# Fox DHX Coil Rebuild Guide - Version 3



## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Hi all
Here is my promised update to my old Fox DHX rebuild guide 
Ive included more pics, altered the procedure to make it easier, as well as to keep inline with some new info i learned since writing my first one

Ive spell checked this one much better than the old one (please remember though, im only human, and its late at night  )

Also i used much clearer, higher quality pictures that have been taken with my dads Nikon D200 DSLR camera with a big mofo of a lens, instead of my camera phone  
However the original document was over 200mb and when i converted the file to a PDF, its downgraded the quality of the pictures slightly. the pics are still easily understandable, so consider this a preliminary release until i get this sorted

Yes its uploaded to media fire, deal with it people 

Also coming soon

A high quality video showing you how to rebuild the shock
A file containing high resolution shots, to be used in conjunction with the original V3 guide, should you want to look at high res pics of the process

Please remember to read it throughly before carrying any work out on your shock

Anyway enjoy guys and girls! :thumbsup:

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Heres the link to the file, remember its preliminary until i can get the picture quality sorted

http://www.mediafire.com/?sharekey=7facf2b496331f13d2db6fb9a8902bda

Enjoy!

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## adamantane (Jan 27, 2005)

very nice work..thanks


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## Secace (Sep 8, 2004)

Very cool! :thumbsup:


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## Huck Banzai (May 8, 2005)

Pants!


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## Clutchman83 (Apr 16, 2006)

Good stuff, keep it up Nick!


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## Toasted BLT (Feb 16, 2008)

Great guide. I will be overhauling my dhx later in the season. This will come in very handy. Thanks for taking the time to do it right and post it up.


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## tacubaya (Jan 27, 2006)

Veeeeeeeery nice, thanks.


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## jschwart73 (May 1, 2007)

Awesome guide, used it tonight to fix my DHX 5 that had gotten a little air in it. It's silky smooth and back in action. Thanks!


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Great to hear its working for you guys!

Tonight i just finished the video that is to be used in conjunction with the PDF guide, all i need to do is the voice over, but i cant do that yet as ive caught a cold and can barely speak.

Then just got to finish up the picture file that contains higher res pictures of the pics in the PDF file

Hope you guys and girls will like it


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## Timekiller (Jun 15, 2006)

Hey, great job! and thanks!


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## enemy1 (Nov 2, 2008)

Thanks for the info! I'll try it later in the season.


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## Mountainbikextremist (Jan 15, 2005)

Great guide! Do you have a close up shot of the shaft shims, because I think I might have mucked them up like you warned against. Also, I seem to be having difficulty getting a good bleed. I tried your technique, and also fully submerging it in oil. I think I am getting a small bubble that gets trapped when Im screwing the shaft back in. I get an audible squish at the very beginning of the stroke, and doesnt return when I am continually cycling the shock. Thanks!


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Mountainbikextremist said:


> Great guide! Do you have a close up shot of the shaft shims, because I think I might have mucked them up like you warned against. Also, I seem to be having difficulty getting a good bleed. I tried your technique, and also fully submerging it in oil. I think I am getting a small bubble that gets trapped when Im screwing the shaft back in. I get an audible squish at the very beginning of the stroke, and doesnt return when I am continually cycling the shock. Thanks!


Regarding the bleed did you make sure that you filled the piggyback resi and main resi fully? meaning that the oil is pretty much overflowing. PLace the IFP in the resi (with bleed screw inserted) hold it in with you thumb while placing the shaft into the chamber. The reason you have to make sure that both are almost overflowing with oil because when you screw in the cap, oil will overflow and bring with it any air trapped in the threads. Once youve screwed in the shaft, remove bleed screw from IFP and push it to the correct depth (watch for oil that squirts out!), making sure you tap the shock to displace any air. This is how ive done the bleed procedure and everytime its worked, you may get a tiny squelch when you first cycle the shock, but it goes away after that, just make sure you take your time

As for the shims, here is the only picture i have of the stack (for a 09 DHX) at the moment
The Washer on the far left is the thick black back plate that goes on the bottom of the stack, between that and the piston is the compression stack, then on the otherside of the piston is the rebound stack.

Hope this helps ya mate :thumbsup:


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

I wonder if anyone has tuned the shim stack yet on their own, and also found a supplier for this size and thickness.


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

From what ive heard alot of people say, mxtech has the shims


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## edzwa (Sep 2, 2007)

Thanks Nick this guide will be very helpful and is much appreciated.


