SERVICE PROCEDURES
2019-2023 LIVE Valve MTB Fork Cartridge Rebuild
Required Parts
- 803-01-361 Service Kit: All LIVE Cartridge Rebuild
Required Tools
- 398-00-320 Tool: 8mm Shaft Bullet, 32 FIT Cartridge
- 398-00-681 2002-017 32 Damper-side and ALL 32-34-36-40 Spring-side Removal Tool
- 398-00-682 2005-017 34-36-40 Damper-side Removal Tool
- 398-00-707 Tooling: Fork Topcap Socket, 28mm V2, 3/8 Drive
- 398-00-806 Tooling: LIVE Valve Solenoid Housing Puller
- 398-00-820 Tooling: LIVE Solenoid Switcher
- 803-00-147 Kit: Shaft Clamps, 07 FORX, Set #2 (32 X Body, 36, 40 Forx)
- 803-01-360 Kit: Tooling: LIVE Valve Clamp, Solenoid Housing, 8mm Shaft, Pressure Tube
- 803-01-369 Kit: Tooling: Glide Band Sizer, Live Valve, Fork/Shock
- 803-01-370 Kit: Fill Machine Adapter, Live Valve Fork/Shock
WARNING: Always wear safety glasses and protective gloves during service to prevent potential injury. Failure to wear protective equipment during service may lead to SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.
Disassembly
Step 3
Use Damper Removal Tool 398-00-681 (for 32mm forks) or 398-00-682 (for 34mm and 36mm forks) to dislodge the shaft from the lowers. Make sure that you have approximately half of the available threads engaged with your tool before striking with your mallet. Remove the damper removal tools, then bring the fork upright over an oil basin to drain.
Step 4
Note: For LIVE Valve forks, you must use the 398-00-707 socket to properly clear the cable connector without causeing part damage.
With a chamfer-less 6-point 28mm socket (PN: 398-00-707), unthread the damper cartridge completely (counter-clockwise). Pull straight up to remove the entire damper cartridge from the right side upper tube. Clean off excess bath oil with a lint-free paper towel.
Step 6
Remove the white Delrin ball from the Compression Cartridge Housing bleed port. It can be helpful to heat your metal pick before removing the Delrin ball. Unthread and remove the bleed screw counter-clockwise with a 5/64" hex wrench. Remove the 0.125" ball bearing from the bleed port with a magnet or by inverting the cartridge over your work bench.
Step 11
Clean the cartridge body with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then invert it and clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-01-360) as shown. Unthread the Sealhead assembly counter-clockwise with a thin 19mm wrench. Remove the Damper Shaft Assembly then pour out any additional oil from the open cartridge body.
Step 14
Clean the cartridge body with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then invert it and clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-01-360) as shown. Unthread the topcap from the cartridge body by turning it counter-clockwise with a 6-point chambfer-less 28mm socket. Remove the topcap. Remove the two shims and compression check spring from the cartridge body with a magnet.
Step 16
Clean the damper shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-00-147) as shown. Unthread the Rebound Piston Assembly by turning it counter-clockwise with an 8mm socket. Remove the Piston Assembly keeping all parts in their original order.
LIVE Compression Housing Rebuild
Step 9
Remove the two glide rings and two o-rings from the Compression Cartridge Housing. Replace the two o-rings on the Compression Cartridge Housing with new ones from the kit. Coat the o-rings with FOX 5wt Teflon Infused oil. Replace the two glide rings with new ones from the kit. Make sure that the o-rings do not get pinched by the glide rings during installation.
Step 15
Reinstall the Solenoid Retainer Plate with its notch aligned with the two wires exiting the Solenoid. Reinstall the wire retaining ring making sure that it is fully seated in the groove. Orient the retaining ring so the gap in the ring is opposite the gap in the plate that the wires go through.
Reassembly
Step 2
Thread the Topcap clockwise into the end of the Cartridge Body. Clean the cartridge body with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-01-360) as shown. Tighten the Topcap clockwise to 55 in-lb (6.2 Nm) torque with a 6-point chamfer-less 28mm socket (PN: 398-00-707).
Step 3
Slide the Upper Bladder Ring onto the Cartridge Body against the Topcap. Apply a thin coating of FOX 5wt. Teflon Infused Oil to the inside and outside of both ends of a new bladder from the kit, then install the Lower Bladder Ring as shown with it's larger end oriented toward the small end of the bladder.
