# 2011 Demo 8 and 2011 Fox 40's - rubber bumpers don't fit



## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

The rubber bumpers that came with the forks are not large enough to reach the frame,
so the Stopping point of the turn sweep is the metal at the bottom of the steering tube.

Is this ok ? or do you need the rubber bumpers to absorb some of the hit ?


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

Are you running a flush headset so the lower crown is hitting the downtube? If so this is bad. Imagine in a crash how much force would be there. Either find some bumpers for your fork legs or glue some to your frame so those are taking the impact. Also, when negotiating switchbacks or initiating a whip I like the progressive feel of a rubber bumper at the end of the steering limit. I think a hard stop would throw me off balance.


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## Nagaredama (Aug 2, 2004)

The 2011 Demo 8 frames are supposed to come with special bumpers for Fox 40s. If your frame didn't have them in the box I would Specialized to get a set.


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

Cuz 888s and Boxxers have downward sloping crowns while 40s have straight crowns?


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## Nagaredama (Aug 2, 2004)

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showpost.php?p=3569024&postcount=231


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## fixbikeguy (Aug 28, 2008)

Lelandjt said:


> Cuz 888s and Boxxers have downward sloping crowns while 40s have straight crowns?


Or Specialized made the Demo with a really fat low downtube?


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## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

Area there other types of headsets that create a gap between the fork crown and the frame when the bike is turned to its limits.?

I have the special bumpers but they compress a little and then its the fork crown touching the downtube that really stops the turn



Lelandjt said:


> Are running a flush headset so the lower crown is hitting the downtube? If so this is bad. Imagine in a crash how much force would be there. Either find some bumpers for your fork legs or glue some to your frame so those are taking the impact. Also, when negotiating switchbacks or initiating a whip I like the progressive feel of a rubber bumper at the end of the steering limit. I think a hard stop would throw me off balance.


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

Risse Racing makes a replacement crown/steerer for the 40 with the bolts mounted in front; makes more room in back for down tube clearance.


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## fixbikeguy (Aug 28, 2008)

Seriously, this seems to be an oversight by the big S. Lots of people are going to be running 40's on this frame and their special bumpers seem like a band aid. That little bit of contact rubber covering the crown will fully compress and cause damage to the frame in a good crash. Maybe the next generation of this frame will come with built in fork bumpers?


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

dub post


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## Lelandjt (Feb 22, 2008)

3034 said:


> Area there other types of headsets that create a gap between the fork crown and the frame when the bike is turned to its limits?


Flush headsets seem to be the norm this year in DH:









A headset with a standard, external lower bearing will raise & slack the front end and create more room between the crown and downtube:


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## mullet dew (Jun 4, 2008)

I don't see what everyone is worried about, the frame comes with fork bumpers for the 40 specifically to solve this issue.


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## 3034 (Apr 12, 2006)

The Lower Crown hits the frame in spite of the special bumpers.
The rubber compresses and then its metal on metal - Crown to Frame
My bike has paint chips already without riding it, just turning it side to side.

The bike shop called specialized and they are coming out with huge bumpers but they will take 3 weeks to get here (from China)
I dont like this solution, just creates a smaller turn sweep

My Bike shop found that Chris King makes a special lower Headset cup that creates an adjustable gap (5mm) between the frame and lower crown. (only $8)
I will update the results here after it is installed later next week.


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## Cable0guy (Jun 19, 2007)

Just zip tie some cut up grips to to the stanchions


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## tuumbaq (Oct 6, 2005)

Cable0guy said:


> Just zip tie some cut up grips to to the stanchions


If you take a look at the RM link you'll see that grips on his to stanchions wont do sweet fack all.

Beside I'd be very upset If I had a brand spanking new frame and had to settle for the getthoest solution to avoid major dents on my bike...


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

3034 said:


> The Lower Crown hits the frame in spite of the special bumpers.
> The rubber compresses and then its metal on metal - Crown to Frame
> My bike has paint chips already without riding it, just turning it side to side.
> 
> ...


