# DT Swiss XRC 100--too much "play" in stanchion?



## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

Wondering if anyone else has had the same problem. Racing on the weekend and my front end felt all "noodly" on downhills and corners. WIth the front brake on and some lateral force applied to the fork I can see and feel play in the stanchion. I know the stanchion is 28mm but all the reviews talked about it being stiff and responsive. Any help would be appreciated as I'm hoping servicing it amy help? Love the fork for straight ahead stuff but was left fearing for my life on downhills and cornering!


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Yikes. I just ordered an XRC 100 Ltd. and am now waiting for it in the mail. How much do you weigh? What exact model do you have?


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## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

I weigh 165 lbs. Race XC in Eastern Canada. Never had an issue with this before with any other shock. Mounted on my Scott Spark LTD. I've got the 2009 XRC 100 with RL. Great shock as long as I don't turn or go downhill fast. Just did a little research and it seems to be a problem with the bushings? Going to call my LBS tomorrow and see if we can send them back to DT Swiss. Good luck with your purchase!


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Oh man. I weigh 170lbs. I hope it's not something normal for the XRC 100. Please let me know how it works out for you. Good luck!


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## celestequattro (Nov 29, 2008)

Had the same problem on the fork fitted to my 2009 Spark Ltd - felt like a loose headset at first. Fixed with a full fork service. (Even the stanchions were grooved!)


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

How long have you guys been using your forks before this problem showed up?


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## celestequattro (Nov 29, 2008)

I bought the bike in January 2009 and had new stanchions fitted in April 2009 and it has been fine since. To put it into perspective, I ride every day training for marathon events and the UK winter weather is usually pretty grim, but the bike was looked after so....

The stanchions on my forks were so worn they were grooved!

Fine for the last year though.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Finally got my fork mounted and went for a 1.5hr ride today. Initial observations compared to my SID WC was it's smoother and did make my steering lighter. It did also lifted the front end of my bike a tad thought. I'll go for a smaller spacer. But, here's something that's worrying me though. The fork tended to excrete a bit of oil on the stanchions. To the point that it was building up muck there. Is this normal for a brand new fork? I don't remember getting that much oil on my SID. 2nd and more worrying-there are lines/scratches that formed on the stanchions of my fork. About 2 on the left and around 3 on the right. I could feel them when I run my fingernail over them. Now this I never got on my SID. WTF are these??? I don't want to think that this is normal but I want to know if you guys who have this fork have these same experiences. Here are some camphone pics of those lines/scratches:


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## 7daysaweek (May 7, 2008)

Those scratches don't look good but I've always gotten a bit of oil buildup on the stanchions with my xmc fork. If those scratches are that deep you may wanna take that in and have it checked out though cause that doesn't look right.

When I asked about the oil on my stanchion tubes I was told that oil on them is fine but if you have any deep scratches it'll allow more oil to leak through the seals and that's bad news...


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## nino (Jan 13, 2004)

7daysaweek said:


> it'll allow more oil to leak through the seals and that's bad news...


And even worse it will allow water and dirt get in !


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Oh no!:madman: It won't be that easy for me to just "take it in". I ordered this from R2 Bikes and I stay on the other side of the globe! Does that mean that your forks stanchions has remained smooth and blemish free? I went for a ride again today and the oil seepage lessened a bit. And no new scratches appeared. I really love smooth this fork is but those lines/scratches really are freaking me out.:incazzato: I hope Robert of R2 does something about this and hope DT stands by their products.:madmax:


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## nino (Jan 13, 2004)

morrisgarages said:


> I hope Robert of R2 does something about this and hope DT stands by their products.:madmax:


DT should have a dustributor in your country as well so just send it in and they should cover any damage under warranty. I'd rather have that mentioned NOW rather than ride the fork a couple of months...makes it hard to tell them it appeared after the 1st ride afterwards...


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## *XJay* (Aug 24, 2008)

@morrisgarages.

I reckon you can get better discount from Boon Bike Supply Pte Ltd.
http://www.dtswiss.ch/Distributors-Dealers/DealerLocator.aspx


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## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

Just had my LBS send my XRC 100 back as they felt the bushings were shot and both stanchions were grooved and pitted. Shouldn't take long. Hopefully it works better when it comes back as it was really hard to control the front end the way it was handling before!


