MAINTENANCE
Your White Brothers fork requires periodic maintenance to ensure peak performance and long life. Moisture and contamination
may build up inside the fork. We suggest you disassemble your forks, inspect, clean and re-grease after 30 hours of use. If the
forks appear to be relatively clean, you can go 40 hours between servicing. If the forks appear dirty, you should service them
every 20 hours. The three things that will most affect the service interval and performance of your forks is water, mud and dust.
How much time you use your forks in those conditions will determine how much service they require.
NOTE: It is recommended that, when cleaning the fork, water spray should not be direct the at the seals.
NOTE: Neglecting proper fork maintenance will reduce the fork’s life. Internal build up of water and dirt, or a lack of
lubrication will cause excessive wear and void the warranty.
Basic service should include removing the lower fork legs cleaning and re-greasing all shafts and seals. At this time, the fork
should be carefully inspected for wear and damage before reassembly.
*White Brothers recommends that you consult with a qualified technician before performing the following:
BASIC FORK DISASSEMBLY
1. Disconnect front brake and remove wheel as outlined in your bicycle owners manual.
2.The cartridge damper locks out when the upper damper shaft is screwed down against a brass seat. This provides a very
durable and positive lockout that retains it’s seal over long periods of use, however if the upper damper shaft is unscrewed
several turns and detaches from the damper piston, the damper must be torn down and rebuilt. Warning: To prevent the upper
damper shaft from unscrewing when the fork lowers are removed for lubrication or other maintenance, do not attempt to
unscrew the compression screw at the bottom of the right leg without first locking the fork out then removing the lockout
knob and the cap and the hex key from the crown on the damper side. After these parts are taken out, the compression screws
can be loosened and the lowers detached from the fork stanchions. Remove allen head bolts at the bottom of the fork using a
6mm allen wrench (figure #5) on either the QR or 20mm thru axle. A light tap may be need to free the control rod from the
lower assembly.
3. Simply slide the lower fork legs off the end of the inner stanchion tubes. Be careful not to damage the seals as they come off
the inner legs.
4. At this point clean all parts with a clean, non-abrasive rag. A mild grease cutting cleaner or solvent might make this an easier
task. Once clean, inspect seals for tears or cracks. If in good condition re-grease them with White Brothers Suspension Lube.
If your seals are no longer serviceable, check the exploded parts table section of this manual for the proper replacement part
numbers. Also, check carefully the DU bushes for wear. This is done by looking at the color of the bushes. If the bushes are
dark grey, they are in good condition. If they are bronze/gold in areas, they are worn and can cause fork stanchion damage.
Your dealer will be able to order any replacement parts you might need. The DU bushes require special tools to remove and
reinstall. If DU bushing replacement is necessary, send your complete fork to White Brothers or take it to a dealer that is
experienced in this type of service on a White Brothers fork.
5. The damper cartridge is threaded into the right fork stanchion. Do not remove. Inspect it for visible leakage. If none, grasp
the shaft while in the stanchion tube and operate back and forth to insure smooth action. If the cartridge has visible leakage
and/or the damping feels inconsistent as it is stroked, return the cartridge to White Brothers or a dealer familiar with
rebuilding the cartridge damper for service.
Figure #5
Page 5
6. Next, inspect the fork stanchion tubes for wear, nicks or scrapes. If there is noticeable play
between lower fork legs and fork stanchions, the DU bushes located inside the lower fork legs
may require replacement. Consult your dealer for service options.
7. If everything is free of problems, coat all parts with a light coating of White Brothers/Englund
Suspension Lube or other suitable, non-lithium grease. Also lube the DU bushings that are
located inside lower fork legs by dipping a socket extension in grease and apply to the inside
of the fork stanchion on the DU bushings.
