Rock Shox Judy XC 1st Generation Rebuild head scratch!

[Janners Mugs]

Not quite my ride...but a bit of it.
I have combed the archives on here, downloaded the service guide (and got so far with that), I have watched videos...they all appear to take them apart, then end! So I here I am stripped, cleaned and reassembly time.
Events so far.

Rockshox Judy XC 1st generation were looking very sad when I got them. Elastomers knackered, and I suspect somebody had been in there before. However it appears all the bits were there. Ordered the elastomers from RVA on here (easy to deal with and quick service, big thumbs up) cleaned everything up and started looking at reassembly. 2 points come up.

First.
Is there something missing between the black spacer at the bottom of the stacks, and the top of the lower half of the suspension? The last black spacer doesn't appear to sit in the cream colour bit for each leg. As the elsatomers are not original parts does that last black spacer get left out?


Second
The damper...Hmmm I assume no oil left in this at all. I have read so much on these and got myself confused. Are the early models like this not repairable? If not is there an alternative? Or does it just need filling with oil?

Regards
Janners

 

[Janners Mugs]

Resolved the spacer issue, RVA had the answer. The replacement elastomers are longer, hence 5 in each stack instead of 6, thus a spare spacer each side.
Damper next.....

 

[Janners Mugs]

For my own reference.... viewtopic.php?f=1&t=198073&hilit=Judy+rebuild

 

[Janners Mugs]

Much reading later....take damper apart and see what I find.

 

[Janners Mugs]

So I now have everything laid out.



Decided to give the damper a "push" to see how it came apart, well that was easy.



I can't see any nicks in anything and it's still moist so there was a smidge of oil in there. Which, if it hasn't been touched or refilled in nearly a quarter of a century can't be bad.

5w suspension oil ordered, and some Dynamic suspension Fork grease. Until they arrive I'll crack on with something else.

Janners

 

[Retro Spud]

you'll need to replace the seals around the shaft - otherwise the oil will literally piss out

however the plastic bodies flex and leaked from day and were replaced with metal ones so the repair may be ineffective

parts can be got on ebay here (you'll need 2) > https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rock-Shox-Ju ... SwbbtdCnrS

however I'm sure Fluffy Chicken or Ishaw had a box of them

 

[Janners Mugs]

Thanks Retro Spud,
I shall have a look in the morning and see what the folks have available..
Janners

 

[Janners Mugs]

I spent ages trying to find the circlip mentioned in the Rockshox service manual damper addendum. Eventually it occurred to me I didn't have one because my outer casing is 1 piece molded plastic. Oh well, an hour of head scratching for nothing.

 

[Retro Spud]

Interested to know how you get on with this when they are back in one piece

 

[Janners Mugs]

The damper is now filled, reassembly was quite straight forward. I used the plastic strip that came off the sticky bit of an envelope to let the excess oil out as I pushed the last seal in place. Waiting on the grease so I can reassemble the shocks. sold the frame I was going to put them on, so will have to find something else. :facepalm: