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FOX / Help Center / Bike / 2013-2015 FIT CTD Cartridge Rebuild

2013-2015 FIT CTD Cartridge Rebuild

Required Parts
803-00-807 Seal Kit: 32mm/34mm FIT CTD, FIT CTD w/Trail Adjust, and FIT Remote

Required Tools
398-00-320 Tool: 8mm Shaft Bullet, 32 FIT Cartridge
398-00-321 Tool: Bladder Install Spoon, 32 FIT Cartridge
398-00-348 Tooling: Bottom-Side Piston Removal Tool, 2013 CTD And CTD-Adj (Inner)
398-00-430 Tooling: 34/36/40 Damper Removal Tool
398-00-504 Tooling: 2013 CTD Top-Side Piston Removal Tool (Outer)
398-00-681 2002-017 32 Damper-side and ALL 32-34-36-40 Spring-side Removal Tool
803-00-147 Kit: Shaft Clamps, FORX, Set #2
803-00-276 Service Kit: 2010 RL-RLC Hand Bleeder (FOX FIT Bleeder Tool)
803-00-809 Kit: Fill Adapter, 32 and 34 FIT CTD Cartridge

Supplies Needed
1/2" Crows Foot
1/2" Wrench
1/4" Square-drive Ratchet
10mm Crows Foot
10mm Socket
10mm Wrench
13mm Cone Wrench
15mm Socket
2.5mm Hex Wrench
2mm Hex Wrench
3/8" Square-drive Ratchet
6-point Chamfer-less 26mm Socket
6-point Chamfer-less 28mm Socket
8mm Socket
Long 5mm Hex Wrench or 1/4" Drive 5mm Hex Bit and Extension
Magnet
Mallet
Seal Pick
Thin 13mm Crows Foot
Torque Wrench
Waste Oil Basin

Sections
Disassembly
Reassembly
Hand Bleeding the Cartridge
Final Topcap Reassembly

Note: While there are some minor differences between certain parts in 2013 and 2014 FIT CTD cartridges, the service
procedure will be the same for both. Images shown are of a 2013 FIT CTD-Adj cartridge, some 2014 parts (especially the
 blue CTD lever, set screw, tollerance spring, etc) may appear slightly different but will be installed and removed using the
same method as those from a 2013 model.

WARNING: FOX products should be serviced by a qualified bicycle service technician, in accordance with FOX
specifications. If you have any doubt whether or not you can properly service your FOX product, then DO NOT attempt it.
Improperly serviced products can fail, causing the rider to lose control resulting in SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH.

Disassembly
CAUTION: Wear safety glasses during this entire service procedure.

Step 1
Turn the rebound adjuster all the way counter-
clockwise, then remove the red rebound knob with a
2mm hex wrench. Free the cartridge from the lower
assembly with a 10 mm wrench (for the 32 mm fork)
or a 15 mm wrench (for the 34 mm fork) and the Fox
damper removal tool (32 mm PN 398-00-601; 34
mm PN 398-00-430).
Step 2
Hold the blue CTD lever in place while you remove
its set screw with a 2.5mm hex wrench. Replace its
blue u-cup seal with the smaller of the two seals in
the replacement seal kit. 

Step 3
Remove the tolerance spring and detent retainer
plate.
Step 4
Use a 6-point 26 mm chamfer-less socket to remove
the cartridge from the fork (use a 6-point 28 mm
chamfer-less socket for 2013 34 mm forks).

Step 5
Clamp the cartridge body lightly using the #2
clamps (PN 803-00-147). Carefully release the
preload on the CTD compression selection lever
detent spring with a pick tool, capturing it and its
detent ball with a magnet.
Step 6
Fully extend the cartridge to minimize internal
pressure. Remove the bleed screw with a 2.5 mm
hex wrench. Remove the Climb mode blowoff spring
and piston underneath.

Step 7
Remove the cartridge from the clamps and invert
over a drain. Cycle the cartridge to completely drain
the cartridge oil.
Step 8
Clamp the cartridge body in the #2 clamps and
remove the rebound assembly from the cartridge
body with a 13 mm cone wrench.

Step 9
Clean the shaft clamps and shaft with isopropyl
alcohol. Clamp the damper shaft assembly just
tightly enough to let you unthread the rebound
adjuster from the shaft. Remove the rebound
adjuster with a 1/2" wrench (10 mm for the 34),
followed by the original seal head.
 Step 10
Drop the rebound tube from the shaft.

Note:  Be careful to keep all the parts in their original assembly order.

CAUTION: Compression check spring preload may dislodge some parts of the piston assembly during removal of the piston
bolt.
Step 11
Invert the damper shaft assembly in the clamps.
Remove the main piston assembly with a six-point
8mm box-end wrench or socket and set all parts
aside in order.

