Changing your Helm MKII coil’s travel is an easy task if you decide you want to swap your fork to a different bike, or you just want to experiment with the travel settings on your bike. It can be adjusted in increments of 10mm with the use of our clip on travel spacers. We include two with every new fork purchase, but if you’ve lost yours or need more, they are available for purchase through your local bike shop, your preferred online dealer, and buying directly from our webstore. 

If you would like to have visual aid while performing this adjustment, you can follow along on our video here:

Step 1: Clean the entire fork before beginning service. This will prevent any contaminants from making their way into your fork. 

Step 2: Turn the preload adjuster counterclockwise to relieve any preload from the spring.

Step 3: Use a 13mm wrench to loosen, but not remove the compression rod footnut on the lower left fork leg.

Step 4: Use an 18mm wrench to loosen the rebound knob assembly. Do not completely remove it yet. 

Step 5: With both the compression rod nut and rebound assembly loosened, it’s time to remove your fork lowers. Firmly push on the compression rod nut and the rebound knob assembly to disengage the lowers. Note: this interface has tight tolerances and is a tight fit. Some force may be required, and it is okay to do one at a time. 

Step 6: Completely remove the compression nut and the rebound knob assembly. 

Step 7: Lay the fork down flat, arch side down on a protected surface. Grab the upper crown assembly and lower assembly with each hand, and carefully separate them. Leave the lowers laying face down to prevent any oil loss. If oil is lost, you can add some later in the process.

Step 8: Use a pick to carefully remove the retaining C-clip from the coil spring stanchion tube. 

Step 9: With the fork legs sticking up, visually inspect the coil springs seal head, retention ring, and the retention ring bore within the stanchion tube. 

Step 10: The Helm coil can be travel adjusted between 160 and 130mm in 10mm increments. Set your desired travel by moving the spring perch on one of the 4 grooves on the compression rod. 

Step 11: Make sure the spring perch, and the glide rings are properly connected together and greased before reinstalling.

Step 12: Reinstall the compression rod. Then install the retaining ring - start with one end in, and work your way around. Make sure that the retaining ring is installed correctly and completely by depressing the negative air spring valve button and pulling the piston to full extension. 

Step 13: Inspect the o-rings on the end of the rod assemblies. Replace if necessary. 

Step 14: Fully closing the high speed and low speed compression adjusters, and adding a fresh coat of suspension grease to the wiper seals will aid in reassembly. 

Step 15: Note the orientation of the flanges on the bottom of the lowers, and align the flanges on the compression rod and damper rod to the lowers.

Step 16: With the lowers still laying face down on a protective surface, carefully feed the stanchions into the lowers. Work the stanchions past the wiper seals, and ensure that the wiper seals are not folded or bound in any way. You do not need to push the lowers all the way on yet. 

Step 17: If any fork oil from the switch was lost, now is the time to replace it. We recommend using 15w Moterex racing fork oil. 5ML in the air spring side, and 7ML in the damper side. Ensure proper alignment of the both compression rod and damper rod within the lowers - Realign compression rod and damper rod flanges if necessary. 

Step 18: Use blue Loctite on both the compression rod nut and the rebound knob assembly. 

Step 19: Compress the fork until you can tighten both nuts. Tighten the compression rod nut to 5Nm and the rebound knob assembly to 7Nm. 

Step 20: With your travel adjust completed, add your desired PSI to the forks air spring, and remember to charge your negative air spring. Charging the negative air spring can cause a drop in fork PSI as it spreads to a larger volume, so doing this twice can be worthwhile for optimal setup. 

Step 21: Remember to reinstall your protective caps. 

Step 22: Install the fork on your bike, and go out and ride!