The light, beautifully machined Abbey Bike Tools Top Cap Socket is a complete revamp of the traditional suspension top cap socket, which is often tall, made from tough steel and designed with a lead in or chamfer at the bottom.
This results in problems such as bad engagement, marring of customers' comparatively soft suspension top caps, or a loose fit after the pro mechanic grinds down the socket to remove the chamfer and increase engagement.
Abbey Bike Tools' design is an improvement in every way. Beautifully machined from billet aluminium, it has a similar density to the suspension top cap itself, so that marring is reduced, especially since it's CNC machined with zero lead in.
The socket therefore achieves a greater contact area with the top cap, with the engagement being improved still further by the shallowness of the socket – just 25mm for all sizes – and the fact that there's no need to file it and ruin the intended snug fit.
This means there's less slip over the top cap and exacting tolerances are achieved, making the tricky task of servicing your fork a breeze, especially since each socket is made specifically for the job at hand. One size fits all does not achieve the best results when it comes to suspension servicing!
The socket's usefulness is enhanced by being made to marry with your 3/8” torque wrench and the addition of finger splines, which make the socket easier to wield with greasy fingers.