2009 Fox Racing Shox Owner's Manual - Bike-Components

Suspension Tuning Tips
Note: Unless noted otherwise, these tuning tips apply to both forks and rear
shocks.
Symptoms: Not using full travel, feels harsh, poor traction while making turns
Causes: Overly stiff spring or compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or softer coil springs; reduce compression damping
Symptoms: Bottoms out, soft throughout travel
Causes: Spring rate too low throughout travel or too little compression damping
Solutions: More air pressure or stiffer coils springs; increase compression damping
Symptoms: Harsh over large bumps, but good over small ones
Causes: Compression damping too high
Solutions: Reduce compression damping
Symptoms: Excessive sag, feels soft initially but does not bottom out
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too low
Solutions: Increase air pressure or spring preload
Symptoms: Harsh over small bumps but uses full travel
Causes: Initial spring rate or preload too high, or too much compression damping
Solutions: Lower air pressure or install softer springs; reduce compression damping; reduce
spring preload
Symptoms: Takes first bump in a series well but harsh over later bumps, poor traction in
washboard corners
Causes: Too much rebound damping
Solutions: Reduce rebound damping, if adjustable
Symptoms: Front end springs back too quickly after bumps, poor traction in bumpy corners
Causes: Not enough rebound damping
Solutions: Increase rebound damping, if adjustable
Symptoms: Lockout not working
Causes: Not enough suspension fluid in the damper; RLC forks only: blowoff threshold knob
is fully counterclockwise
Fox Racing Shox 2009 Owners Manual Suspension Tuning Tips Page 305