Clunk in a fox 38 help

ebikepartyshirt

I’m getting a very loud clunk in my new grip x2 38. Almost sounds like a harsh bottom out but I’m not bottoming out. It often happens when I’ve got the front loaded and I hit a hole or compression. I can replicate a quieter version just by applying the front brake/blocking the wheel and rocking it back then forwards. 

I can’t feel any play anywhere. I’ve bolt checked everything I can think of. There are no volume spacers. 

I could maybe believe it was in the headset but there is zero play. 

Thoughts? Random things to look for?

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AndehM
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AndehM 5/28/2026 11:21am
5/28/2026 11:21am

A friend had to warranty his recently because the damper was loose where it attached to its top cap.

thegromit 5/28/2026 1:14pm
5/28/2026 1:14pm

Do you have a fox fender on it? Those can be super clunky when they flex and hit your tire.

ebikepartyshirt 5/28/2026 4:15pm
5/28/2026 4:15pm

Definitely a consideration. Those fenders are annoyingly loud. 

Bobs_is_better_than_A-line 5/28/2026 4:46pm
5/28/2026 4:46pm

Keeping an eye on this because I get that occasionally on  my 36. I have even double clunked in a compression. hoping the 200 hour service and another spacer fixes it. 

e-riv
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e-riv 5/28/2026 5:59pm
5/28/2026 5:59pm
AndehM wrote:

A friend had to warranty his recently because the damper was loose where it attached to its top cap.

There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have heard of instances on the latest forks.  I have this clunk on my 36 X2, even just small drops and hops with the front end and it will clunk.  I am going to remove the damper tomorrow and see what is found.

DServy
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DServy 5/28/2026 6:17pm
5/28/2026 6:17pm
AndehM wrote:

A friend had to warranty his recently because the damper was loose where it attached to its top cap.

e-riv wrote:
There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have...

There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have heard of instances on the latest forks.  I have this clunk on my 36 X2, even just small drops and hops with the front end and it will clunk.  I am going to remove the damper tomorrow and see what is found.

so is the fix just to torque the damper? 

AndehM
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AndehM 5/28/2026 6:46pm
5/28/2026 6:46pm
AndehM wrote:

A friend had to warranty his recently because the damper was loose where it attached to its top cap.

e-riv wrote:
There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have...

There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have heard of instances on the latest forks.  I have this clunk on my 36 X2, even just small drops and hops with the front end and it will clunk.  I am going to remove the damper tomorrow and see what is found.

DServy wrote:

so is the fix just to torque the damper? 

In my buddy's case, the damper was detaching from the top cap that threads into the CSU.  Also had one of the stanchions was loose in the CSU, which may have started the problem.  Clearly a "Friday before a holiday" fork.

e-riv
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e-riv 5/28/2026 6:49pm
5/28/2026 6:49pm
AndehM wrote:

A friend had to warranty his recently because the damper was loose where it attached to its top cap.

e-riv wrote:
There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have...

There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have heard of instances on the latest forks.  I have this clunk on my 36 X2, even just small drops and hops with the front end and it will clunk.  I am going to remove the damper tomorrow and see what is found.

DServy wrote:

so is the fix just to torque the damper? 

That's the idea. But there are a few spots on the damper that are threaded together, the top cap would be just one place to check.  If nothing is loose, then the internals would be the next place to consider.

e-riv
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e-riv 5/30/2026 4:41am
5/30/2026 4:41am
e-riv wrote:
There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have...

There is a good chance that this is correct for the described noise.  I have seen this on forks from a few years back, and have heard of instances on the latest forks.  I have this clunk on my 36 X2, even just small drops and hops with the front end and it will clunk.  I am going to remove the damper tomorrow and see what is found.

DServy wrote:

so is the fix just to torque the damper? 

e-riv wrote:
That's the idea. But there are a few spots on the damper that are threaded together, the top cap would be just one place to check...

That's the idea. But there are a few spots on the damper that are threaded together, the top cap would be just one place to check.  If nothing is loose, then the internals would be the next place to consider.

I removed the damper yesterday, and unfortunately, no parts of it were loose.  It must be internal.  What I did notice, is that the lower damper shaft, with the rebound piston, has what could be abnormal play and I could feel a bit of that play in a way where I could see how it could amplify. So no luck externally.

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