[lonelyplanetrider]

I hope my question can get some responses. I've got a Marz 888 RC3 Evo V2 2012. When I took the fork off the bike, removing it from the crowns, the rebound/ compression leg sags lower by about 2 inches than the preload/spring leg. Do you think this might just be a lack of oil or air? Hope someone can answer. Thanks.

 

[Dh builder]

Will increasing the oil level on the spring side help if you bottom out too easily?

 

[tabletop84]

makes no sense because you'll get the same effect by adding oil on the damping-leg because you get away with less oil/weight

 

[ChrisRobin]

That leg has the volume assist right? Maybe air is getting past the seal?? Not sure

 

[Huck Banzai]

Open the VA all the way, open the top, fully extend and close/tighten. Should still be slightly lower than spring leg, but not 2". I would tighten mine with the damper leg somewhat compressed to add a sort of negative spring at extension to deal with top out (X Heavy spring) so my fork would look like that out of the crowns.

 

[6thElement]

Breaking a 2011 888 RC3 EVO Ti for parts if anyone needs any bits
http://ridemonkey.bikemag.com/threads/breaking-a-2011-marzocchi-888-rc3-evo-ti.277184/

 

[mykel]

A little advice please.

220 lbs
2013 RC3 Evo Ti
Firm 6.5 Ti Spring
Redline Suspension Fluid mixed to Marzocchi specs
Stock Oil Volume = 325ml / 80ml
Volume adjuster - wound fully out.
Enough preload to engage spring + 1 turn.
Custom shimstack
4 clicks compression
12-20 clicks rebound



Was having an issue with bottoming this year (I'm up 15 odd pounds) in rough tech areas.
Tried upping the fluid levels, but it was not enough.
So, I have re-installed the volume adjuster.

Problem is that I can't get the rebound under control.
Flow trails are tolerable, but anything tech is like riding a pogo stick.
Cranked up the rebound, but that does not really fix the problem, just adds more problems.
ie - deep stroke will still kick back hard, but start slowing partway back giving an odd feeling.
Smaller hits, chatter, braking bumps etc are murder as the fork does this odd pack down occilation thing.

I did undo the footnut and burp the trapped air, so now the main chamber is at atmospheric as opposed to positively charged as happens when you pubh in the volume adjuster.

That massively helped, but did not cure the problem.
I have a feeling that I may be running into limitations of the non-shimmed rebound. @Udi ?

Anybody have any tuning tips?

 

[Udi]

@mykel
I'm of the opinion that these are better if you can bypass the volume limiter to decrease progression. Not sure if that involves removing a piston or removing its o-rings or what (it's been ages since I had one apart) but the relatively low spring rate coupled with the excessive progression that most Marzocchi forks have nets a questionable spring curve for going fast.

The biggest point though is that at 220lbs you almost certainly shouldn't be on the Firm spring, it's softer than a blue Fox medium (which is correct for 160-180lbs or thereabouts), you should definitely be on the Marz X-Firm spring. This goes hand in hand with the above suggestion of trying to get a more linear setup going - with the ultimate goal being more support / less dive initially, and less ramp up deeper in the stroke to pogo back at you. Remember that the spring curve is a function of both the spring itself and air spring generated by the oil level and total internal volume.

The archaic rebound damper certainly doesn't help things here and acts as a damage amplifier, and part of the reason for inconsistency is that being open bath the oil has a tendency to foam, and the aerated oil sits higher in the bath which corresponds to the earlier part of the rebound stroke (whereas the compression doesn't really suffer, being right at the base). So there's always a bit of inconsistency due to that too.

If I had to run one, I would be quite aggressive in modifying it to have a more linear, and if that didn't work, hack in a shimmed rebound damper of some description.

I've probably given better advice earlier in this thread when I was working on them more regularly to be honest, so might be worth a flick back.

 

[jackalope]

A little advice please.

220 lbs
2013 RC3 Evo Ti
Firm 6.5 Ti Spring
Redline Suspension Fluid mixed to Marzocchi specs
Stock Oil Volume = 325ml / 80ml
Volume adjuster - wound fully out.
Enough preload to engage spring + 1 turn.
Custom shimstack
4 clicks compression
12-20 clicks rebound



Was having an issue with bottoming this year (I'm up 15 odd pounds) in rough tech areas.
Tried upping the fluid levels, but it was not enough.
So, I have re-installed the volume adjuster.

Problem is that I can't get the rebound under control.
Flow trails are tolerable, but anything tech is like riding a pogo stick.
Cranked up the rebound, but that does not really fix the problem, just adds more problems.
ie - deep stroke will still kick back hard, but start slowing partway back giving an odd feeling.
Smaller hits, chatter, braking bumps etc are murder as the fork does this odd pack down occilation thing.

I did undo the footnut and burp the trapped air, so now the main chamber is at atmospheric as opposed to positively charged as happens when you pubh in the volume adjuster.

That massively helped, but did not cure the problem.
I have a feeling that I may be running into limitations of the non-shimmed rebound. @Udi ?

Anybody have any tuning tips?

 

[mykel]

@Udi Ya, I know on the spring-rate.
However X-firm springs are like hens teeth on the ground.
Canadian distro has none, and no ETA on a restock.
Although they do have X-Firm Ti in stock at a bargain price of 460.00 - ah thanks, but no.
Special order would put me well past end of season, and by next year I hope to loose this extra weight
(med change to deal with the TBI / headaches causes a bit of weight gain)

So, in the interim, I have to try to tame the volume adjustor,
This weekends trip to the hill, I may try pulling a slight vacuum - I know I'm just juggling problems, but maybe I can find a compromise I can live with until I find an X-Firm or loose some weight.

My kingdom for an accurate spring rate, a hydraulic bottom out and shimmed rebound - maybe I will call Craig as a new damper will be cheaper than a new fork, and i do like the 888 chassis. Spring-rate is the real issue though.

Edit - If I was going to look for a 40 spring - what colour / weight would you recommend?
Steel and Ti - might as well look for both.

Thank-you

 

[mykel]

THAT would be AWESOME!
Lemme know if ya can find it.

Thanks "Terry"!!

 

[ChrisRobin]

I'm 205 before helmet, knee pads, car keys and cell phone and Craig told me I was on the edge of being too heavy for my 6.5 spring but we made it work (I've been a lazy slob lately so I might be a little heavier now). He'll tell you for sure you need the 7.7. I tried the blue Fox spring a couple years ago and it seemed stiffer than the 7.7 Ti spring I had.

The damper is a good option if you still like the chassis. Plus it works with 27.5 and offset and height is comparable with the dedicated 27.5 forks. Add some skf seals and 20w oil in the spring leg and it'll be smooth all day.