My Oz project underway (need some help)

[K2ozm99]

Started working on my bike today, the first major changes since I got her besides the flat pedals and riser bar. Vanilla 125RLC and 8.5" RC (on its way from Andy) to install. Im attempting the fork install just because Im tired of going to the LBS but It looks like im going to have to go to one anyway.



Some pics came out fuzzy a bit, others great: http://www.data-recon.com/~ivank/public/mntbike/ozproject/



Pretty much shows how far I am. I got the Crosslink off pretty easy, it was fun to see how all these parts ive never messed with nor lubed come apart. Once i had the steerer ready to come out of the headtube I did what I thought was logical, pound down with the rubber mallet. Well gravity was working with me on the upper race? (bearing set, this thing) but when i knocked out the steerer the bottom one came apart and so I lost a few bearings and in my attempts to get it all out, I lost one bearing INSIDE THE DAMN FRAME!!  [smiley=upset.gif] I think its ok cause its greasy so will settle somewhere and probably not roll around and annoy me but it still never should have happened! Shaking the frame around doesnt seem to tip me off as to where its at, id probably have to take EVERYTHING off to isolate it. So as you can see in here, ive got one thats probably not going to get back together.



The headset is an FSA Orbit (Aheadset) . Can i buy these bearing sets on their own, or am i better off grabbing a whole new headset?  Then once I get that sorted, how is the new one going to go on to my Vanilla?



Then theres my v-brakes ... the Fox didnt come with the posts that screw into the bosses, so looks like ill have to get some of those since I dont have a disc setup quite yet. The ones on the crosslink are a much larger thread.



Finally, i am not sure if this happened while i was pounding (i really doubt it) or if it has been there, but that is a fracture of some type right on the downtube seam, about 1" down from the headtube joint. Its a few rings, and oval in shape. Anyone seen that or think i should be worried? Good news is my frame still has some warrantee on it (I think one more year) but I want to know if its going to be an issue  [smiley=worry.gif] ... I will take better pics when theres light.



thanks in advance!

[Carbon_Angus]

as for the headset, get a better one. you are beefing of the front quite a bit from the cross-link. i'd go to mtbr.com and look at headset reviews.  i have a King but there are ones that are as good and less expensive, maybe try to get one that has longer sleeves, too.

posts are no biggy your LBS should toss you whatever you need...if your budget has room get disc brakes, though.

i'd like to see more pics of the frame damage. i'm also unsure if k2 has any carbon frames left, either for warranty.

[Simon]

From what I can see your frame looks ok any chance of a better pic though?,you should be able to get the missing bearing out of the frame,it probably rolled to the lowest point in the frame,b/b area,you have a large opening in headset area for the bearing to roll out of,its probably sticking inside the frame because of the grease coating,how about putting some non aggressive degresser inside the frame just a small amount and swish it around hopefully this will wash off the grease and the bearing will roll out when you remove the de greaser,and as carbon says get a better headset theres lots to choose from and they don't have to cost the earth.Simon

[K2ozm99]

I took all the stuff down to a fairly new shop i heard about, and let them install the fork and stem for me. They only had a couple headsets there, one being the FSA PIG ($25) which is really beefy and well regarded ... and a newer version of my FSA Orbit that was closer tyo $50, so we agreed to keep my Top Cup in there and reuse that bearinig set, pop out the bottom cup and use the Pig lowers. They did it while i waited and the whole thing was about $37, but I dont think I got the discount for mentioning where I heard about them but oh well, it was a deal still ... the tools they have for those jobs are really cool and big! ME WANT!  [smiley=laughing.gif]



This shop specializes in making custom rigs like mostly DH stuff, so while I waited I rode a Mountain Cycle 9point5 It had an xtr rear der., 5th element coil, and a giant zocchi shiver. Also  rode around a Balfa 2step DH, both really nice rigs and $$$.



So Im going to get my posts for the brake bosses after work and finish this up. Then when the RC comes, throw that on and I should be good to go! Next thing will probably be disc brakes/rims and Im leaning toward Avid Mechs just to save on replacing my combo shftr/levers with new shifter and hydro levers.



Here are the pics of the crack, Its kinda worrying me but dont really know what caused it. Theres a similar patter directly above it on the top tube but only one circular fracture, unlike the bottom in these pics where there are multiples.







http://www.data-recon.com/~ivank/public/mntbike/ozproject/oz_crack1.jpg





http://www.data-recon.com/~ivank/public/mntbike/ozproject/oz_crack2.jpg

[Scott]

For your Oz you can get the Woodman products with an exact match of the Oz black/orange color scheme from Bill Larson wlarson@stdairy.com  He sells regurlarly and is very reliable.  Check out the Woodman products -looks like they were designed for the Oz!  

Do you have much time on a Crosslink to compare with the new Fox?  Would like to hear your thoughts once you're setup and riding the new suspension.

[K2ozm99]

For your Oz you can get the Woodman products with an exact match of the Oz black/orange color scheme from Bill Larson wlarson@stdairy.com  He sells regurlarly and is very reliable.  Check out the Woodman products -looks like they were designed for the Oz!

Forgive my ingnorance, but what exactly are the Woodman products ... stickers?  Obviously nothing to do with the site www.stdairy.com  

Do you have much time on a Crosslink to compare with the new Fox?  Would like to hear your thoughts once you're setup and riding the new suspension.

The crosslink is what I bought from ediscountbike when I bought the frame/fork in late 2000. Its all Ive ever ridden on any K2/Flex, besides feeling the Big/Mega-Air and other forks installed on K2's in shops. My friend has the Elite on his Flex 3000, and that was the reason I bought the Ozm, at the time it felt better to me than any telescopic fork I had felt.







Anyway, so Ive been riding the Ozm on&off for 3 years now, so I know how the xlink handles and how difficult it makes jumping or anything non-xc (Im not knocking it, its great at what it does!). Just recently I noticed the seepage on the smartshock's shaft and decided it was time to upgrade rather than spend time/money on it. I rode the bike around last night after having the shop install the fork and getting my bars and wheels on. It feels really good and I havent even dialed it in yet. Besides the different travel and firmness settings which are changed by swapping springs/spacers, there are 5 different controls to mess with on the Vanilla RLC.  In the little riding I did on it, dropping down off of curbs and coming down from wheelies is a totally different experience, very stable, the steerinig feels good too. The only setback at this point is my lack of any front brakes  [smiley=depressed.gif] I have to get the bosses for the posts and I cant seem to locate anything, not even from Fox. I also have to shorten all my cables and housings since they used to run up thru the guides in the crosslink and I had the shop run them long since they were poppinig out of the frame stops while on the trail. Im going to have a go at altering the cables myself. Any advice you guys have on that would be appreciated, as would anyone who could spare these brake posts.

[Scott]

Take a look here:  http://www.woodmancomponents.com/products/items/2k2/neoprene/shshield.html

Try posting on MTBR for the brake bosses-many Fox owners have gone to disc and removed them so you might find a set.