You'll be decreasing your head angle with a larger lower cup, making it more slack. I'd check the price of the Risse ($150 for lower crown/steerer) fix against the CK fix before you pull that trigger. Their pinch bolts are in the front, so the back of the crown has a much slimmer profile where it hits the frame. I bought one for the same problem on a Turner Highline w/a 40 and gained about 1/4" clearance over the stock lower crown. It'll still compress the bumper enough to hit in a huge crash, but it's much better now. A bling bonus is that they have full triple clamp sets (if you want to spring for the $230 price) in blue, black or silver.


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## William42 (Oct 29, 2006)

problem solved.










specialized makes them. they should come with your frame.


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## Cable0guy (Jun 19, 2007)

tuumbaq said:


> If you take a look at the RM link you'll see that grips on his to stanchions wont do sweet fack all.
> 
> Beside I'd be very upset If I had a brand spanking new frame and had to settle for the getthoest solution to avoid major dents on my bike...


I did look at that, and the ghetto solution will work. You cut it along the length, and make a condom out of it. I have seen it work on small frames and/or forks with missing rubber bumpers. For this problem you might need to use a grip with thick ends (MX style). Maybe you can make it cover the crown too by cutting it creatively  Better than getting your stanchions and frame scratched up.


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## rookiedh (Jan 22, 2008)

Why can't I blame Fox for this issue? Their the ones using a goofy lower crown.....


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## CSeymour10 (Aug 20, 2007)

rookiedh said:


> Why can't I blame Fox for this issue? Their the ones using a goofy lower crown.....


goofy compared to what..... why blame fox they have been using the same lower crown for years now, and the people are saying that new demo should of been made to work with all four of the major dual crown forks


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## JakeWake (Mar 4, 2005)

All Demo framesets come with a Fox bumper kit included. Be sure to ask your shop if they have the latest rubber compound with the kit. The first production frames came with poor rubber that doesn't last long.

The external headset option does not solve the problem.


Boomslang


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## rookiedh (Jan 22, 2008)

CSeymour10 said:


> goofy compared to what..... why blame fox they have been using the same lower crown for years now, and the people are saying that new demo should of been made to work with all four of the major dual crown forks


Sorry it's hard to express sarcasm over the intranetz


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## b-kul (Sep 20, 2009)

spech is having some issue with this huh?


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## Demodude (Jan 27, 2007)

Jakewake, If the new compound bumpers are harder can they still dent the downtube? I would assume so in a hard enough crash physics being what it is....


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## JakeWake (Mar 4, 2005)

Demodude said:


> Jakewake, If the new compound bumpers are harder can they still dent the downtube? I would assume so in a hard enough crash physics being what it is....


I have never seen a "dented" downtube if there is rubber in between.

JC


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## William42 (Oct 29, 2006)

JakeWake said:


> I have never seen a "dented" downtube if there is rubber in between.
> 
> JC


I recommend you read this thread:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=683543


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## JakeWake (Mar 4, 2005)

William42 said:


> I recommend you read this thread:
> 
> http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=683543


The question asked was if the new compound bumpers dented the frame.

The thread you are referring to is an individual with old compound bumpers, and the bumpers wore out and resulted in metal to metal contact.

JC


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## William42 (Oct 29, 2006)

I didn't realize that there were already old compound bumpers for something that had been released weeks ago. I also didn't realize they would wear out and cause dents within 15 minutes of ride time on a flowy no crash track.


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## ARider (Feb 28, 2005)

William42 said:


> I didn't realize that there were already old compound bumpers for something that had been released weeks ago. I also didn't realize they would wear out and cause dents within 15 minutes of ride time on a flowy no crash track.


You also didn't realize that you should not believe everything you read on the internet.


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## jurichar (Aug 19, 2009)

N


ARider said:



> You also didn't realize that you should not believe everything you read on the internet.


