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 wire retaining ring to align opening with tab on eyelet. Use a pick to remove the ring.

Step 3

Slide the outer air sleeve away from the negative air sealhead to remove. 

Step 4

Remove any volume spacers from the inner air sleeve.

Step 5

Remove the back-up rings and o-rings from the inner air sleeve and the negative air sealhead.

Step 6

With the non-adjuster eyelet clamped in your soft-jawed vise, 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. 

Step 7

You will need to separate either the negative air sealhead from the inner air sleeve or separate the inner air sleeve from the shaft eyelet. Use the X2 air sleeve clamps (PN: 803-01-318) to hold the inner air sleeve while you remove either the negative air sealhead with the sealhead tool (PN: 398-00-419) or the shaft eyelet with Knipex pliers or the eyelet torque tool (PN: 398-00-280).

Step 8

Clean the exposed shaft with Isopropyl alcohol then dry it with a lint-free paper towel. Invert the shock, then carefully clamp the shaft in your clamps (PN: 803-00-967). Unthread the non-adjuster eyelet counter-clockwise to remove. Remove the bottom out spacer and bottom out bumper. Remove the travel and volume spacer if present.

Step 9

Clean the inner air sleeve with Isopropyl alcohol then dry with a lint-free paper towel. Carefully clamp the inner air sleeve in your clamps (PN: 803-00-968). 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 10

Lift the damper assembly out of the inner air sleeve to separate. Clean the damper assembly and inner air sleeve.

Step 11

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 12

Release the nitrogen charge by depressing the Schrader valve within the reservoir. 

Step 13

Use a 20 tooth bottom bracket tool such as the Park Tool BBT-22 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 14

Remove the negative volume spacer if present (Negative Volume spacer PN: 233-00-391 shown. A 30x3mm o-ring may be the negative volume spacer in some shocks. Remove the neg air sealhead and replace all its seals and backup rings with new greased ones from the kit. Inspect the outer body for any scratches or damage and replace if necesarry.

Step 15

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 16

Clamp the shaft in the X2 shaft clamps (PN: 803-00-967) then 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. Inspect the shims and replace any that are damaged. Replace the blue glide ring and o-ring on the piston with new ones from the kit.

Step 17

Reinstall the valving assembly, piston, and piston nut. Tighten the nut clockwise to 80 in-lb (9.0 Nm). 

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 (PN: 398-00-797) 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

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. Reinstall the negative volume spacer if present.

Step 21

Install the inner body into the outer body. 

Step 22

Thread the bearing assembly to the outer body, then use the 20 tooth BB tool to tighten (clockwise) the bearing assembly to 145 in-lb (16.3 Nm).

Step 23

Temporarily install a the shaft eyelet 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 24

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 25

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 26

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 27

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 28

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

Step 29

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 30

Unthread (counter-clockwise) and remove the shaft eyelet from the shaft. Coat the main air seals on the bearing assembly with Float Fluid. Add 1cc of Float Fluid to the body on the negative side of the bearing assembly then install the inner air sleeve onto the shock with the large end oriented toward the adjuster eyelet.

Step 31

Install a new bottom out bumper from the kit followed by the travel and volume spacer if present. Then reinstall the bottom out plate. Apply one drop of red Loctite to the shaft threads then reinstall the shaft eyelet.

Step 32

Clean the shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp the shaft in the X2 specific 9mm shaft clamps. Make sure to leave enough space between the eyelet and the shaft clamps to allow the eyelet to thread fully onto the shaft without interference. Do not let any portion of the shock touch the vice below the clamps.

Step 33

Tighten the eyelet clockwise to 90 in-lb (10.2 Nm) with your eyelet torque tool (398-00-280).

Step 34

Invert the shock and clamp the shaft eyelet in your soft-jawed vise. Apply 2cc of Float Fluid to the main air chamber in the open area shown.

Step 35

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 36

Engage all three prongs of the Negative Air Sealhead tool with the notches in the neg air sealhead. Do not scratch the body against the tool or vice. Carefully tighten clockwise to 180 in-lb (20.3 Nm) torque.

Step 37

Install new greased o-rings and back-up rings from the kit onto the shaft eyelet and inner air sleeve. Make sure the o-rings and back-up rings are installed in the indicated positions.

Step 38

Reinstall volume spacers if present. Do not exceed the maximum number of volume spacers allowed for your shock travel as listed in the table below.

Step 39

Install the outer air sleeve with the air valve side first. Rotate the outer air sleeve until the tab on the eyelet aligns with the notch in the outer sleeve. Slide the outer air sleeve all the way to the negative air sealhead to engage the air seals. Reinstall the wire retaining ring making sure that it is fully seated in its groove.

Step 40

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 »