Step 12
Use the rebound tube to carefully dislodge and
remove the rebound needle and spring from inside
the shaft. Push the rebound needle out through the
rebound adjuster end of the damper shaft.
Step 13
Thoroughly clean all parts and remove and discard
the rebound needle o-ring if present. FIT CTD forks
no longer utilize an o-ring on the rebound needle. 

Step 14
Clamp the shaft carefully so the rebound adjuster
end (the end with no retaining ring) is facing up.
Install the 8mm Shaft Bullet Tool (398-00-320) and
grease with a thin film of Slick Honey.
Step 15
Install the new Seal Head Assembly from the
rebiuld kit with as shown, then remove the bullet
tool.
Step 16
Reinstall the Rebound Adjuster Assembly as shown
and torque to 55 in-lb (6.2 Nm) with a 1/2in. crows
foot (10mm for 34mm forks).
Step 17
Invert the damper shaft and clamp so the end with
the retaining ring is facing up. Slowly fill the
damper shaft with 10wt. Red until full. Slowly insert
the rebound tube into the full damper shaft. This
will displace oil.
Step 18
Install the rebound needle and spring as shown
followed by the check limiter/spring perch, spring,
main piston assembly and piston bolt. Start
threading the piston bolt to keep the parts together
but do not tighten.
Step 19
Make sure that the check shim (the shim under the
piston assembly) can move freely as isn't pinched
between the piston and the end of the damper
shaft. Once sure that the check shim is not pinched,
torque the piston bolt to 55 in-lb (6.2 Nm).

Step 20
Replace the piston glide ring.
Step 21
Remove the retaining ring and bladder retainer to
free the bladder ring, being careful not to scratch
the cartridge body.

Step 22
Push the bladder ring towards the topcap, as
indicated below.
Step 23
Be sure NOT to clamp the smooth portion of the
body. Always clamp below this section to prevent
damage to the bladder sealing surface.
 Step 24
Internally support the coupler with a 5 mm hex
inserted through the body from the bottom. Remove
the topcap from the bladder and cartridge body
assembly with a 6-point chamfer-less 26 mm socket
(28 mm socket for 2013 34 mm forks).

Note: At this point the cartridge can disassemble in two different ways. Pay close attention to the instructions for your
specific scenario.
Scenario A: Piston Inside Topcap
If your compression piston remains inside the
topcap, use the inner Fox piston removal tool (398-
00-348) and a 6-point chamfer-less 26mm (28mm
for 2013 34mm forks) to remove the piston from the
topcap.

Scenario B: Piston Attached to

Coupler
If your compression piston remains attached to the
coupler, use the outer Fox piston removal tool (398-
00-504), a 1/4" drive ratchet, and a ratchet
extension with a 5 mm hex internally inserted
through the body from the bottom, to remove the
piston from the coupler.
Step 25
Inspect the compression shim stack and set aside in
order. Replace any damaged parts as necessary. 

Step 26
Using a blunt tool iniserted through the bleed port,
press the flow divider out through the bottom of the
topcap. Use your forefinger for support, keeping it
square with the topcap as you push it out.
 Step 27
Replace the o-ring on the compression adjuster rod.
Make sure the flow plate remains flush with the
flow divider as you set this assembly aside for now.

Step 28
The only two points of potential oil leakage through
the topcap are shown below. Be sure to replace
both of these o-rings!

Reassembly
Step 1
Install the flow divider assembly squarely into the
topcap, making sure to align and insert the dowel
pin into the hole indicated below. 

Step 2
The flow divider is completely installed and
squarely seated only when you are able to see an
even smooth band of unthreaded wall between the
flow divider and topcap threading, as indicated
below. 
Step 3
To replace the bladder, first separate the bladder
from the threaded coupler at the top of the
cartridge body and slide the bladder and ring
assembly off the cartridge body, as shown. 

Step 4
Remove the bladder ring from the original bladder. 
Step 5
Grease the inside and outside of the bladder at both
ends and install the bladder ring as shown.

Step 6
Slide the new bladder with bladder ring over the
cartridge body and onto the coupler. 
 Step 7
Clamp the cartridge body so the coupler is facing
up. Reinstall the shim stack in its original
configuration.

Installing the compression piston backwards will require a new topcap assembly in addition to various other small
cartridge parts. Make sure you install the compression piston as shown (with the bevel facing up toward the topcap).