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

We do have a local dealer here but I'm just waiting for a response from Robert of R2 Bike when I told him what happened. I just hate to bring this fork back in for a warranty claim or repair since that would mean a lot of riding time lost.:madmax: 
@ celestequatro how long did take them to repair the stanchions? Because I'm pretty sure a stanchion repair isn't something you can wait out in their shop while they do it. This really sucks guys.:madman: This is something that I really didn't expect out of an expensive fork. But I really like this fork 'cept for the oil buildup and scratches.:madmax: I was even planning to get an XR Carbon shock too but I'm having 2nd thoughts now on DT Swiss suspension products.:nono:


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Anyone has any idea on what caused these scratches? I slightly peered inside the seal of the stanchion and the scratch goes below the seal. So I'm guessing that whatever caused this scratch is inside the lower legs. It's not just dirt or a pebble that got stuck in the primary seal. What's there to be seen inside the lower legs of this fork that could cause the scratch? I'm just curious and p**sed off at the same time.


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## Le Duke (Mar 23, 2009)

How often are you guys changing the oil/seals on your forks?


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Mine's brand new and this happened on the very 1st ride. Didn't have any reason to change oil/seals. Maybe now I have.


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## skyfire1202 (Jan 21, 2008)

That's really bad news, Morris! I got my fork last Saturday and it was a bit heavier at 1254 grams! But I'm still too busy to check it out and install it. I tried to compress the fork a few times and saw the excess oil that you mentioned, but I'm not too worried about it. I have serviced a lot of RS especially SID forks and I change oil on my own forks often and o-rings and wipers when needed and putting a lot of oil on the yellow foam just below the dust wipers even when the wipers are new and tight would let out some oil. What I do is compress the fork a few times and wipe the excess oil, then repeat this process until the oil seeping out becomes significantly lesser. Even though I do this and service my forks often, clean the surface of the upper tubes before and after or even during my rides when I notice dirt build up, the oil inside gets dirty and the yellow foam becomes black, which means dirt can still come in. Much more if there was too much excess oil on the supper tubes while you were riding.

Judging from your photos, with all that dust stuck even on the clean srufaces (no oil), I could say that you went to some dirty track without wiping the excell oil and some course dirt stuck to the excess oil and went in when the fork had a deeper compression during your ride and that piece of dirt may have gone lower each time that's why you see the scratch extended beneath the wiper seals, or.... DT's QC is not that good and may have dropped metal filings from CNCd parts.:nono:


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

I know and it really sucks.:madmax: I really hope that Robert of R2 makes a positive response soon. I can't believe DT will sell and advertise such a high quality top end fork at this price then make it self destruct on the very 1st ride. Good luck with your fork skyfire! I really hope you got something better. I would trade my 6g savings anytime that I got from my fork with your fork if it turns out ok.:ihih:


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Grrrr!:madmax: The suspense of what R2 Bikes will do about my fork is killing me. Still no response from Robert. Is anyone familiar with the internals of this fork? Is this a simple cartridge type or is it an open oil bath thing?


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

They are a very simple open bath.
I have a XCM 29er fork.....rode it all last year and it rained or was muddy every time I rode.
I took the fork apart over the winter and the oil was still clean.
You will get oil weeping from the seals for a while when new ( it should do this)
Look at the Pace site if you need a break down of the internals.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks mayor. I also learned from their site that having some oil on the stanchions is normal. But, I guess since it's an open bath, a scratch on the stanchion isn't a very good thing. But, some good news is I was cycling my fork every now and then today and the oil coming out seems to be very minimal now. I actually can barely see the scratches anymore. I have to run my finger nails over them to know where they are. Still no response from R2 Bikes.


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

I am surprised by the scratches. I have crashed in rock gardens and the stanchions didn't scratch, but left marks on the rocks!...seems like hard stuff.

The oil is just oil that is in the seals on assembly and from the top bushing ( it's not a bad idea to flip your bike over now and then to lube that top bushing).

I did find the fork had a lot of stiction for the first month....and the bushings were still very tight after a season of riding.I did put Finishline Stancion Lube on and it made a small difference.I just replace the oil with some fresh Maxima and greased the seals while I had it apart.

If I were you I'd ride the fork more and see what happens. And if you have to send it in...look for another fork on Ebay to keep you riding.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

So am I mayor. I rode my sid before like a trail fork and rode it in the rain and mud and it didn't even leak oil or had a blemish on the stanchion. But I really fell in love with the smoothness of this fork and I wouldn't want to go back to a Sid. I'm actually feeling better about the oil now. I really think it's lessening up a bit and I think that's one reason its stiction free unlike my Sid before that had pretty bad stiction. Do you service your fork yourself? Is it really that hard or complicated to do? I work on everything else on my bike 'cept when it comes to opening up my fork and shock. Don't want to ruin an expensive part just because I was curious if I can do it. Sorry but looking for another XRC Race Ltd. on ebay is not an option for me since funds are pretty low and I'm saving up for some other bike candy part. Thanks again for the response mayor!


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

I do all my own work. 
The DT fork is very simple.Can it be mucked up? Sure...but that's how you learn (that's how I learned you can't take a Dura Ace STI lever apart! Well , you can take it apart...it just won't go back together)

As far as an extra fork...look for a Fox or Rock Shox...even the lower end forks, with an extra headset race, will keep you riding if you have to send the DT back.I'd rather be riding with a RS Tora than not riding at all.

