MTB shock seals and bushings

MTB shock seals and bushings

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MTB Shock Seals and Bushings

This page covers rear shock servicing. Fork seal kits have their own dedicated page: the two differ in both part numbers and service intervals.

Seal kits

  • 50-hour kit : external wiper and oil seals. Routine maintenance, suitable for a well-equipped home mechanic.
  • 200-hour or annual kit : air seals, internal O-rings, everything that seals the body.
  • These kits are specific to the model and generation : Monarch, Deluxe, Super Deluxe, SIDLuxe, ThruShaft for RockShox, Float and Float X for Fox.

Bushings: the forgotten part

DU bushings are the sleeves that connect the shock eyelets to the mounting hardware. They wear quietly with no visible signs, and are very often the reason for a knock at the rear of the bike or play mistakenly blamed on frame bearings. Before stripping down a whole linkage, check them: it takes five minutes and a few pounds. They are replaced in pairs using a press tool.

When to service

  • A traces of oil on the body or around the damper shaft.
  • A loss of pressure noticeable between rides on an air shock.
  • A knocking on compression or rebound, a classic sign of worn bushings.
  • A noticeable play when pulling laterally on the rear wheel with the bike off the ground.

Jobs left for the workshop

Replacing external seals and bushings is within reach of a careful home mechanic. Opening the damper body, bleeding and nitrogen recharging require specialist tools and a dyno: this is an authorised service centre job, recommended every two years on heavily used bikes.

To find out more: How to service your MTB rear shock

See also: MTB Rear Shocks · MTB Shock Hardware & Spacers · MTB Fork Seal Kits