# Fork Rebuild Kit



## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

I have a 2006 Gary Fisher Opie and the fork on it needs to be rebuilt or replaced. I was wondering if there was a rebuild kit for the fork. I checked jensonusa.com and most of what they had seemed fork specific. I know my fork is a Spinner Edge 100mm and that it came on the bike when I bought it. 

Is the best route to just get a new fork or to rebuild this one if the kit is available? Or better yet, can I buy most of the parts I need to rebuild for cheap or is it going to cost about the same as a new fork?

Thanks


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

You're not going to find a rebuild kit for a Spinner fork. Replacement parts are also going to be pretty impossible to find.

If you take the fork apart, clean everything, relube and reassemble, you'll probably be able to get some more life out of it. You can find everything you need for that at a hardware store or a motorcycle shop if there's any oil in it (I doubt it - I'd expect that you'll find some grease in there, but nothing else.)


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## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

I forgot to mention that the fork is seized up, is that going to involve more work on my part or is it the same rebuild?


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

Sure it's not an '05?

Anyway, it depends on the reason the fork is seized. If it's a part you can't fix, you'll have to throw out that part. Whether or not the fork can go back together after that... guess you'll find out. It could also just be a lot of crap in between the lowers and the stanchion tubes. Did the fork lock out over time, or did you do something to it?

There is a rigid fork on EBay for $23.87 right now. Don't spend more than that working on this fork.


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## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

I bought the bike Fall of '07 and it was the previous year's model so I'm assuming that would be '06.

It froze over time, I had to leave it outside when I was in the dorms my first 2 years of college and South Dakota winters are very unforgiving.

The thing is I would prefer to have a suspension fork rather than a rigid fork. Granted I only ride this thing to and from campus but it's nice to have the comfort of a front fork.


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## [email protected] (Feb 3, 2008)

if winter got to it, you're better off getting something new and decent. I had a spinner grind os that felt like it locked out when it got cold. KHS warrantied a new one last year and not long after that it seized up on me. found a '02 Rock Shox Duke that's going on it intead. not worth the trouble of warrantying again


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

The fact that the fork seized over time suggests dirt and grime got to it, and that any grease that was on the stanchions got flushed into the lowers. I bet there's a really disgusting slurry down there. So rebuilding it could help. There is no kit. You'll probably want rags, detergent, degreaser, probably a couple of screw drivers, and a socket set. A pressure washer would be pretty sweet too, if you have access to one. There's likely some seriously disgusting, seriously sticky stuff in there.

If you ride it off-road, I highly encourage you to get some saddle time on a bike with a rigid fork and at least a 2.1" tire, inflated properly (as in low) for you. You may think that that your suspension fork makes it easier, but I'd be surprised if you didn't find that a rigid tracked a lot better, and that improvement was more than worth the loss of suspension travel.

If you don't ride off-road, I still encourage you to learn about proper tire inflation. I switched to doing all my commuting and road riding on purpose-built road bikes in around 2001, and while I don't think the difference is huge in an urban area, or anyplace else you have to stop and start a lot, the loss of comfort from not having a suspension fork is non-existent.


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## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

I was thinking I needed a kit to replace old parts if they need to be but nevermind.

I hopped on eBay and found some forks that will work going for around $100 so if I get some extra cash here soon I might do that. I think I'm going to take apart the fork and try to rebuild it first. The snow should start falling soon in which case I will not be riding my bike anymore. Either over Thanksgiving break, or even Christmas break if I want to wait that long, will be when I take it apart. 

Is there a how-to or a step-by-step on here that shows me exactly how to take apart, clean, and put back together my fork? If so, that would be great. I definitely don't want to just start taking off parts and hope for the best.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I doubt that there's anything online. Photograph every step, and if you get it back together successfully, post what you did. I'm sure there are a few other people who want to keep their Spinner coil forks going for one more season.


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## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

If I mess up I guess I can just get something off eBay.

Will this fork fit my bike? If so, I might have to e-mail him.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I don't know. Buy a ruler.

In order to fit your bike without additional parts shuffling and drama, a new fork needs to have a steerer tube with the same outside diameter as the old fork and the steer tube needs to be at least the minimum stack height of your current bike. That would be the height from the bottom of the lower bottom bracket cup to 3mm below the top of the stem, if it's sitting on top of the upper bottom bracket cup. I've bumped into recommendations to have at least one spacer in a number of places, and that makes sense to me. So add 1mm for that.

If you're used to riding with a bunch of spacers, you probably want the new fork to have a steer tube as long as the one on the old fork or you're going to have to get a different stem and/or handlebars to match the riding position.

Honestly, though, I wouldn't pay money for a J3. It takes time and energy for me to earn money. There's a Manitou Axel Comp further down the page that might be okay, and there are a couple of rigid forks. Do your research first.


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## rarrior (Dec 3, 2008)

Sounds good man, thanks for everything, you've been a big help.

And please excuse my ignorance, I figured there was a universal size for most new forks and thought it would be an easy question to answer. Thanks again.


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## DannyBoy1 (Nov 5, 2009)

So did you do it? I also am trying to fix my fork, same as urs, and i just bought some grease and a little tip and tricks would help out out big time, thank you!


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