Levo Gen 3 2022 Levo S works X2 shock leaking air

[Jeff McD]

Well shucks, my fox factory X2 shock on 2022 S Works levo is no longer holding air. Slow leak when climbing but with harsher compressions on descending pressure dropped from 195 psi to 110 psi very quickly, unrideable with repeated pedal strikes on every root/rock, even small ones. Had to pump it back up with shock pump and ride home with multiple stops to pump up again. Bike is seven months old. Otherwise shock was working beautifully.
My question to others that have had this happen is, how well does the replacement shock when it comes back from warranty hold up? There was a post regarding this issue earlier that I reviewed but no one commented on whether the replacement shock from Fox failed in a short time as well in the same fashion. Has this happened repeatedly to anyone after warranty repair? Hoping that is not what happened. Fingers crossed.

 

[ebikerider]

You got 7 months out of it, that is good going. How many hours has the shock actually done? It might just be time to service it.
I’ve had decent luck with the X2 shocks but I do tend to get them serviced very regularly.

 

[RickBullotta]

Fox service/seal kits are very inexpensive and easy to do yourself. All you need is a couple basic tools - no specialty tools at all needed to do the basic air can service and seal/wiper replacement.

 

[escrs]

It will more than likely happen again as due to the Levo's linkage design putting extra strain on the shock, mainly sideways loading

My X2 had an air leak, had it serviced by TFtuned and 40 hours of use later the casting housing the compression and rebound knobs cracked and it started leaking oil along with some internal wear

FOX UK and Tftuned say they are seeing this quite often on all different models of shocks fitted to Levo's

There isnt much they can do as its the frame's design that is causing the issues, even coil shocks are breaking due to the Levo's design

Other people on here have talked about it

Levo Gen 3 - Fox Float X2 Leaking Air - Levo Expert

The Fox Float X2 Performance shock on my 22 Levo Expert started leaking air at 500 miles. Went from 175lb of air to 160lb of air in 6 hours, and then 175lb to 100lb over 3 days. Anyone else have issues with this shock? Shipping mine to Fox for warranty this week.

www.emtbforums.com

 

[Jeff McD]

It will more than likely happen again as due to the Levo's linkage design putting extra strain on the shock, mainly sideways loading

My X2 had an air leak, had it serviced by TFtuned and 40 hours of use later the casting housing the compression and rebound knobs cracked and it started leaking oil along with some internal wear

FOX UK and Tftuned say they are seeing this quite often on all different models of shocks fitted to Levo's

There isnt much they can do as its the frame's design that is causing the issues, even coil shocks are breaking due to the Levo's design

Other people on here have talked about it

Levo Gen 3 - Fox Float X2 Leaking Air - Levo Expert

The Fox Float X2 Performance shock on my 22 Levo Expert started leaking air at 500 miles. Went from 175lb of air to 160lb of air in 6 hours, and then 175lb to 100lb over 3 days. Anyone else have issues with this shock? Shipping mine to Fox for warranty this week.

www.emtbforums.com

Hey thanks for helpful replies, folks. Definitely going to do air can service asap and repeat regularly. Never had to do that but did google fork lower service, so can do that as well. Great help as was going to be without a bike if sent in for warranty work and would just happen again down the road.

 

[Jeff McD]

You got 7 months out of it, that is good going. How many hours has the shock actually done? It might just be time to service it.
I’ve had decent luck with the X2 shocks but I do tend to get them serviced very regularly.

Thanks for that. Probably about 30 hours of use. Going to try servicing the air can. Very helpful replies.

 

[Jeff McD]

Fox service/seal kits are very inexpensive and easy to do yourself. All you need is a couple basic tools - no specialty tools at all needed to do the basic air can service and seal/wiper replacement.

Hey Rich, the fox X2 shock rebuild is rather complex and requires lots of tools for the full rebuild. When you say that this is an easy to do procedure are you saying you only replace the seals and O-rings down to step five in the following instructions?

help.php

To go any further in the rebuild requires quite a few specialized tools and looks quite complex as well. Wondering if anybody does this at home? The rebuild kit itself is $45 and the first five steps only use a few of the seals and O-rings in the entire kit. It seems this would be beyond my home mechanic skills, and fox does not recommend it. Also not sure it would fix my air leak as well, since there are so many additional seals further into the shock. Air can service for the earlier levo fox float factory shocks was much simpler. Rich, I am wondering if you were thinking of the earlier shock air can service.
Having said that I can't see having to send this shock in for this service twice a year from now on because flex in the '22 levo frame design breaks down the seals. That would be expensive and time consuming. This never happened on my 2018 and 2020 levos w/ the factory float shock. Hoping I can get some further input on this.

