# Tange GS2 Elastomer Fork - 1994 - Servicing?



## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

Hi all - help sought on this old suspension fork...

I salvaged an old Wheeler 4880 (Taiwan Cro-Mo) quite light at 5 lbs (frame & BB). I think it sat in one place for 10-12 years, filthy and tires rotted off, but no wear on it at all...

The Tange fork is less than 1500 grams.

I have absolutely no experience with susy forks, or any 1990s technology. Almost all my bikes are rigid and 1980s. (But I do have a 92's ish Mongoose IBOC with fhe black Tange unicrown blade, 1 1/8 ' threaded, and like it). I thought the Tange susy might be fun to teach myself on.

Problem - The only fitting on the fork (image shown) is an odd donut with a pin in the centre that is 8 7/8" down the tubes...The only way to rmove the lower legs and the boots is to slide off the lower legs, but no joy.

To my eye the fork is fine. It compresses evenly, and takes a mighty effort to squish. The upper chrome steel tubes (under the boots) are clean and smooth, the seals look OK.

I figured there must be springs and elastomers, but the fitting is so far down the tubes that I wonder if the "Tange Multi-Stage Elastomers" might be the whole dampening system?

There can only be about 4-5" max below that fitting.

I don't want to destroy it, I would just like to lube the rubbers...Any ideas?

Thanks!

dmc

Edit - By the by - is there a lube/conditioner for the boots? I know that on some outdoor rubber or synthetics that Armor-All (silicone) is supposed to be bad? Thanks

PPS - If I can get access to the Elastomers (maybe just thru the fitting?) is there a lube readily available?

Cheers


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## Rumpfy (Dec 21, 2003)

Honestly...you're sooo much better off just getting a new (used) fork for it.

Any Judy or older SID would work night and day better and not throw off the geometry of the bike much, if at all. They can be had for pretty cheap now.

That fork there is at the bottom of the line up for suspension forks.


Just my $.02


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*..but I have $20 into it...hehe..*



Rumpfy said:


> Honestly...you're sooo much better off just getting a new (used) fork for it.
> 
> Any Judy or older SID would work night and day better and not throw off the geometry of the bike much, if at all. They can be had for pretty cheap now.
> 
> ...


Hi Rumpfy - thanks for the note...but I won't be putting any money into it. Actually the bike gave me two things already, first susy fork to look at and first 1 1/8" threadless headset and stem/spacer/adjustment etc etc.

For $20 and some time, I learn a lot. I expect to just build the frame up as an SS and use the susy to take the edge off on cold mornings...

I really just want to lube/condition the rubber(s) if possible, and hope that the thing doesn't kill me on some hard bottoming......

Thanks

dmc


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## wheelsgman (Feb 12, 2005)

The internals could be similar design to a Tange Shockblade. If so, you'll need a 5mm Allen socket with a long extension to reach inside the stanchions in each leg to unscrew the allen bolt. Once the bolts are undone, you can separate the sliders from the stanchions and see the elastomers.


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*..no joy on fitting....*



wheelsgman said:


> The internals could be similar design to a Tange Shockblade. If so, you'll need a 5mm Allen socket with a long extension to reach inside the stanchions in each leg to unscrew the allen bolt. Once the bolts are undone, you can separate the sliders from the stanchions and see the elastomers.


hi wheelsgman - thats what I thought, as making sense, but I couldn't rig a key to my extension to reach, and tried some bits turned around to the hex, but if you look close at the image above, there seems to be a "pin" in the centre of the fitting, and some odd shape to the sides, more like a Torx but hollow with a pin...

Could be the distance or the reflection, its very clean so I think the sides of the fitting must show up, but I have no idea what it could be.

If no joy here, I can take it up to the LBS and ask around....

Thanks

dmc

PS - funny thing is that the fitting looks like a Shrader valve, hehe, or some kinda grease nipple...


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## wheelsgman (Feb 12, 2005)

It look like you might need a bit similar to this one. It is a T-30 torx with a hole in the middle. T-30 is approximately 5mm. My tool is used to tighten my Volvo roof rack, but it may be too short to reach inside your fork.


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

Tange Struts suspension fork, and its basically the same design as a Manitou 1 / 2, elastomer stack at the bottom of the sliders. The "donut" you see under the bolt looking down the stanchions is the extra-soft top-out elastomer. The bolt takes a 5mm allen head socket. The forks came with a 12" long 5mm allen wrench (as did Manitou 1s, 2s, and M-sports in 92-93). The fork had 1.5" of travel as memory serves, and yes they were light and because they (like the scott unishocks) used a welded steel unicrown for the steerer/crown/stanchion assembly, they actually were both surprisingly stiff and light relative to the cost of the things. 

