# Can somebody explain the adjustments on the Rock Shox Fork?



## magohn (Jul 21, 2005)

Hi all,

My ride has the Rock Shox Silver fork on it (coil not air) and has the following dials.

Preload
Rebound (with an image of a turtle and a hare)
Lock

I understand the lock option but how about the other two?

Preload - How does it work? Does adding '+' mean the shock bounces less?
Rebound - How does this differ from Preload?

Im a heavier rider at 280lbs so would I want more or less Preload - Rebound?

The booklet that came with the bike explains how to service the fork but zero on what the settings actually do.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks!


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## faceplant72 (Oct 25, 2009)

Preload increases the initial spring force (by pushing down on the top of the spring) bBut not by much in most cases. At your weight you likely need a different spring to keep from having too much sag and bottoming out on every little bump. 

Rebound adjusts a valve in the the damper to change the return rate of the shock after it is compressed. Turtle means slower rebound which is less bouncy but it also means that the shock will take longer to be ready for the next impact ("packing up" is the short hand for this).


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

If you go to the Sram site click on service in small print at the top you need to look at two files- Coil Spring Chart and Spare Parts. They list a coil spring recommendation for 200-220lbs. --X-Firm 
Coil/Shaft Assy. X-Firm Black 100mm - 11.4015.437.100
Other parts for 80 or 120
You may get an alternative option by calling.


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## magohn (Jul 21, 2005)

Amazingly enough I have ridden a number of trails and using the 'zip-tie' trick the the zip-tie has never risen more than halfway up the shox leg. No bottoming out.

Thanks to BOTH of you for the explanation - at least I know what the dials are supposed to do.


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## SSearchVT (Sep 6, 2007)

If you're just starting out - set the compression and rebound knobs right in the middle and don't worry about them for a while...

As for the zip tie on the fork leg (or O ring if it's still there) - before you get on the bike push it down the tube until it touches the seal on the lower leg. Either lean against a wall or have a friend hold you up on the pedals, hands on the bars, elbows bent a little. carefully get off the bike so you don't bounce around too much. Measure the gap from the seal where the tie started, and where it slid up to by your weight on the bike. Rough guide lines it should be about 20% to 25% of the forks travel.

Don't worry about bottoming - that will come with speed, tougher obstacles, etc...


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## mong736 (Oct 17, 2012)

Can someone help.
Why my rock shox xc 30 tk rebound knob adjust from right to left or left to right also no different.
The rebound rate still very fast. When i press down the fork and release, it rebound back to top immediately.


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## faceplant72 (Oct 25, 2009)

mong736 said:


> Can someone help.
> Why my rock shox xc 30 tk rebound knob adjust from right to left or left to right also no different.
> The rebound rate still very fast. When i press down the fork and release, it rebound back to top immediately.


You may not be using the best method to test the rebound since most forks are setup to rebound a pretty fast rate even on turtle. Try riding off a curb. If it feels bounce like a pogo stick rebound is too fast. If you can't adjust that out with the knob then check to see if the oil has leaked out. If you still have oil then you may need a heavier weight oil to get the rebound you want.


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## rynoman03 (Nov 6, 2012)

Cool! Now I know I have my rebound set to high. Maybe when I lower it i'll get rid of the pogo stick feel. You sure can tell a difference when it's locked vs unlocked on the road / paved trails!


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## watts888 (Oct 2, 2012)

What weight oil can you use in the fork. The SRAM/RockShox website manual says to use 5W oil, but it doesn't say anything about using other weights/spring combos. I'd like to slow down the rebound a bit without having to put the dampening over on the turtle all the time, but I don't want to blow out the seals or damage the fork either.


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## Megabell (Jun 27, 2014)

*Rebound Valve removable?*



faceplant72 said:


> Rebound adjusts a valve in the the damper to change the return rate of the shock after it is compressed. Turtle means slower rebound which is less bouncy but it also means that the shock will take longer to be ready for the next impact ("packing up" is the short hand for this).


I just unpacked my new forks and noticed the Rebound valve at the bottom and it seems like it could fall out. It's just a small 
hex wrench with a plastic handle. Is it something I can set to my preference and then just take it out for safe keeping?


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## roc865 (Jun 29, 2009)

Can I turn up the travel on my Rockshox when I'm riding on flat terrain or road? It defeats the purpose but feels comfortable when I make the fork bigger for short rides in the neighborhood.


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