten one of these forks down a bit?

I was thinking of using the Suntour pre-load adjuster removal tool to take the cap off to access the spring. Then pop a load of Buzzy's Slick Honey on the spring and inside the tubing.

If anyone thinks that's a waste of time, then pipe up, or tell me if there is anything I can do :wink:
 
Drunkskunk said:
I've spent the last 10 minutes trying not to post something sarcastic. :twisted:
Click to expand...
Me too, but it didn't work.

Fill it with any kind of thick slick sh*t, I believe that should make it happy for a while.
 
I appreciate you guys holding back on the sarcasm :D

As with any hobby, you start off being happy with something, then realize further down the line that you really need bigger and better.

I'm learning along the way lol
 
FWIW, I've got an XCT on CrazyBike2, and it doesn't make noises even on the bumpy sections of road that I can't avoid. (like right before I get to work it's getting pretty torn up from age and repeated "construction").

I'd guess yours must be getting worn out? Or your bumpy is much bumpier than what I have here (which jars my teeth and rattles my bones from the hardtail end of the bike if I hit it wrong or at the right speed, though the fork itself helps a lot in front).

Or...mine has a 9C hubmotor in it, so maybe that makes a difference, in that it doesn't bounce the wheel around as much?
 
I must be one of the few people who doesnt mind the Suntour XCT. at 100mm travel its perfect for commuting and xcountry. That said, I had a 2014 version one. Pre 2012 were supposed to be shocking.
 
At first I thought it was going to be an all steel pogo stick.

But yours is blown if it makes a lot of noise. It's a pogo stick shock now. Have you tried just putting some oil in it? It might puke out right away, or maybe take a week or so.
 
dogman dan said:
At first I thought it was going to be an all steel pogo stick.

But yours is blown if it makes a lot of noise. It's a pogo stick shock now. Have you tried just putting some oil in it? It might puke out right away, or maybe take a week or so.
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I found that the noise was in fact coming from the hydraulic brake lines. I don't know what the construction of them is, but they transmit a lot of metallic sound when jostling against the frame and/or fork. I've covered the lines at all the points where they are touching the frame and fork with silicon tubing.

It's quietened the noise down considerably on bumpy ground :)

The XCT has little to no rebound control, so that's the only noise I can hear now.
 
I must be one of the few people who doesnt mind the Suntour XCT. at 100mm travel its perfect for commuting and xcountry. That said, I had a 2014 version one. Pre 2012 were supposed to be shocking.
Click to expand...

I have a xcr, good cheap fork. Steel steerer. Not a dh or fr by any means, but it's holding up to alot of abuse.

As yours did raged? Is that the fork that was on the focus? Still in one piece, whereas the frame broke? That says a fair amount about the strength!

I would second though, that if it's making a bunch of noise, it's time to retire or tear it down and investigate/ fix. I'm not sure of the insides, or even the difference between xcr and xct (possibly just rebound lockout), if and what the method of rebound control even is for it, but assessment would have to be key in diagnosis and repair. Good news is, a brand hew replacement is under 100$.
Maybe this will help understand the xct
[youtube]MXGWktY5CY[/youtube]
embed seems to be faulty- heres the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MXGWktY5CY
 
nutspecial said:
I must be one of the few people who doesnt mind the Suntour XCT. at 100mm travel its perfect for commuting and xcountry. That said, I had a 2014 version one. Pre 2012 were supposed to be shocking.
Click to expand...

I have a xcr, good cheap fork. Steel steerer. Not a dh or fr by any means, but it's holding up to alot of abuse.

As yours did raged? Is that the fork that was on the focus? Still in one piece, whereas the frame broke? That says a fair amount about the strength!

I would second though, that if it's making a bunch of noise, it's time to retire or tear it down and investigate/ fix. I'm not sure of the insides, or even the difference between xcr and xct (possibly just rebound lockout), if and what the method of rebound control even is for it, but assessment would have to be key in diagnosis and repair. Good news is, a brand hew replacement is under 100$.
Maybe this will help understand the xct
embed seems to be faulty- heres the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-MXGWktY5CY
Click to expand...

Nah my XCT fork is definitely skewered after the crash. The steerer is bent right at a funny angle now and the QR stem and disc are also warped. As suggested above, you can do some maintenance if you already have the tools and grease handy... or just replace the fork for about AUD$100. The tricky thing is AUD$150 will get you low end rockshox.... AUD$200 will get you Manitou...
 
nutspecial said:
I have a xcr, good cheap fork. Steel steerer. Not a dh or fr by any means, but it's holding up to alot of abuse.

I would second though, that if it's making a bunch of noise, it's time to retire or tear it down and investigate/ fix. I'm not sure of the insides, or even the difference between xcr and xct (possibly just rebound lockout)
Click to expand...

Yours probably has two springs, whereas mine only has the one, which I guess puts it at a great disadvantage.

This is the exact one:

http://www.srsuntour-cycling.com/fi...Exploded views/2014/SF13-XCT-DS-26-80-(1).PDF

Although obviously a cost cutting method, I think it puts a bit too much strain and unbalance on that one spring. I mean, a car's suspension wouldn't be happy if it only had springs on one side.
 
The spring in only one side isn't the reason for substandard performance since AFAIK many front forks, including designs like the Rock Shox world cups have the spring (usually air) in one side and the damping in the other.
 
Ahh, I have seen that brake cable noise on go pro vids. mount the go pro on the bars, and tiny little clicks of the cables on the bars transmit, and sound like rattling marbles in a coffee can.

But for others, once the oil is gone, a shock can make a ton of noise topping out all the time.
 
dogman dan said:
Ahh, I have seen that brake cable noise on go pro vids. mount the go pro on the bars, and tiny little clicks of the cables on the bars transmit, and sound like rattling marbles in a coffee can.

But for others, once the oil is gone, a shock can make a ton of noise topping out all the time.
Click to expand...
Ha haaaa, mine hasn't got the luxury of oil.... It's grease, grease, grease and a little bit more grease :D
 
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