Specialized Enduro Shock Replacement

[Edog]

So I picked up a 06 Enduro Frame last Nov & built it up. First ride out the DHX 5 blows up. I sent it back to Fox for a rebuild & regret not having the boost valve added.
So get it back & I just wasn't loving the ride, no matter what I tried I was blowing the travel of the rear shock. I also wasn't digging the Zoke All Mountain 1 up front. Seemed to have lot of flex & the adjustments seemed pretty blar. TST 2 whats all that about????
I stripped the sucker down sold the shocks on ebay & started from scratch. I wanted to try out the Rock Shox Pearl (It also comes in a size very close to the OEM DHX made for this bike)in the rear as I have really liked their forks the last couple of years.
Here starts the problem the Enduro uses a 15 mm OD rear pin to mount the shock & only a few brands will fit this Fox, Cane Creak, Romic I couldn't find a Zoke to fit & when I called their tech line I was told eye diameter was 12mm.
So if you want to run another brand you could

a, drill out the shock eye
b, change out the Specialized pin.

This became more about getting the project done then anything else,I'm sure alot of people will thing I'm crazy losing the DHX 5 air, but wasn't for me. I think I'll pick up a fox coil to run for more aggressive riding, & maybe a Domain.
The solution I choose was to replace the top bearings to some that have an ID of 12mm instead of 15mm. I also had to find spacers & a bolt. I used a M12 x 80 titanium bolt from racebolts in San Diego & I bought a bunch of spacers & washers so I would have options.

Things didn't go super smooth & some light filing might have happened to make up for the wrong top eye mounts & with some experimenting with spacers I got things sorted.

I ended up using

2 x 2mm washers
1 x M12 x 80 mm bolt & nut
4 x 1/4 mm Aluminum spacers
4 x Enduro Bearings
2 of the larger spacers from the original set up

So how does it ride, well super sweet on the one ride I've had. I had put a Nixon on there until I save some scratch for something decent, blew the seals first ride out. Been at Manitou for the last 3 weeks, should have it back this week.
I'm thinking about getting a Mav DUC 32, & keep this sucker light for general riding.

Heres some pix

The first is the initial build, that was just wasn't doing it for me. I'll have to post s few of the final when I get the fork back

[Nagaredama]

Your bike is almost identical to mine!

I'm looking to ditch my DHX Air and put either a DHX coil or ROCO on it.

What size Rock Shox did you use? I've been looking at 8.5" x 2.5" Fox Floats and RS air shocks too.
Which shuttle are you using?

Plan is to swap out the TST2 on the AM1 for RC2.

[Edog]

The sizing on the pearl is 8.5 x 2.6, I would have gone for a roco air, but I got a good deal on the RS.
My all Mountain Fork was a take off, it didn't work properly from the get go. It did seem to flex, & the QR didn't seem to hold my wheel in place as wheel as the Domain I was using before.
Infact I've been thinking about using a Domain for much more agressive DH riding on this bike & keeping the Nixon for All Mountain (If I get it back & it works)

If you like I'll put the specs of everything I used to use a 12mm bolt on the shock mount.

I can't remember which shuttle I'm using, as I have only really had one good ride before the fork blew up, so I'll have to mess around with the settings some more. The Pearl felt much better the DHX to me

[autoduel]

Watch that full thread bolt. The threads will bite into your bushings and wear grooves in them. Best to find a shoulder bolt.

[Edog]

The bolt I used only has about 1 inch of thread so it will be touching at least 2 of the 4 bushings. I had a nightmare trying to find something the right size. I may look at getting a tap & die & make something myself. the bolt I'm using is really nice, but I can't get the nut to match, which is alos a bummer.

I thought about wrapping some teflon tape around some of the thread but I didn't think it would really help that much.

Originally Posted by autoduel

Watch that full thread bolt. The threads will bite into your bushings and wear grooves in them. Best to find a shoulder bolt.

[autoduel]

If the bushings are stainless, you're probably alright, but the bolt will wear faster and increase play. The threaded portion of the bolt has a fraction of the bearing surface of the non threaded part. Keep in mind that it wil be weaker as well.

[Nagaredama]

Originally Posted by Edog

The sizing on the pearl is 8.5 x 2.6, I would have gone for a roco air, but I got a good deal on the RS.
My all Mountain Fork was a take off, it didn't work properly from the get go. It did seem to flex, & the QR didn't seem to hold my wheel in place as wheel as the Domain I was using before.
Infact I've been thinking about using a Domain for much more agressive DH riding on this bike & keeping the Nixon for All Mountain (If I get it back & it works)

If you like I'll put the specs of everything I used to use a 12mm bolt on the shock mount.

I can't remember which shuttle I'm using, as I have only really had one good ride before the fork blew up, so I'll have to mess around with the settings some more. The Pearl felt much better the DHX to me

My AM1 has the normal bolt-on 20mm axle. I read too many horror stories about the QR version.

I'm still on the look out for a DHX or ROCO coil. The extra bit of weight is worth the performance increase.

I think we rode the Cannell Plunge together a couple years ago. Geno showed us the way. I was on a Yeti AS-X.

[DISCO]

The pearl is an awesome shock, but I had the same issues with the eyelets. Still ride is so much better than a DHX air. Congrats in the setup.