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36 mm TALAS III Spring Service

36 mm TALAS III Spring Service

Disassembly

Note: Closely inspect all o-rings during these procedures; replace these if necessary.

CAUTION: Wear your safety glasses!

1. Remove the TALAS aircap. To aid removal, hold the TALAS lever with your other hand as you turn the aircap.
   
   
2. While holding a shop towel over the topcap assembly, depress the main air chamber Schrader valve to release air pressure.
   
   
3. Using a 1/16" hex key, remove the two small screws.
   
   
4. Remove the TALAS III lever and set it aside on a clean shop towel.
   
   
5. Using a dental pick, remove the TALAS III spiral retaining ring, and set it aside.
   
   
6. Remove the TALAS III adjusting mechanism by hand; pull straight upwards to remove.

   CAUTION: Do not use pliers on the bare valve threads, or damage could result.

   Note: TIP: thread on a plastic or metal valve cap before resorting to the use of any hand tool to remove the adjusting mechanism.

   
   
7. Remove the TALAS III adjuster tension spring, and set it aside.
   
   
8. Remove the 36 mm TALAS III topcap housing with a 32 mm socket. Be careful not to slip and damage the wrench flats. You may need to grind down the socket to reduce lead-in chamfer, which will improve the engagement with the topcap wrench flats.
   
   
9. Remove the TALAS III upper assembly by pulling it straight upwards and out.

   CAUTION: Be careful not to bend the TALAS III outer tube assembly.

   
   

TALAS III Lower Air Shaft: Service

1. Turn the fork upside-down and, using a 10 mm socket, remove the spring-side bottom nut.
   
   
2. Push down on the protruding spring-side shaft to push up the air shaft plunger. If it can't be dislodged, screw the bottom nut on to the shaft at least 2 full turns and softly tap the bottom nut with a soft-faced mallet and remove the bottom nut.
   
   
3. Push down on the end of the TALAS lower shaft that is protruding from the bottom of the upper tube. Hold your hand under the topcap area so that the lower shaft doesn't fall on the ground as you push it down and out of the upper tube. Clean out the inside of the upper tube assembly and set it aside.
   
   
4. Clean or replace seals as needed. Pre-lube the TALAS lower air shaft seals with FLOAT Fluid. Pour 3 cc of Float Fluid into the upper tube and push the air shaft assembly down into the upper tube.
   
   
5. Turn the fork up side down and pour 25 cc of FOX 7 wt suspension fluid in through the bottom hole, into the left lower leg (that is, the TALAS side).
   
   
6. Install the aluminum washer, and thread on the bottom nut. Using a torque wrench and 10 mm socket, torque the bottom nut to 50 in/lb (5.65 N-m).
   
   

TALAS III Outer Tube: Disassembly

Note: The following sub-procedure is only necessary if you suspect TALAS adjuster tube issues, such as travel steps not properly adjusting or evidence of travel creep.

1. With a 16 mm open-end wrench and a 32 mm socket, unthread the topcap housing from the TALAS III air chamber volume spacer.
   
   

   Note: Blue Loctite #242 is used at this thread location during factory assembly.

2. Using the 7 and 11 mm box end wrenches, unthread the outer ferrule nut with the 7 mm wrench as you hold the upper check valve bolt with the 11 mm wrench.
   
   
3. Using a 32 mm socket and the 11 mm box wrench, remove upper check valve bolt from the topcap.
   
   
4. Unscrew the inner tube valve nut three (3) full turns.
   
   

TALAS III Outer Tube: Reassembly

Note: Before reassembling the 36 TALAS III outer tube assembly, be sure all parts are clean and free of Loctite debris.

1. Place a single drop of #242 blue Loctite onto the outer ferrule nut.

   Note: Be sure that the long tapered end of the white nylon outer ferrule is oriented towards the outer ferrule nut.

   
   
2. Insert and press the outer tube assembly into the tube nut, while using the 7 and 11 mm box end wrenches to thread the two parts together. When you feel resistance on the compression ferrule, tighten the compression tube nut only 1/2 turn more.
   
   
3. Using a flat blade screwdriver, thread in the inner tube valve nut until you feel a slight amount of resistance as the parts engage together, without using any Loctite. CRITICAL: at this point, do not tighten more than two more millimeters further.
   
   
4. Inspect the travel adjustment port holes in the side of the outer tube. Be sure that you see brass color through the middle set of four holes. On the 36 mm TALAS III fork, you should also be able to see the color red through the upper two port holes, and red through the bottom-most two port holes, besides the brass color through the four middle port holes.
   
   
5. Place a single drop of #242 blue Loctite onto the threads of the tube nut.
   
   
6. Using an 11 mm open end wrench and 32 mm socket, torque the tube nut to the topcap and tighten to 50 in. lbs.
   
   
7. Place a single drop of #242 blue Loctite onto the lower threads of the topcap.
   
   
8. After threading the volume space onto the topcap lower threads, apply grease to the lower topcap o-ring.
   
   
9. Using a 16 mm open end wrench and 32 mm socket, torque the volume spacer to the topcap assembly lower threads and tighten to 50 in. lbs.
   
   
10. Place 3 cc of FLOAT Fluid into the upper tube.
    
    
11. Apply grease to the o-ring and upper threads of the topcap, and with a 32 mm socket, tighten the topcap into the left fork leg to 165 in. lbs torque.
    
    

TALAS III Inner Adjuster Rod Assembly

Note: Before proceeding, be sure that all parts are thoroughly clean and ready for assembly.

1. Grease the TALAS III adjuster screw. Be sure to cover the spline gear teeth, o-ring, and ramp with grease.
   
   
2. Place the TALAS III detent adjuster onto the adjuster screw.
   
   
   

   Note: Be sure that both detent ball bearings in the detent adjuster are properly in place.

   
   
3. Drop the lower adjuster spring into the topcap.
   
   
4. Orient the detent bearing post (on the detent adjuster, as indicated by the red arrow in the left-hand graphic below) to the 11 o'clock position, relative to the front of the fork legs set at 12 o'clock, as you insert the TALAS III adjuster assembly into the topcap.

   CAUTION: As you insert the inner adjuster needle on the TALAS III adjuster assembly down into the topcap, carefully insert the needle tip into the inner tube valve nut hole deep within the topcap assembly.

   
   
   
5. Install the retaining ring into the topcap retaining ring groove. Pull upwards on the Schrader valve, to position the adjuster up to the retaining ring. This will assist making it easier to thread in the knob screws.

   Note: It's very important to be certain the retaining ring is secure in the topcap retaining ring groove.

   
   
   
6. Install the adjuster knob, with the engraved travel indicator mark default positioned at approximately 11 o'clock (relative to the front of the fork legs set at 12 o'clock).
   
   
7. Tighten the two screws with a 1/16" hex key.
   
   
8. With a FOX High Pressure pump, air up to your desired pressure level and replace the air valve cap.
   
   

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