Just went through this process again since I wasn't happy with the way it felt last year. Too harsh with the 10 weight I put in it. Wanted to verify my work, double check the bushings, and change the fluid to something else. After reading Michaels work I went through the process of flushing the damper cartridge. Have never done that before. Seemed like a reasonable idea.
Now I have more questions than I started with. (@Igofar to the white courtesy phone). Michael references pushing both the damper rod and the fork tube down to the bottom stop against last inch resistance. I can feel that in my fork tube, but the damper rod just hits a hard stop at the bottom. With fluid pumped in I get resistance up and down, but at the bottom it's just a full stop. Wondering if perhaps that is a model year change? My 2004 might have an earlier version damper that is set up different? Also wondering about the center of the damper rod. While flushing it out I see that there is a vent hole in the side closer to the top of the damping rod, but there doesn't seem to be any connecting passage through to the bottom. Yes? No? Anything to be concerned about?
Now I have more questions than I started with. (@Igofar to the white courtesy phone). Michael references pushing both the damper rod and the fork tube down to the bottom stop against last inch resistance. I can feel that in my fork tube, but the damper rod just hits a hard stop at the bottom. With fluid pumped in I get resistance up and down, but at the bottom it's just a full stop. Wondering if perhaps that is a model year change? My 2004 might have an earlier version damper that is set up different? Also wondering about the center of the damper rod. While flushing it out I see that there is a vent hole in the side closer to the top of the damping rod, but there doesn't seem to be any connecting passage through to the bottom. Yes? No? Anything to be concerned about?