Want a video of the track??? The story's true. Not much hardcore shredding to be done with an arm cast on in a flow track designed for beginners.


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## charvey9 (May 13, 2010)

I plan on contacting specialzed, but does anyone know for sure where I can get the special bumpers? I'm having a similar problem with my 2011 DHR and would like to try the bumpers before getting a new lower crown.


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## JefedelosJefes (Jun 30, 2004)

charvey9 said:


> I plan on contacting specialzed, but does anyone know for sure where I can get the special bumpers? I'm having a similar problem with my 2011 DHR and would like to try the bumpers before getting a new lower crown.


You can only get one from a specialized dealer.


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## tyler243 (Oct 28, 2009)

charvey9 said:


> I plan on contacting specialzed, but does anyone know for sure where I can get the special bumpers? I'm having a similar problem with my 2011 DHR and would like to try the bumpers before getting a new lower crown.


http://www.go-ride.com/SPD/go-ride-factory-fork-bumpers--80003B72-1297367635.jsp

I saw these in a thread a while ago, can't remember the name of it. They're not quite the same thing but should do the trick. Just stick 'em to your frame where the crown will contact

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=687529 Here we go just found it. Go-ride put it on a DHR they built up.


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## eurospek (Sep 15, 2007)

tyler243 said:


> http://www.go-ride.com/SPD/go-ride-factory-fork-bumpers--80003B72-1297367635.jsp
> 
> I saw these in a thread a while ago, can't remember the name of it. They're not quite the same thing but should do the trick. Just stick 'em to your frame where the crown will contact


You can get the same thing at Home Depot or Lowes. In the section where they sell furniture pads for chair and table legs. Cheaper too. I know because I've used some to eliminate a dashboard rattle in my WRX in the winters. :lol:


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## m3bfva2 (Jan 31, 2007)

I had the same issue but my Fox 40 came with the new large bumpers and the lower crown was still contacting the frame even before the bumpers. My LBS installed a chris king lower headset cup and it solved this issue. They also re-installed the smaller fork bumpers which increased my turning radius. The size of the headset cup is either 5mm or 6mm.


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## mjdthunder (Nov 20, 2007)

*Pic*

Can you post a picture? I bet the king looks bling on there.


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## BenMx26 (Oct 24, 2008)

There is a spacer that you need to put under the lower bearing race. You can call Specialized and they will send it to you. Unless you purchased a complete Demo w/ Fox 40's, they will not come with the spacer.


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## dasnakenyc (Mar 7, 2006)

m3bfva2 said:


> I had the same issue but my Fox 40 came with the new large bumpers and the lower crown was still contacting the frame even before the bumpers. My LBS installed a chris king lower headset cup and it solved this issue. They also re-installed the smaller fork bumpers which increased my turning radius. The size of the headset cup is either 5mm or 6mm.


do you know the part number or can you share a link? thanks


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## cesalec (Aug 28, 2008)

I have a 2012 Demo, and I love the bike, but dont like Boxxers, I´ve been googling around to see what I could do to this frame issue.... I noticed that the 888 from Marzocchi have a drop down crown, could this work?


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## m3bfva2 (Jan 31, 2007)

It should work. My buddy has the same model year as mine a 2011 Demo and he is running a 2011 Marzocchi 888 Rc3 EVO and he had no clearence issues with his. The drop down crown on the Marzocchi solves the problem. I wish FOX would design one for their 40.


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## cesalec (Aug 28, 2008)

m3bfva2 said:


> It should work. My buddy has the same model year as mine a 2011 Demo and he is running a 2011 Marzocchi 888 Rc3 EVO and he had no clearence issues with his. The drop down crown on the Marzocchi solves the problem. I wish FOX would design one for their 40.


Thanks I will be scouting the web for sales on 2012 888s or even better 2013 with gold stanchions... :thumbsup:


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