You can get socket wrench bits in 5mm allen, and 10" long socket extensions for socket wrenches to get the thing apart. Tange used micro-cellular urethane elastomers like later proflex bikes used for their forks/shocks. These elastomers lasted longer than the straight urethane bumpers Manitou used on their forks (from the M1 thru M4/EFC, the Mach-5s and later used MCUs) at the time so they might not be tooo poached inside. Some might be in good shape still (its not unusual to find some elastomers have died and some are still good when you take these old forks apart).


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*...you were right about 5mm..*



wheelsgman said:


> It look like you might need a bit similar to this one. It is a T-30 torx with a hole in the middle. T-30 is approximately 5mm. My tool is used to tighten my Volvo roof rack, but it may be too short to reach inside your fork.


Thanks wheelsgman - looks like 5mm Allen was the right call, as per DeeEight below..
Cheers

dmc


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*Thanks DeeEight - great info, thinking 50mm..*



DeeEight said:


> Tange Struts suspension fork, and its basically the same design as a Manitou 1 / 2, elastomer stack at the bottom of the sliders. The "donut" you see under the bolt looking down the stanchions is the extra-soft top-out elastomer. The bolt takes a 5mm allen head socket. The forks came with a 12" long 5mm allen wrench (as did Manitou 1s, 2s, and M-sports in 92-93). The fork had 1.5" of travel as memory serves, and yes they were light and because they (like the scott unishocks) used a welded steel unicrown for the steerer/crown/stanchion assembly, they actually were both surprisingly stiff and light relative to the cost of the things.
> 
> You can get socket wrench bits in 5mm allen, and 10" long socket extensions for socket wrenches to get the thing apart. Tange used micro-cellular urethane elastomers like later proflex bikes used for their forks/shocks. These elastomers lasted longer than the straight urethane bumpers Manitou used on their forks (from the M1 thru M4/EFC, the Mach-5s and later used MCUs) at the time so they might not be tooo poached inside. Some might be in good shape still (its not unusual to find some elastomers have died and some are still good when you take these old forks apart).


Thanks DeeEight - Thanks a ton, great info..I really appreciate your help. I did a lot of search prior to thread, and found only one reference in the whole www, said 50 mm travel (2" for our metric challenged).

Thanks for confirming the fitting, I will find the right key.

Some follow-up Qs:

Any suggestions for a snot/lube for the MCUs that I could find easily in Canada?

Is a pooched/poached elastomer recognizable cause its degraded and cracked....or if they look good they are good?

Thanks again!

dmc


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## SLIMBOY (Oct 16, 2005)

if they are damaged you will recognize it immediately , when they die they do it in style

will probably be like powder , or split 

if you have any that are , pm me , i can help


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*More www results....thanks*



DeeEight said:


> Tange Struts suspension fork, and its basically the same design as a Manitou 1 / 2, elastomer stack at the bottom of the sliders.... (.. Manitou 1s, 2s, and M-sports in 92-93)... .


DeeEight - my searches were for Tange GS2 and came up dry. I searched for Tange Struts and got lots of hits....Thanks..

You familiar with this link?

http://home.ca.inter.net/~kroberge/tech.html

I'm taking a flyer, but do you have an opinion of the "Air Damping Mod"?

Cheers

dmc


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*Thanks, going to tear down this weekend..*



SLIMBOY said:


> if they are damaged you will recognize it immediately , when they die they do it in style
> 
> will probably be like powder , or split
> 
> if you have any that are , pm me , i can help


Thanks SLIMBOY - Just was reading some old mid-90s tech tips (gotta love the internet) about Tange Struts and Manitou 1/2, MCUs and springs...

I'll get a chance to check the MCUs and may take you up on that..Thanks

dmc


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## DeeEight (Jan 13, 2004)

deadmanschest said:


> You familiar with this link?
> 
> http://home.ca.inter.net/~kroberge/tech.html
> 
> I'm taking a flyer, but do you have an opinion of the "Air Damping Mod"?


I should be, its my webpage. I wrote it.

Dead elastomers either melt, or split, or bulge outwards and collapse, or they turn rock solid. When you get them out, simple test is squeeze them with your fingers, if they spring up and down, they're good. If they don't.....


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## deadmanschest (Apr 15, 2007)

*I must be Kreskin...hehe..*



DeeEight said:


> I should be, its my webpage. I wrote it. ...


 I thought so...the reference to Tange Struts and Manitou 1s,2s and M-sports in 91-92.. hehe

Thanks for the great info..

Cheers

dmc


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