Fork Bushing Burnishing Tool — Starter Kit
Fork Bushing Burnishing Tool — Starter Kit
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Your fork isn't performing because of your tune. It's your bushings.
Stiction. Arm pump. A fork that feels dead on the hits that matter most. You've adjusted pressure, pulled tokens, opened compression — nothing fixed it. That's because every one of those adjustments is downstream of the real problem.
Tight or out-of-round bushings create a resistance threshold your fork has to overcome before it moves at all. No pressure setting fixes friction. No rebound tune fixes it either — and if you've ever run your rebound adjuster wide open and still felt the fork recovering too slowly, that's not your damper. That's bushing friction load fighting every single stroke. Riders chase that rebound tune for years. It doesn't exist.
The RMS burnishing tool corrects bushing geometry in about ten minutes. You'll feel the difference before you finish the driveway.
Precision machined in BC, Canada. Used in professional suspension shops. The bushing sizing standard the industry has adopted.
★★★★★ "A quick burnish later, and the stiction is gone." — Verified buyer
Already have the handle? Shop additional heads →
Outfitting a shop? See the Full Set →
Want foam storage? Shop foam storage tray sets →
Why It Works
Fork bushings have a PTFE lining on an aluminum backing. Over time — and sometimes right out of the factory — they go slightly out of round or end up with bore geometry that doesn't match the stanchion correctly. The result is uneven contact: high spots that drag on the stanchion instead of a smooth, consistent oil film supporting it uniformly around the full circumference. The fork feels harsh and unresponsive, especially at small-bump inputs where the force isn't enough to push through the static friction.
The burnishing head is machined slightly larger than the nominal stanchion diameter. Pressing it through the bushing corrects the bore — re-rounding it and sizing it to a precise, controlled fit. No seals need to be removed. The process takes minutes and the result is permanent.
Who This Is For
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First Time Buyer
New to bushing sizing? The Starter Kit includes everything you need — handle and one head in your chosen size. Add more heads later as you need them.
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Home Mechanics
If your fork feels harsh and a full service hasn't fixed it, bushing geometry is almost certainly the issue. This is the permanent fix — no guesswork, no repeat services.
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Bike Shops
Offer bushing sizing as a billable service. Customers feel the difference the moment they ride. It takes 15 minutes and they come back. Add heads for other sizes as your clients need them.
Tool Features
• Self-aligning head geometry — centers itself as you press through; no fighting alignment mid-pass
• No seal removal required — cleaner and faster than traditional bushing service methods
• High-strength polished steel heads — surface finish optimized to retain lubricant and minimize drag during the burnishing pass
• Large-diameter ergonomic handle — comfortable under real working load; no hand fatigue
• Titanium hardware throughout
• Bright-turned aluminum handle — durable shop tool that looks the part
• Interchangeable heads — buy the handle once, add heads for other fork sizes as needed
• Made in Canada
Fork Compatibility Guide
Find your fork to confirm stanchion size and the correct head to order.
| Brand | Model | Stanchion | Head needed | Shop |
|---|
BOS & EXT note: The BOS Idylle 2021+, Idylle SC 2021+, Obsys, and EXT Vaia have stanchion dimensions or bushing designs that cannot be burnished with this tool. No head is currently available for these forks.
Not sure? Measure your stanchion directly with calipers if your fork isn't listed, or contact us at info@rmsuspension.com.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's included with the Starter Kit?
The Starter Kit includes the handle and one burnishing head in your chosen stanchion size and +size. Additional heads for other fork sizes are available separately and interchange with the same handle.
How do I know if my fork needs bushing sizing?
The clearest sign is a fork that feels harsh, sticky, or unresponsive — especially at small bumps — and doesn't improve meaningfully after a full service with fresh oil and seals. If the fork feels acceptable right after a service but degrades within the first ride or two, that's a strong indicator the bushings need sizing.
Which +size should I use?
It depends on how sticky the fork feels. If the fork generally feels okay but not great, and doesn't degrade quickly after a service, the +.07mm is likely sufficient. If the fork feels noticeably sticky or harsh, or degrades within the first ride after a service, start with +.10mm. If the fork still has stiction after burnishing with +.10mm, move to +.13mm. Important: for +sizes larger than +.10mm, always run the +.10mm head through first — some forks have very tight bushings that make jumping straight to a larger +size difficult. The +.10mm gets the majority of forks feeling great on its own.
Will the bushing end up exactly at the +size diameter after burnishing?
No. The PTFE bushing material has spring-back after the tool passes through — the bore shrinks back down once the head clears. The larger the +size used, the more spring-back occurs, so the relationship between head size and final bushing diameter is not linear. All three +sizes (+.07, +.10, +.13mm) will result in a final bushing clearance in the ideal range of approximately .05–.10mm (.002"–.004"), which provides the right amount of clearance for proper oil film formation without excessive play.
Can I over-burnish or damage the bushings?
No. You cannot over-burnish — you could work each bushing for an hour and not go too far. As you pass the tool back and forth, resistance will gradually decrease until it levels off and becomes constant. That plateau is your signal that the bushing is done. It's normal for upper and lower bushings to feel slightly different from each other — what matters is that each pair feels consistent side to side.
Will there be play in my fork after burnishing?
All forks have a small amount of clearance between the bushings and stanchions by design — zero clearance would mean the fork couldn't move. That clearance means there is technically some play present before you even start, and burnishing doesn't meaningfully increase it. The correct amount of play after sizing should be essentially unnoticeable while riding and barely detectable in a static test. Note: what feels like fork play in static parking lot tests is often a loose headset or brake caliper float, not bushing clearance.
Do I need special oil for burnishing or after burnishing?
Use whatever oil your fork manufacturer specifies. No special oil is needed for the burnishing process itself. One tip: thicker oils will mask bushing clearance better than thinner oils, so oil weight is worth considering alongside bushing sizing when chasing feel.
Does this tool work on rear shocks?
No. This tool is designed specifically for fork lower leg bushings and is not compatible with rear shocks.
What's included with the tool?
Each tool ships with the handle/driver and your chosen head(s). Additional heads for other stanchion sizes are available separately and interchange with the same handle. Full kits include the handle plus heads for 32, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, and 40mm.