Charger damper problem

[millemille]

Bought a set of brand new Boxxer ultimates last year. Within 5 hours riding they were feeling like they had no compression damping and were feeling like they were topping out every time the front end unloaded even slightly and there was an almighty metal on metal clonk coming from them when they did this, loud enough for others to hear and remark on.

i was at Bike Park Wales when this got so bad I couldn't carry on riding. Sprung suspension were on the way home so I called in there and they confirmed what I suspected, that the damper wasn't working.

They stripped the forks and confirmed the damper had no oil in it, which they attributed to a Rockshox assembly quality lapse, and filled and bled the damper and put it all back together again.

Worked fine around the car park, and then I had some time off the bike and didn't get back on it for about 6 months. They still worked fine, initially, but after about 10 hour's riding they were back to doing exactly the same thing.

Stripped them down myself and the damper was again booked, with no compression damping and oil dripping out of the breather holes in the top of the damper body.

If oil is coming out of those breather holes, to my mind, that can only mean the separator bladder or piston that allows the oil volume to increase as the damper rod goes in to the body has failed.

Anyway, I sent the damper to Sprung for them to have a look at and explained the whole back story and that they had worked on the damper about 10 hour's riding time ago.

Sprung initially tried to tell me it just needed a service and when I pointed out that they had given it a clean bill of health only 10 hour's riding previously they didn't really come up with an answer. I asked them what they had found wrong or what parts they had changed and they said nothing and nothing.

I told them I wasn't really happy with that, oil coming out of the breather holes is surely a sign of something amiss, so they said they changed the separator bladder and sent the damper back to me.

Fitted it and rode the bike and less than an hour later it's doing exactly the same as before, no compression damping and making a horrendous noise and behaving like it is topping out everywhere. Whipped the damper out, again, this morning and lo and behold, the oil is pissing out of the breather holes.

Anone had a similar experience with a charger damper?

Am I wasting my time with Sprung suspension?

TIA

 

[steve_sordy]

I would address your complaint to whoever you bought the Boxxer from.

 

[RustyMTB]

I'd be unhappy too. Without getting into the whole techy side of the damper, they have no seal at the top of the bladder & a fairly weak skirt seal below the spring assembly that sits beneath the actuator under the top cap. My guess is that's blown & it's letting oil past or maybe at the other end where the U cup attaches to the bladder. Pound to a penny they've just taken the damper out & changed the oil I.e. not done any disassembly.

Either way, a decent shop should spot the problem, doesn't sound like they've put much effort into it. Down to you whether you persist with them or go somewhere else. Maybe stay if you can do a deal on a new damper or take it somewhere else to be put right, assuming it's out of warranty & can't go back to Rockshox.

 

[millemille]

I would address your complaint to whoever you bought the Boxxer from.

Not what I asked, but thanks for taking part...

 

[Bummers]

Send it to tftuned, ask for a report on what's wrong. Use that to see if sprung will offer any refund on what you've spent with them.

 

[jimbob]

Not what I asked, but thanks for taking part...

Seems to answer your question? You've purchased a defective part, and are you wasting your time with another company trying to fix it?

Steve has suggested quite rightly that you probably are, and should be taking it back to who you purchased it from.

 

[steve_sordy]

Not what I asked, but thanks for taking part...

That's perfectly OK I won't bother you again.

 

[MountainBoy]

Not what I asked, but thanks for taking part...

You asked if you were wasting your time with Sprung Suspension and Steve replied that he recommended taking it back to the original retailer.

I would say that's an answer to the exact question you asked.

 

[jimbob]

You asked if you were wasting your time with Sprung Suspension and Steve replied that he recommended taking it back to the original retailer.

I would say that's an answer to the exact question you asked.

Some people are just strange / rude. I wonder if they're like that in real life, or just from behind a keyboard. Or perhaps just don't realise how they come across?

It's a shame because it can drive people who do have knowledge and experience to not post. In general, this forum seems to be a friendly place with a good level of banter which is really good.