I try to keep a spare for just about anything that can break on hand. Although I run XTR on my bike...I keep some used XT( or lower) stuff on the shelf so I can swap it out if I have to for a race or ride.I have an extra Fox Fork with a headset race installed and an extra shock...just in case....because you know that stuff will fail a half hour after shops have closed and the night before a race.


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## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

Just got my XRC 100 RL back from my LBS and DT Swiss warrantied the whole deal. Replaced the stanchions and all the internals! Just like new.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Wow! Good for you! I'm still in correspondence with DT SWISS and waiting for them to tell me what exactly they'll do and where to send my fork. Where did you send yours? What country are you from? How long did it take for them to fix it and have it sent back to you? Did they replace the whole upper/stanchion/crown/steerer or just the stanchion? Did they charge you for anything? So sorry for my multiple questions but I really hope you can answer them. Congratulations again on your fork!


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## ptcutch (Aug 3, 2009)

took approx 2 weeks from LBS sending it in for repair to me having it bakc on my bike. At first they were going to charge for rebuild and somehow my LBS talked them into new stanchions and internals under warranty. Didn't buy the shock at my LBS as it came with my Scott Spark LTD on e-bay but they did good and I made off like a bandit with a re-built shock. I am in Canada to answer your question as to what part of the globe I'm from. New shock felt good tonite with no noodly feel. Good luck!!


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks for the response! Wow! I'm so jealous now!:cryin: I hope I get the same experience as yours! I really love how this fork performs. DT actually told me that the scratches on my stanchions won't affect my fork performance-wise. So I'm still riding mine and loving it more. I just don't like the fact that I would be without a fork for 2 weeks (probably more since we don't have DT Service center here in the Philippines-nearest one is in HongKong). Enjoy your fork and ride safe!:thumbsup:


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## xc71 (Dec 24, 2008)

ptcutch said:


> took approx 2 weeks from LBS sending it in for repair to me having it bakc on my bike. At first they were going to charge for rebuild and somehow my LBS talked them into new stanchions and internals under warranty. Didn't buy the shock at my LBS as it came with my Scott Spark LTD on e-bay but they did good and I made off like a bandit with a re-built shock. I am in Canada to answer your question as to what part of the globe I'm from. New shock felt good tonite with no noodly feel. Good luck!!


So did your fork go to Cycle Lambert for warranty?


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

I sent my fork to DT TAIWAN (shipping at my expense ) and they got it the next day. They said they finished working on it and it's on its way back to me here.:thumbsup: Just don't know how they sent it though. I would have been willing be charged for the shipping back here just as long as they send it via the fastest way possible-the same way I sent it to them. So I hope to get my fork back in a few days. The service guy from DT Swiss Taiwan told me that the bushings were a little worn which caused dirt to scratch my stanchions. Bushings worn on the very first ride??:madmax: This got me thinking if DT bushings are any good. I really love this fork, how light it is and how smooth the operation is and I really want it to last. Are Enduro fork seals a good option for this fork? I checked out their (Enduro) website and they're not offering anything for a DT Swiss XRC100 Race. Are there any other quality aftermarket bushings out there for our fork? Thanks guys!


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## the mayor (Nov 18, 2004)

You might want to just try and ride it before you decide to reinvent it.
The tech's "worn bushings" answer may have just been an out of spec set.
You would have to take it apart and try to match up stuff with Enduro...which may or may not be easy. 
But if you have trouble with it after you get it back...I would have it warrantied again and sell it.

Like I said...I have mega miles on my XMC 29 and it has been solid.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Finally got my fork from DTS Taiwan yesterday. They replaced the whole upper assembly and bushings. Obviously the scratches are gone.:thumbsup: 
When they emailed me the tracking number they also forwarded (intentionally or not-I'm assuming it's not since it was all something that I wouldn't have wanted my customers to read. There was even a slight joke about me talking to every single DT Swiss employee because of my fork problem) along with their message to me their emails with each other (DTS Switzerland and DTS Taiwan). Taiwan was telling Switzerland about what they did to my fork and what they found out about it. You're right skyfire, I guess their QC isn't that good. The bushings were contaminated during production with metal filings and was a common problem with a certain batch of forks. 
Then DTS Taiwan was consulting again with DTS Swit. about feeling a little vibration on my fork when they push down on it like it was coming from the coil spring. And that they even replaced the air spring but the feeling was still there. Then Taiwan assured Swit. that they think it's normal because a demo fork that they have also have the same feeling when they activate the fork. Swit. even told Taiwan to put a lot of grease on the coil spring to reduce this feeling. I could post their emails but I'd rather not out of ethics. But it was a pretty interesting read between the services of Taiwan and Switzerland. Now my question is, guys, is that vibration/feeling really normal? On the first half of the travel it isn't there. But when you move past half of the travel that's when you feel it. It really does feel like it's coming from the coil spring or something. It is very minimal and you're hardly going to feel it but when I read their emails about it it got me curious and a bit worried actually. What is it?