Step 5
Place the bladder and cartridge body assembly into the second largest hole in the sahft clamps #2 (PN: 803-00-147) as shown; loosely resting the bladder ring on the clamps, no clamping pressure applied to the bladder ring. While gently tugging the bladder from below, you will seat the bladder in the bladder ring deep enough to install the bladder retainer and retaining ring.
Step 8
Clean any grease or Loctite residue from the threads of the shaft and Rebound Adjuster. Apply 1 drop of red Loctite 277 to the threads of the Rebound Adjuster. Reinstall the Rebound Adjuster Assembly into the shaft tightening clockwise by hand. Clean the damper shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-00-147) as shown. Tighten the Rebound Adjuster clockwise to 55 in-lb (6.2 Nm) torque with a 10mm crowsfoot.
Step 9
Reinsert the Rebound Tube into the Shaft making sure to engage its end with the post on the Rebound Adjuster Screw within the shaft. Reinstall the Rebound Needle with the fluted end facing out of the shaft. Make sure to engage the post of the Rebound Needle with the Rebound tube. Reinsert the Rebound Needle Spring.
Step 10
Clean the damper shaft with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-00-147) as shown. Replace the pink glide ring on the Rebound Piston Assembly with a new one from the kit. Reinstall the Check Limiter so the wide flange is seated against the retaining ring on the shaft. Reinstall the check spring. Reinstall the Rebound Piston Assembly making sure that the check shim (the shim under the piston assembly) can move freely as isn't pinched between the piston and the end of the damper shaft. Once sure that the check shim is not pinched, tighten the piston bolt to 55 in-lb (6.2 Nm) torque with an 8mm socket.
Step 12
Insert the Rebound Piston Assembly into the Cartridge Body then thread the Sealhead clockwise onto the Cartridge Body. Clean the cartridge body with isopropyl alcohol and a lint-free paper towel, then clamp it in your shaft clamps (PN: 803-01-360) as shown. Tighten the Sealhead clockwise to 55in-lb (6.2 Nm) torque with a thin 19mm crowsfoot.
Step 13
Coat the o-rings inside the Topcap with a thin film of FOX 5wt. Teflon Infused Oil. Reinstall the Compression Cartridge Housing Assembly into the Reservoir. Make sure that the Solenoid wires are carefully coiled under the Cable Connector so you do not pinch them during Cable Connector installation. Press the Compression Cartridge Housing Assembly in fully to allow room for the retaining ring. Reinstall the wire retaining ring making sure it is fully seated.
Step 16
Connect the Andreani Fill Machine to the bleed port of the LIVE Valve fork cartridge using the Fill Machine Adaptor (PN: 803-01-370). Insert the cartridge into an upper tune to prevent over-expansion of the bladder during the fill stage. Vacuum the cartridge then perform the fill cycle. Keep the cartridge vertical while you remove the fill tool.
Step 17
Reinstall the 0.125" ball bearing into the bleed port followed by the bleed screw. Tighten the bleed screw clockwise to 11 in-lb (1.2 Nm) torque with a 5/64" hex wrench. Use the Solenoid Switcher tool (398-00-820) to dyno the damper by hand to check all damper functions. Once happy with the dyno results, install a new white Delrin ball into the bleed port.
Step 18
Reinsert the cartridge into the upper tube threading the topcap in clockwise until just hand tight. Install a new crushwasher from the kit followed by the bottom nut, making sure to align the washer with the nut. For 32mm forks, tighten the bottom nut clockwise to 50 in-lb (5.7 Nm) torque with a 10mm socket. For 34mm and 36mm forks, tighten the bottom nut to 80 in-lb (9.0 Nm) torque with a 15mm socket.
Step 19
Reinstall the red Rebound Knob tightening the set screw to 5 in-lb torque with a 2mm hex wrench. For non-SC forks, make sure to align the set screw with the depression on the Rebound Adjuster. For SC forks, make sure to engage the hex of the knob with the hex of the Rebound Adjuster before tightening the set screw.
Step 21
Tighten the Topcap into the upper tube by threading it clockwise to 220 in-lb (24.8 Nm) torque with a 6-point chamfer-less 28mm socket (PN: 398-00-707). Rotate the Cable Connector as little as possible to orient so it points approximately 30 degrees forward of the steer tube. Clean the exterior of the fork.