Advice from Marcus

Thanks for the advice Marcus. I thought I would post my findings here for everyone to see.

I don't know if you recall when I 1st asked you about the "skinny bushing" on my one fork that wasn't on the other one, turns out it was the flat washer that the shim had turned completely sideways.

I took my forks back apart to flush, clean and lower the oil level and what did I fine but the flat washer had turned sideways again. The shop was closed so I had to do the same thing as I did last time and bend the washer back to it's normal shape and hammer flat. My forks are back to good working order again but I think I had better replace the flat washer. I don't know how that thing is getting bent. It has to happen on an upstroke because the downstroke would only press it flat. I was careful not to damage it during disassembly.

Thanks agaiin Marcus.

That's the one Marcus. It only has happened to the right fork and it has happened twice, the 1st time I know I did it. The fork was very easy to dissasemble and I paid particular attention to it while taking it apart so I don't think I applied enough force to bend it. It was much easier to take apart than the left fork where the washer was in good shape. The washer is very soft and of coarse not shaped very well any longer.

I remeasured the oil height in the fork when I took them apart and it seemed that they had a lot more oil in them than I rememberd filling to. The only thing I can think of is 1. I either over filled to begin with or 2. there was air trapped in the damping system when I took them apart again. At any rate one fork had 90mm from top & the other about 120mm. They both are 140mm from the top now and my forks are working much better.

That might be what it is. I have never felt metal so soft, I could almost bend it by hand. The suspension was done by FC and it had never been serviced untill I bought it. You don't suppose they could have put the washer in by mistake do you?