 

[RickBullotta]

Hey Rich, the fox X2 shock rebuild is rather complex and requires lots of tools for the full rebuild. When you say that this is an easy to do procedure are you saying you only replace the seals and O-rings down to step five in the following instructions?

help.php

To go any further in the rebuild requires quite a few specialized tools and looks quite complex as well. Wondering if anybody does this at home? The rebuild kit itself is $45 and the first five steps only use a few of the seals and O-rings in the entire kit. It seems this would be beyond my home mechanic skills, and fox does not recommend it. Also not sure it would fix my air leak as well, since there are so many additional seals further into the shock. Air can service for the earlier levo fox float factory shocks was much simpler. Rich, I am wondering if you were thinking of the earlier shock air can service.
Having said that I can't see having to send this shock in for this service twice a year from now on because flex in the '22 levo frame design breaks down the seals. That would be expensive and time consuming. This never happened on my 2018 and 2020 levos w/ the factory float shock. Hoping I can get some further input on this.

You don't need to do a complete rebuild to deal with most leaks. Just the air can service - those are the problematic seals. I never touch the other parts of the rebuild kit and just throw them away! And every 18-24 months or so I send the shock to Fox for a full rebuild. For the most part the only tool you really need is a pick, once you've taken the shock off the bike.

 

[Jeff McD]

Got it. Thanks for that. Probably will give this a shot before sending it in next time.
Wondering if anyone else has fixed their air leak with the X2 shock with just replacing the air can seals? Understand that this does not get further into the internals where you would refresh the oil, as in the earlier model factory float shock. Far more complicated procedure with the piggyback on X2.

 

[RustyIron]

Wondering if anyone else has fixed their air leak with the X2 shock with just replacing the air can seals? Understand that this does not get further into the internals where you would refresh the oil, as in the earlier model factory float shock.

Hey, Jeff.
The X2 is a good shock. For a complete service, I send mine in to a local suspension guy. But periodic air can service is a no-brainer. For a regular air can service, I don't bother with seals. There is one the round seal on the plunger, the seal where the air can connects to the shock, and the shrader valve.

Since you're losing air, get the seal kit with the packet of Float Fluid. You'll be surprised at how simple it is.

 

[Jeff McD]

Hey, Jeff.
The X2 is a good shock. For a complete service, I send mine in to a local suspension guy. But periodic air can service is a no-brainer. For a regular air can service, I don't bother with seals. There is one the round seal on the plunger, the seal where the air can connects to the shock, and the shrader valve.

Since you're losing air, get the seal kit with the packet of Float Fluid. You'll be surprised at how simple it is.

When I googled for a YouTube video on a simple air can service I could only find the full service rebuild videos. Would you perhaps have a link to a simple air can service video? Would be greatly appreciated.
Once again, air can service videos are easy to find for the fox float shock from prior years levo, but not the X2.

 

[RickBullotta]

When I googled for a YouTube video on a simple air can service I could only find the full service rebuild videos. Would you perhaps have a link to a simple air can service video? Would be greatly appreciated.
Once again, air can service videos are easy to find for the fox float shock from prior years levo, but not the X2.

It's a very different design, but the seals that @RustyIron mentions above are the ones you can do yourself. There are other seals that you can't get to without a full teardown. If you want an easier to service option, the DPX2 is more of the conventional Float air can design.

 

[Jeff McD]

It's a very different design, but the seals that @RustyIron mentions above are the ones you can do yourself. There are other seals that you can't get to without a full teardown. If you want an easier to service option, the DPX2 is more of the conventional Float air can design.

Thanks for clarifying Rick. I think I will try the partial tear down that I can manage and see if that maintains everything in the future. For now it has gone back for a full service under warranty. Somebody mentioned checking the torque on the lower shock bolt and mine was very tight, right up to recommended torque, so I don't think that had anything to do with the air leak developing. It does seem like the reports of the design of the bike causing torque on the shock itself might be the problem but time will tell.

 

[Decolocsta]

My X2 that came with the Levo Starts leaking air After Just 1000km.
Than my new X2 Factory is Holding air still After 2500kms.

 

[whwv]

7 months was longer than I ever got. I finally used it as an excuse to get a coil (eleven 6). Bike rides better and no issue with the shock now.

 

[RickBullotta]

Has anyone swapped in a Float X? Any feedback?

 

[Jeff McD]

Has anyone swapped in a Float X? Any feedback?

Not a float, but just swapped in a RS Deluxe Ultimate C1 210 x 55 mm in-line air shock while OEM X2 is off for warranty and road it for the first time yesterday. It basically felt about the same as the OEM shock. Couldn't tell if it was inferior or not. Worked wonderfully. Long descent over 2000 feet elevation during one part of the ride with other shorter but very steep, rough, high speed, descents down the mountain.