I am carrying the road morph frame pump for close to one and a half years now. It has come handy on many occasions. Couple of months back it suddenly failed on me by the roadside - the piston just moves without any pressure buildup. I was by the side of a highway and for the first time tried to open the pump. It did not open. I figured the cause for the original issue must be lost seal between the piston o-ring and the pump body. I dropped a few squirts of oil into the barrel through the exhaust holes at the top. Miraculously the pump came back to life and saved the morning.
Back home it was time for permanent repairs. It is a bit tricky to open the pump but it is perfectly doable. The top lid on the main pump body - the one with those two tiny exhaust holes is actually screwed into the body. With some persistence it can be opened. The trick is to recognize that the hook that holds the pump head is NOT the part that opens. It is the small lid at the very top (where the handle locks in) that opens. The hook would just keep rotating around the body giving the impression that the pump is sealed. After opening you can pull the piston out for inspection. The piston head and the O-ring seemed fine. No cuts or breaks. So first I wiped the piston and cylinder clean. After that applied generous amounts of light grease on the piston and the inside of the cylinder. Then moved the piston a few strokes to apply the grease evenly inside the cylinder body. This took care of the leakage issues. No issues since.
Recently I searched to see whether anyone sells serviceable parts for these pumps - especially replacement O-Ring. It so happened thatCRC carries parts for Topeak pumps. So I have just ordered a set for my saddlebag. This is better than buying a replacement pump for minor failures like o-ring wear.
It is easy to get water clogged inside frame pumps during the rains. So it is a good idea to tape the head with some masking tape.
