[MikeD]

I recently started riding my 03(ed: actually think it's an 04; it's a 1.5" model) TPC+ Firefly again after it was in storage for like a year and a half. It was kind of sticky, and I finally got around to getting a workshop set up and lubing the thing.

Tried just draining and injecting some new oil...didn't change anything. I figured it deserved a full teardown, and so I took it apart and lubed everything--put fresh oil on the foam rings, greased the seals and bushings, new oil bath, etc etc.

It's still sticky as hell. I thought it might be the damper shaft sticking or something, but the lowers just don't slide well on the uppers when I checked.

I can't figure out what's hanging it up. It used to run very nicely....not as smoothly as my old Slider, which was the smoothest fork I ever had...but it was smooth.

Any suggestions? (And yeah, I might actually consider buying a Marzocchi, because monthly maintenance isn't going to be as easy as it was when I had a real workshop...but I am going to get this thing running right if it kills me.) I might just send it to the factory at this point, much as it hurts my ego.

 

[bElliott]

id say ride it for a while and see if it breaks in again

if you switched all the oil and stuff just ride it

 

[Kornphlake]

Is it time for new bushings?

 

[MikeD]

I was wondering about that, but figured bad bushings=loose fork, not tight. Thought maybe they'd developed deposits of old, hard grease or something, but I bought a long brush and scrubbed them with some degreaser. Still a possibility, but less likely...

It did feel a little better after sitting overnight, so maybe a few rides really is all it needs...

 

[dhkid]

you could have used some fork oil that has seal expanding properties... some moto x fork oil has that... if you have which is unlikely, a seal change would fix it. could just be residue thats settled somewhere and hardened.. a good clean and some riding should help...

 

[kidwoo]

That's kind of just what manitous do.

 

[peachy]

remove the dust seals and invert the fork. does the lower slide down smoothly into the stanchion? (one at a time on each leg).... it might be an old dust seal that has become quite sticky now. inspect the bushing at the same time as well. it should have a plastic teflon-type coating on it.... it should feel very smooth and slippery.

 

[MikeD]

Hm, I didn't check it one leg at a time...that's a good idea. Never had to do that before. Thanks. I'll check it out when I get home later this week...

 

[MikeD]

Well, after doing the one-leg-at-a-time check, I found the source of the stiction...appears to be the lower bushing on one leg. Can't figure out why a bad bushing would cause stiction instead of slop, but whatever...

Just going to send it back to Manitou for a full inspection and service. I don't feel like tackling replacing the bushings, which calls for buying or rigging up special tools.

 

[muddy beast]

how are you going to send it to Manitou when their website and all signs of exsistence are gone?

 

[MikeD]

What are you talking about? The website redirects you from the old URL , but they still have an email link to the various departments, and, horrors, they still even have a phone number.

 

[peachy]

well u might as well get both bushings replaced... and hopefully u didn't damage the stanchion. sometimes the loctite on the bushing is not enough and the bushing starts moving up.

 

[iridebikes]

I'd suggest a fox, rock shox, or a marzocchi to fix your sticky manitou problem.

 

[MikeD]

Insightful, thanks.

 

[iridebikes]

Insightful, thanks.

Haha, ya. It's tough with manitou forks, because they can feel pretty good right after you rebuild them, but they tend to get sticky really quickly. I've run them in the past and haven't had much luck. And dealing with alot of customers who have had the same stiction problems makes me not want to work on them anymore. I'm fairly bias to either Fox, or Rock Shox.

 

[LOOnatic]

FYI Hippietechsuspension services manitou