Step 1

Set all rebound and compression adjusters to their lowest setting (fully counter-clockwise).

Clamp your shocks non-adjuster eyelet in a soft-jawed vice. Remove the black air cap and thread on your FOX shock pump. Slowly release all air from the main air chamber with your pump, then remove the pump. Verify that all air has been released by depressing the Schrader valve with a lint-free towel covering the valve to prevent any oil spray.

Step 2

Rotate the air sleeve counter-clockwise (when viewed from above) until it stops, then push it down toward the soft-jawed vice. There will be resistance as you slide the air sleeve down due to o-ring friction. Remove the shock from the vice and slide the air sleeve the rest of the way off the shock to remove.

Step 3

Remove any air volume spacers by stretching them over the non-adjuster eyelet.

Step 4

Clean the inner air sleeve with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel. Clamp the inner air sleeve in your X2 air sleeve clamps (PN: 803-00-968). 

Step 5

Carefully engage the prongs of the negative air sealhead tool (PN: 398-00-419) with the notches of the negative air sealhead. Do not scratch the outer body with your tool. Maintain downward pressure on the negative air sealhead tool to keep it engaged while you turn it counter-clockwise to unthread. Slide the neg air sealhead up toward the adjuster eyelet once unthreaded.

Step 6

Invert the shock in your clamps, then turn the eyelet torque tool (PN: 398-00-280) counter-clockwise to unthread the eyelet from the inner air sleeve.

Step 7

Unthread the inner air sleeve from the non-adjuster eyelet. Slide the inner air sleeve and neg air sealhead toward the adjuster eyelet.

Step 8

Clean the shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp the shaft in the FLOAT X2 specific 9mm shaft clamps. Be careful not to let any part of the shock contact the vice. Unthread the non-adjuster eyelet from the shaft by turning it counter-clockwise. 

Step 9

Remove the non-adjuster eyelet and replace the o-ring with a new greased one from the kit. Set the rebuilt eyelet aside.

Step 10

Remove the travel/volume spacer if present. This part can be tight on the shaft, and can require significant force to remove. Remove it by pulling up. Do not bend the shaft while removing the travel/volume spacer if present. Remove the two bottom out plates and the bottom out o-ring and set them aside.

Step 11

Remove the inner air sleeve by sliding it off the shock. Replace the o-ring on the inner air sleeve with a new greased one from the kit. Inspect the inside of the inner air sleeve for any scratches or damage and replace if necesarry.

Step 12

Unthread (counter-clockwise) the reservoir end cap assembly from the reservoir with a 6mm hex wrench. Remove the reservoir end cap assembly and replace its o-ring with a new one from the kit.

Step 13

Release the nitrogen charge by depressing the Schrader valve within the reservoir. Gently push the shaft in to create clearance to access the wrench flats of the bearing assembly.

Step 14

Use a deep 14mm socket to unthread (counter-clockwise) the bearing assembly from the body. Remove the bearing assembly and inner body from the outer body by pulling up. Drain the inner body over a waste oil basin.

Step 15

Remove the neg air sealhead and replace all its seals, glide ring, and backup ring with new greased ones from the kit. Inspect the outer body for any scratches or damage and replace if necesarry.

Step 16

Clamp the shaft in your X2 specific 9mm shaft clamps with the inner body above the vice. Pull up on the inner body to remove it from the bearing assembly. This part can be tight on the bearing assembly and can require significant force to remove. Do not bend the shaft while removing the inner body.

Step 17

Use an 11mm socket to unthread (counter-clockwise) and remove the piston nut. Remove the piston and valving assembly keeping all parts in their original order. Replace the blue glide ring and o-ring on the piston with new ones from the kit.

Step 18

Remove the bearing assembly and replace all seals and backup rings with new greased ones from the kit.

Step 19

Install the X2 bullet onto the shaft and apply a thin film of Slick Honey to the taper of the bullet. Install the rebuilt bearing assembly onto the shaft as shown. Remove the bullet tool.

Step 20

Reinstall the valving assembly, piston, and piston nut. Tighten the nut clockwise to 60 in-lb (6.8 Nm). 

Step 21

Reinstall the inner body with the ports oriented toward the bearing assembly. Press down on the inner body to completely seat it on the bearing assembly.

Step 22

Install the rebuilt neg air sealhead assembly onto the outer body with the wiper lip oriented toward the adjuster eyelet. Be careful not to fold the wiper lips in or displace the glide band within the bearing assembly during installation.

Step 23

Install the inner body into the outer body. Thread the bearing assembly to the outer body, then use a deep 14mm socket to tighten (clockwise) the bearing assembly to 145 in-lb (16.3 Nm).

