Hi Rod, thanks for the generous offer. I've contacted the shop and they are going to look at it. hopefully under warranty to repair it!
Sounds like the plastic keyways are the culprit!
Am I correct in assuming motor must be dropped to remove/replace the dropper?
Cookie,
You can easily replace the dropper without lowering the motor. However, you have to be
really really careful with handling the dropper post cable and housing.
As you know, to remove a dropper post from a bike, you have to bring it up far enough out of the seat post tube to disconnect the cable/housing. This usually means you have to disconnect the dropper cable from the handlebar dropper lever. You then feed the dropper cable/housing through the headtube to order to gain enough slack to fully remove the dropper post from the seat post tube.
Here's the catch.....The Orbea OC2 dropper post does not have a cable retainer at the base of the dropper post where the cable attaches to the actuating lever. In other words, there is nothing to prevent the cable/housing from disconnecting from the base of the dropper.
If you disconnect the cable at the dropper lever, you must keep maximum tension on the handlebar end of the cable with your fingers. The tension will keep the dropper cable and housing firmly attached to the base of the dropper at the actuating lever. If
any slack develops in the dropper cable, the cable will disconnect from the dropper. As you pull the dropper post out, the housing and cable will remain deep down inside the seat post tube. If this happens, you'll then have to drop the motor and push the cable back up and out of the seat post tube so you reconnect the cable to the dropper.
You can also disconnect the dropper lever itself from the handlebar. You then pull out the dropper post, while feeding the dropper housing through the head tube. Once the dropper post and dropper post housing have been brought up high enough above the seat post tube, then disconnect the cable from the dropper lever.
Note: This same procedure applies during reinsertion of the rebuilt dropper post. You have to keep tension on the cable. Ask me how I know....
I hope this all makes sense. It's easy to do, just keep tension on the cable either with your fingers or using the dropper post lever itself.
Be safe,
Rod