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## Mountainbikextremist (Jan 15, 2005)

*Dowt!*

I think I just may have noticed why my DHX has been such a pain to bleed, and the rebound knob increases compression rather than rebound...shim stack probably is in upside down I will proceed to do tear down #3 tomarrow evening.


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Yes that may well be the cause haha

Let us know how it goes!


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## Jerk_Chicken (Oct 13, 2005)

Actually, I'd like that if the PP knob would work the rebound because I typically want to change that setting during a ride without stopping more than compression.


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## CharacterZero (May 19, 2004)

Has anyone rebuilt a PUSH'd DHX?


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## Mountainbikextremist (Jan 15, 2005)

Yes sir that was the problem, my shim stack was in upside down. Damn, they are a mess to service! She is pure butta now though!


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Great to hear it worked out for ya mate!


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## Ripzalot (Jan 13, 2004)

nice work, thanks for posting!


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Almost got the video finished guys and girls
Ive also finished the file with higher quality pics to be used in conjunction with the guide

Hope to have it all up by next weekend

Stay tuned!


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

Any word on the update? Just got my O-rings in today and I'm excited for a rebuild!


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Yep the file containing the high res pictures is up
Unfortunantly my video decided to corrupt itself and im having a HELL of a time to try and fix it up, but i am working on it!

Here is the link to my thread which is where everything regarding a DHX rebuild will be posted, hope you like it!

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=538515


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

Cool, thanks. I just did mine today and unfortunately it's stuck down though - not sure if it's a bad O-ring or if it's a problem w/ bleeding - any tips on how to get the shaft inserted w/o leaking fluid out of the reserviour by the IFP? Should the IFP get pushed down a little further?


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Problem you seem to be having is in step 9 and 10, are you sure you followed these bits correctly?

The only reason i can think of that is causing fluid to leak out of the IFP as you reinsert the shaft is because you havent either put the bleed screw back in or the O-rings on the IFP may have been damaged when you installed them or their the wrong size. If you measured the IFP depth at the start and reinstalled it to this depth at the end, there is no need to change the depth, if in doubt check the chart. You must hold the IFP at its depth when you reinstall the piston, as when you screw it in, oil will overflow from the black end cap, which will push out any air trapped inside.

Hope this helps, but make sure you followed step 9 and 10 correctly
Let us know how it goes


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

I put the bleed screw in, did the depth, etc., etc. Tried 3 bleeds today. I think the problem occurs when I push the shaft assembly into the main chamber? The shock feels fine except for about 1/8" of dead travel (no damping). Gonna take it to someone w/ more experience than me with shocks tomorrow to see if they can figure it out. I should double-check the IFP O-ring as well. 

Would cycling the shock w/o air in the boost valve upon completion hurt anything? I ask because I did that to see if it felt alright before airing it up to 125 PSI, then realized after that was probably a stupid thing to do.


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Hmm either you have a massive air pocket in the damper (which i highly doubt) or there is something wrong with your compression assembly, have the people you take it to check the compression assembly


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## Ojai Bicyclist (Nov 4, 2005)

The only place that seemed to me like it could be a problem was threading in the shaft assembly - it displaces a lot of oil putting it in, and maybe I spilled too much out of the body or something? I'm taking it to someone soon here to have it checked out...


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

A large amount of oil will spill out, as the piston and seal head will displace the oil that sits in the top of the main resi when you fill it to the point of overflowing


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## cactuscorn (Feb 5, 2004)

nice! she be bookmarked.


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## 300hp (Apr 23, 2008)

Ojai Bicyclist said:


> Would cycling the shock w/o air in the boost valve upon completion hurt anything? I ask because I did that to see if it felt alright before airing it up to 125 PSI, then realized after that was probably a stupid thing to do.


and then compressed the piston (once) to check for clearance putting the shock on a new frame. Did I kill the shock? Do I have to tear it down and do a bleed now, or is one silly mess up not going to do anything?

If you compress the piston without air in the boost valve, is there anything special you have to do, besides never do it again?

thanks guys, I'm bumming.


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## Nick_M2R (Oct 18, 2008)

Unless you here squelching noises from inside the shock, just inflate it back up, there will always be abit of air in the boost valve, unless you pull a vacuum on it.

If you here squelching noises from your shock, the oil has air in it, meaning it will need to be bleed. Follow my guide to change the oil, just ignore the bits showing how everything is taken apart


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## 300hp (Apr 23, 2008)

thanks so much nick, I appreciate it. Not really squelching anymore. Did you mention what weight/kind oil to use in the procedure? Also, are there any little mods I can do when I'm in there to make things a bit more plush?
Hunter


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