Step 24

Temporarily install a DHX2 shaft eyelet (PN: 213-01-460) onto the shaft, tightening (clockwise) until just snug. This will prevent the shaft from being sucked into the damper during the vacuum cycle later.

Step 25

Remove the wire retaining ring from inside the reservoir. Thread your shock pump onto the Schrader valve of the reservoir end cap, then use your pump to pull the cap out of the reservoir. Replace the o-ring on the reservior end cap with a new greased one from the kit, then set aside. Fill the ring groove on the inner wall of the reservoir with slick honey to help prevent damage to the IFP during removal.

Step 26

Unthread and remove the set screw and o-ring from the back of the adjuster eyelet with a 2mm hex wrench. Cover the reservoir with a lint-free paper towel and inject compressed air into the port on the back of the adjuster eyelet to blow out the IFP. 

Step 27

Replace the o-ring on the IFP with a new greased one from the kit. Reinstall the IFP into the reservoir with the counterbore facing the open end of the reservoir. Replace the wire retaining ring to retain the IFP during the oil fill steps later.

Step 28

Thread the Fill Machine Adapter (803-00-463) from the Andreani machine into the port on the back of the adjuster eyelet. Vacuum the shock, then fill with FOX R3 5wt. oil. Set the IFP to the appropriate depth using your IFP depth setting tool (803-00-566). Reinstall the set screw with a new greased o-ring from the kit and tighten to 14 in-lb (1.6 Nm).

Step 29

Remove the wire ring from within the reservoir, then grease and reinstall the reservoir end cap followed by the wire retaining ring.

Step 30

Fill the IFP chamber to 125 psi (8.6 bar) with your shock pump, then install the reservoir end cap, tightening to 30 in-lb (3.4 Nm) with your 6mm hex wrench.

Step 31

Unthread (counter-clockwise) and remove the DHX2 shaft eyelet from the shaft. Coat the main air seals on the bearing assembly with Float Fluid, then install the inner air sleeve onto the shock with the large end oriented toward the adjuster eyelet.

Step 32

Reinstall one bottom out plate onto the shaft. Then install a new bottom out o-ring from the kit followed by the last bottom out plate. 

Step 33

Clean the shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp the shaft in the X2 specific 9mm shaft clamps with as much shaft exposed above the clamps as possible. Too little shaft above the clamps can prevent you from threading the eyelet completely onto the shaft. Do not let any portion of the shock touch the vice below the clamps.

Step 34

Reinstall the volume/travel spacer if your shock originally came with one. This part fits tightly on the shaft and may require you to thread the eyelet on to install the spacer completely onto the shaft. Install the non-adjuster eyelet tightening clockwise to 90 in-lb (10.2 Nm) with your eyelet torque tool (398-00-280).

Step 35

Apply 2cc of Float Fluid to the bottom out plates and o-ring. This prevents noise from the bottom out plates rattling against the shaft. 

Step 36

Slide the inner air sleeve toward the non-adjuster eyelet then thread them together until snug. Slide the neg air sealhead to the inner air sleeve and thread them together until snug. 

Step 37

Clamp your negative air sealhead tool (PN: 398-00-419) in your vice, then carefully rest the negative air sealhead in the tool. Make sure to engage all three prongs of the tool with the notches in the neg air sealhead. Do not scratch the body against the tool or vice. Use the adjuster eyelet to hold the shock down to maintain engagement with the neg air sealhead tool. Turn the eyelet clockwise with your eyelet torque tool to tighten the eyelet to the inner air sleeve, and the inner air sleeve to the neg air sealhead. Tighten to 180 in-lb (20.3 Nm).

Step 38

Remove all rubber FLOAT X2 air volume spacers by stretching them over the non-adjuster eyelet. Clean off any excess Float Fluid that is coating the inner air sleeve, spacers, and o-rings. Install the Red Spacer Limiter approriate to the travel of shock you are working on as indicated by the chart below.

Step 39

Install the two "anti-rattle" o-rings around the red spacer limiter if present. Install one pair of 233-00-240 volume spacers for each rubber volume spacer removed ealier. Do not exceed the maximum spacer quantity listed in the chart below.

Step 40

Note the tab on the inside of the air sleeve and the keyhole in the non-adjuster eyelet. Align the tab on the air sleeve with the keyhole in the eyelet, slide the air sleeve fully onto the shock (air valve end first), then rotate the sleeve clockwise (when viewed from above) until it stops.

Step 41

Attach your shock pump then add air while you slowly cycle your shock through 25% of its travel 10 times as you reach your desired pressure. Reinstall the black air cap.

You can find additional information regarding setting air pressure by going to: Using the EVOL Air Sleeve »