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## skyfire1202 (Jan 21, 2008)

I'm glad you got it fixed. I haven't asembled mine yet, not time to mess around with just days before my manuscript deadline. I hope mine doesn't have metal filings inside. Were do you live in Manila? I'll be there on July 1 to 6 for my youngest sister's wedding, a short break from all this craziness in school.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks skyfire. I'm from Las Pinas. It's been raining for the past few days and riding conditions isn't that great. The more I cycle the fork the less and less I feel the slight "kink" in its motion. DTS told me this could me normal since I have brand new stanchions and bushings. They told me to ride it a little more and see what happens.


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Well, I have been riding my fork and no scratches so far. But the "kink" is still there. I don't think it's because of the new bushings or stanchions anymore. There's no resistance to the movement of the fork but I could definitely feel something inside the fork. I feel it more on the left side of my handlebar. Any thoughts guys?


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Here's an update to my DT SWISS fork drama.:cryin: I complained to DT about the "kink" that I'm feeling on my fork. For the 2nd time they asked to send it back to Taiwan (at my own f*cking expense again) to have it checked again by the same tech. After a day or two, DT Switzerland emailed me telling me that Taiwan couldn't find anything wrong with my fork so they are offering to have my fork sent to Switzerland so they can do some more tests with it or replace my fork with a brand new XRC100 World Cup edition. I didn't want to wait anymore so I agreed to the WC fork replacement. I got it after a day and the first thing I did was cycle the fork and lo and behold it also has the same freakin' kink!:incazzato: WTF??? Am I cursed to have a shitty DT fork forever? I emailed DT again and they are insisting that this is all normal and that they checked the fork before they sent it to me. I told them that their service tech knows nothing about how a smooth fork should feel.:madmax: Hasn't anyone of you guys have the same experience with your forks? I could feel the kink more on the return stroke of the fork. Now they're telling me to send it back to Switzerland for evaluation at my expense again.:madman: Just to make sure I wasn't imagining the kink, I brought the fork to the DT distributor here (not service center) and their mechanic can feel the kink and told me that it wasn't normal.


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## retro83 (Sep 15, 2008)

Have you opened the fork up and cycled each component seperately? Maybe it is something silly like the neg coil spring knocking against the inside of the stanchion


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## morrisgarages (Jan 25, 2009)

Thanks retro. Let's say I did open up this fork already (not that I did-DT warranty rules ), I don't think its normal for a neg coil spring to knock against the stanchion right? Now if it is, what should I do about it coz it sure is annoying!:crazy: I am suspecting that it has something to do with the spring though. BUT, I can feel that knocking sensation more during the rebound of the fork. And, assuming I did remove all the internals of the fork and slide the lower legs into the empty stanchions past their dry bearings/bushings, I can still feel a slight and soft knocking when I slide it. And looking inside the lower legs, everything is smooth I can't suspect anything inside that would cause the knocking. And with the internals removed and out of the fork, when I press down on the spring assembly everything is smooth. So what the hell is it??? I pray to the mtb gods to help me with this!


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## peabody (Apr 15, 2005)

morrisgarages said:


> Thanks retro. Let's say I did open up this fork already (not that I did-DT warranty rules ), I don't think its normal for a neg coil spring to knock against the stanchion right? Now if it is, what should I do about it coz it sure is annoying!:crazy: I am suspecting that it has something to do with the spring though. BUT, I can feel that knocking sensation more during the rebound of the fork. And, assuming I did remove all the internals of the fork and slide the lower legs into the empty stanchions past their dry bearings/bushings, I can still feel a slight and soft knocking when I slide it. And looking inside the lower legs, everything is smooth I can't suspect anything inside that would cause the knocking. And with the internals removed and out of the fork, when I press down on the spring assembly everything is smooth. So what the hell is it??? I pray to the mtb gods to help me with this!


bought a 2011 xrc100 race, 1st ride bushings toast, send it back. get it back and 1st ride bushings toast. they send me a new fork, sold it. also could not keep the headset tight with this fork, tried 2 different headsets and they both came loose. never had an issue with either headset with a sid


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## 7daysaweek (May 7, 2008)

That sucks. I've replaced my seals once a year and had ZERO issues otherwise.


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## krzysiekmz (Nov 10, 2009)

Where you got the seals from? My LBS has problems ordering some and prices from europe are high. 

Chris.


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