Creaky X Fusion: Am I going to die?

[stuckathuntermtn]

After getting my fork rebuilt, I'm getting some creaking from my X Fusion Slide. Not a high-end fork, and fairly flexy.
Some Googling reveals that it may actually be from the stanchion/crown interface. There is a fix involving some expensive types of Locktight that may work. Pretty sure it's not coming from the headset, and somewhat sure it's not coming from the steer tube.
So, the question is, can I just ignore it, or will I die in a fiery crash?
Rode a mildly technical trail today with a couple small drops and a steep rock rollover (Woods Gulch and 3 Larch for those familiar with the Missoula area), and everything seems fine. The few other rides I've done since getting it rebuilt (it's been really hot, I haven't been riding much. Need to wake up earlier) have seemed just dandy. Fork more or less works great.
Keep in mind that I'm a big guy, but only doing XC riding. The creaking is mostly on steep uphills. There's some other pops or squeaks coming from the fork and my rebound knob is MIA, but that may have been me fucking with it too.
TIA

[nickwm21]

Did you call XFusion or the people who rebuilt your fork? Or are you just betting your life on the TGR brain trust?

[stuckathuntermtn]

Oh, it's a straight steertube and 9mm dropouts (I know, stfu), if that matters. This is on the Canfield N9.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Did you call XFusion or the people who rebuilt your fork? Or are you just betting your life on the TGR brain trust?

Someone at my LBS was like "Rock Shox". Gee thanks. Also, I'm not ready to blame this on them (they're a pretty reputable shop and I have a good relationship with them since I also work on their IT needs at times. It also helps that their basically down the street from me), although this was apparently the first X Fusion this guy did and it took him a few tries. Can I just try tightening the big nuts under the air and rebound knobs on the top? Lube?
I'm headed out to the Parents' in the East Bay on Sunday, so I suppose I could drop it back off. Nothing seems broken, mind you. So yeah, my life is in your hands
PS, no one is answering the phone at X Fusion.

[Damian Sanders]

...............my X Fusion.............

This makes you really hard to take seriously.

[Gunder]

Those forks are sketchy. I've seen a ton of them with cracked dropouts....

[El Chupacabra]

This makes you really hard to take seriously.

Are you qualified to diagnose a 29er fork?

[stuckathuntermtn]

Damian telling someone they're not being taken seriously...
Is that sorta like how since I have adhd, I can tell when other people have it?

[kidwoo]

Damian telling someone they're not being taken seriously...
Is that sorta like how since I have adhd, I can tell when other people have it?

No that's gaydar.

[stuckathuntermtn]

I may have been able to tighten the nut at the top of the air side. I also tightened the headset. I guess we'll see tomorrow some time. I can't really reproduce the effect in my garage or riding up the steep block next to my house. I can make it creak holding the wheel and twisting the bars side to side, but I'm guessing that's normal. And this fork is pretty flexy.
I suppose I could always try to find a Reba for cheap. Are RockShox forks still internally adjustable for travel? They all seem to be sold at 100mm forks.


Oh, Kidwoo, your sig line. Bwahahaha.

[kidwoo]

Creaking CSUs are kind of universal. Fox and RS forks can do it too.

If you really want to know if that's what it is, drip some triflow into the seams with your bike upside down. Count to 20 then go ride.


The only reba I've ever had apart did have spacers under the air piston shaft to adjust travel. Most of their bigger, higher end forks do it with different length shafts however.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Yeah, I kinda figured any fork can develop a non-life-threatening creak. I think that was basically my reply when the dude said RockShox. I'll try the triflow.
Thanks.

[jamal]

Just bring it back and have them check things over?

I think the straight steerer/qr Reba is 100mm only. The tapered/15mmTA forks use different parts and can go to 110 or 120mm, I think only to 110 for 29" forks. My 100mm sid is mostly the same as a reba and has a 10mm spacer on the air shaft that I could remove. It's dual air, I think for solo air you need a whole new airshaft to change travel.

I borrowed a fox fork for last weekend because I had a broken part in mine, I was looking in the manual to figure out how much air to put in it and it looks like some of those will go 90-110-130mm just by moving spacers. That one was a float 32 RL, not a great compression damper but it worked ok. I don't know if those come in straight steerer/qr either though.

[babybear]

I hadn't realized my x fusion suspension was so lame (single tear rolling down cheek)

[mtngirl79]

my fork adjusts travel with a knob on the top.

[Damian Sanders]

I hadn't realized my x fusion suspension was so lame (single tear rolling down cheek)

The only non-lame suspension is pre-2008 Marzocchi, so don't feel so bad.

[radam]

I hadn't realized my x fusion suspension was so lame (single tear rolling down cheek)

Yeah, seriously. Here I was thinking my Trace was 90% as good as my Pike for half the price.. this thread is a wakeup call.

[stuckathuntermtn]

*insert crying Indian. Pile of discarded mountain bike technology in background*

[jm2e]

1. Why don't you just try the Loctite thing?
2. How expensive can Loctite be? Every other single thing that ever touches your bike is probably more expensive than Loctite.
3. If anything is flexy with your fork it's the QR.
4. Save up your allowance for a few weeks and get a Pike and adapt your front wheel to a thru axle.

[::: :::]

Wondering why creaky fossil hasn't sniffed this thread out yet...should be like salmon on the dash of a Yellowstone visitor's car

[babybear]

Wondering why creaky fossil hasn't sniffed this thread out yet...should be like salmon on the dash of a Yellowstone visitor's car

I thought the same thing too.
Almost baiting him to come out.
Steel yourself to be insulted everyone

[stuckathuntermtn]

I may have fixed it. Might have just been the headset.

[joetron]

Excellent Kraken

[Eluder]

The only sketchy thing about that fork is the 9mm QR. Nothing wrong with X-fusion forks, it is a cheap model though.

[stuckathuntermtn]

Yeah, it's flexy. Oh well. The bike it's attached to is a hardtail so I tell myself no big deal. The wheel has a 9mm thru bolt