Step 8
Be sure to place the compression piston in its
correct orientation (the beveled end oriented
towards the topcap). Apply a liberal coating of slick
honey on the outside of the bladder before
installing the topcap assembly. 
Step 9
As you thread the topcap onto the compression
piston, apply gentle upward pressure on the bladder
and bladder ring. This pressure helps to force the
bladder up into the topcap as you are threading it
down. If necesarry, the bladder installation tool (PN:
398-00-321) can be used to help tuck the bladder
into the topcap. Allow the bottom end of the
bladder to rotate around the cartridge body as you
thread to prevent the bladder from twisting.
Step 10
When the topcap is threaded on, make sure the
bladder is seated evenly into the topcap assembly
with no distortions. 
Step 11
Tighten the topcap onto the bladder and cartridge
body assembly to 75 in-lb (8.5 Nm) torque. 

Step 12
Place the bladder and cartridge body assembly into
the second largest hole in the #2 clamps as shown;
loosely resting the bladder ring on the clamps, no
clamping pressure applied to the bladder ring. While
gently tugging the topcap from below, you will seat
the bladder in the bladder ring deep enough to
install the bladder retainer and retaining ring.
 Step 13
Install the damper shaft assembly into the cartridge
body assembly. With a 13 mm crows foot, tighten
the seal head into the cartridge body to 75 in-lb (8.5
Nm) torque. 

Hand Bleeding the Cartridge

This section can be skipped by those that have access to a vacuum/fill machine (Andreani).

Step 1
With the cartridge fully compressed, thread the
bleed adapter tool (PN 803-00-809) into the bleed
hole in the topcap. Place the rubber tip of the Fox
FIT bleeder tool (PN 803-00-276) into the adapter.
Fill the bleeder tool with Fox red oil until full.
Step 2
Repeatedly squeeze and release the bladder to force
out any air. Next, cycle the shaft slowly down to full
extension, drawing oil into the cartridge. If bubbles
are present in the syringe oil, wait until the bubbles
have risen to the top before drawing clear oil down
into the cartridge.

Repeat the squeeze, cycle, and wait process

described above, until air bubbles stop appearing in
the syringe as you squeeze and cycle the cartridge. 

Do not let the oil level in your syringe drop to the

point where you can ingest air into the cartridge.
Add oil to the syring as necesarry.
 Step 3
The bleed process is complete when air bubbles are
no longer produced as you squeeze the bladder and
cycle the cartridge. Once complete, remove the
bleed adapter tool and top off the bleed hole with
10wt. red oil.

Step 4
Insert the blowoff piston and spring into the bleed
hole. Fill the recess in the underside of the bleed
screw with a small amount of Slick Honey and
install it using the 2.5 mm hex driver. This
completes the hand bleeding section. At this point,
you should cycle the damper and verify that there is
no sound of trapped air inside the cartridge. Repeat
the bleed process if necessary to remove any
trapped air from the cartridge.

Final Topcap Reassembly

Step 1
Thread the set screw for the blue CTD lever a few
turns into the compression adjustor rod. This
enables you to pull the rod upwards for optimal
installation of the detent ball with spring that
follows. 

Step 2
The bleed adapter tool (or a small socket) is handy
for holding the compression rod detent ball in place
as you install its spring. 
Compress the detent spring with a pick tool or flat
driver while pushing the compressed spring down
into the slot with a blunt tool.
Step 3
Install the detent spring retainer plate followed by
the tolerance spring onto the compression adjuster
rod. 

Step 4
Install the cartridge into the fork, tightening to 220
in-lb torque with a 6-point 26 mm chamfer-less
torque socket for 32mm forks (28mm for 2013
34mm forks). 
Step 5
Use the compression selector lever to find the
middle detent setting (trail mode). Remove the
compression lever and reinstall it, with the lever
pointing to the three o'clock position from the
rider's perspective. Hold the lever as shown when
tightening the set screw with a 2.5 mm hex driver to
11 in-lb (1.2 Nm) torque.
 Step 6
Invert the fork and fill with the appropriate amount
of 20wt. Gold oil. FOX 20wt. Gold is compatible with
all Low-Friction 34mm dust wipers. FOX 20wt. Gold
oil should only be used with compatible 32mm dust
wipers found in kit: 803-00-878.
 

Damper Side Bath Oil

32/80-100 20cc

32/110-150 30cc

34/140-160 30cc
 

Spring Side Bath Oil

All FLOAT &
  TALAS 4
TALAS 5
32/80-100 20cc N/A

32/110-150 30cc 10cc

34/140-160 30cc 15cc

Additional information regarding updating from 10wt. Green oil to the new 20wt. Gold oil can be found
at: http://www.ridefox.com/help.php?m=bike&id=452 »
 Step 7
Install the bottom nut with a new crush washer,
tightening to 50 in-lb torque. Install the rebound
knob with a 2 mm hex, making sure the set screw
correctly settles into its indentation on the rebound
adjuster; tighten to 11 in-lb torque. 

After cleaning the exterior of your fork, test the

function of the FIT CTD cartridge before considering
this service complete.

Distributor and OEM service documents access Connect

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