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"Frozen" Dorado

M

M-1

Chimp
Oct 30, 2004
57
0
Helsingborg, SE
Hey.

As you all know, winter in Sweden sucks. Most for bikers. Anyway, I just bought a Manitou Dorado 04 (blue) and after approx 30 min of riding in the winter weahter it get's like "frozen" and only move 20-30 mm. Is this normal for a such exspensive fork to do like this? :help:

Thanks!
 
Sir_Crackien

Sir_Crackien

Turbo Monkey
Feb 7, 2004
2,051
0
alex. va. usa.
i have an 2005 kingpin that if it got really cold(near or below freezing) it would do a simular thing. i fixed if by putting 5 wt. rockshox oil in it. i know i doens't get as cold in Va. USA as it does in Sweden but its worth a try.
 
binary visions

binary visions

The voice of reason
Jun 13, 2002
22,098
1,144
NC
M-1 said:
Hey.

As you all know, winter in Sweden sucks. Most for bikers. Anyway, I just bought a Manitou Dorado 04 (blue) and after approx 30 min of riding in the winter weahter it get's like "frozen" and only move 20-30 mm. Is this normal for a such exspensive fork to do like this? :help:

Thanks!
Click to expand...
PM Jeremy R, he mentioned in another thread that he had an experience with his Dorado freezing.
 
mack

mack

Turbo Monkey
Feb 26, 2003
3,674
0
Colorado
seismic said:
Well, - here we had a snow storm, - now 30 cencimeter of semi-melting snow making everything a mix of mud and snow......not nice...
Click to expand...

Yeah but your closer to Amsterdam than I am so stop complaining! :D
 
MikeD

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,680
1,726
chez moi
Edit: Seems you have a recurring problem that goes away when it's not cold...so I guess my advice below isn't going to work too well. I'd still try lubing it, and maybe re-filling the damper, with stuff that you know works in your tempertures (thinner damping oil?). [edit]

Try tearing down the fork and lubing it...very simple. I don't know if your problem is temperture-related or not; it could also be a problem I've seen with too much lube oil in the stanchions. Saw it in PorkyBMX's fork; Orven tore it apart and said something about too much oil causing pressure buildup.

While you have it apart, push on the (right-side) damping rod and see if it 1) operates smoothly and 2) returns to the extended position on its own. If it doesn't, you'll need to re-fill and then bleed the damper, or possibly have it repaired/replaced.

Also take out the spring and make sure the spring rod moves freely, just in case there's something messed up there.

Dorados are simple forks to work on, except for bleeding the damper...which is sort of odd, but not difficult, either. Orven's Dorado maintenance thread shows how.

MD
 
Sir_Crackien

Sir_Crackien

Turbo Monkey
Feb 7, 2004
2,051
0
alex. va. usa.
when my fork got cold it froze up like yours is doing. when i was warm it feel ok but fairly slow, a little too slow in the rebound part of the motion. when i changed out the oil it feels fine from 60 degrees F to about 15 degrees F. if that helps any. overall the fork just feels better with new oil in it. i think manituo has some bad oil floating around.
 
biker3

biker3

Turbo Monkey
Jan 27, 2004
1,491
0
American by birth, Southern by the grace of god
Mani_UT said:
Getting a fork with a true oil bath will solve the problem. Serious.
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Yeah and then u get a SWEET uncontrolled wallowy ride with TONS of brake sag.

Im sorry but the Dorado when set up right is one of if not the best feeling fork on the market, Mine is EXTREMELY oversprung right now and it still kicks ass.

true the reliablity and such may not be the greatest but for the feel ive gotten its WELL worth it.
 
pZyteX

pZyteX

Monkey
Jan 28, 2003
294
0
Amsterdam
Mani_UT said:
Getting a fork with a true oil bath will solve the problem. Serious.
Click to expand...
True my old monster didn't freeze up, it just felt like someone put 50 wt oil in the thing. So for all intents and puposes it was useless.
 
DHS

DHS

Friendly Neighborhood Pool Boy
Apr 23, 2002
5,094
0
Sand, CA
strange i've ridden my 888 in -10 C they do work a little bit slower. but they still work. i just turn the compression all the way off and feels great.
 
Sir_Crackien

Sir_Crackien

Turbo Monkey
Feb 7, 2004
2,051
0
alex. va. usa.
i used 5wt rockshox oil in my kingpin and that solved the problem right away. but my favorate oil is still PJ1. this stuff is just more stable nad not very temp(110-20 degree F and no noticable change). secitive at all!
 
Mani_UT

Mani_UT

Monkey
Nov 25, 2001
644
0
SLC, UT
DHS said:
strange i've ridden my 888 in -10 C they do work a little bit slower. but they still work. i just turn the compression all the way off and feels great.
Click to expand...
Exactly.. I have ridden my old Mr T in -25 degrees weather in Quebec in it was still kicking ass. I was not though. I was cold to a high degree of pain ;)

If the guys rides a lot in super cold weather (say 4 month a year), a dedicated "winter fork" with full oil bath and light oil would make sense while keeping the dorado for more manageable weather if the guys really loves it
 
mfrdhracer

mfrdhracer

Chimp
Feb 19, 2005
27
0
Vermont
buy a rockshock and that will fix your problems. cause for some reason mine dousnt freeze up, hmm that sherman slider i had, awful stiff, kinda like it was frozen, in 75 degree weather. get ride of the junk manitou and that will fix all your problems
 
zedro

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
Sirbikesalot33 said:
I have a 2002 shiver that has a semi leaky riders right seal. I want to rebuild it myself and that completed thread would be schweetness to its max. :)
-J
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i bet it just needs a cleaning, the seals may weep if they're packed with dirt. Especially if it hasent been maintained since 2002 :eek:
 
J

J

Monkey
Dec 7, 2003
437
0
San Luis Obispo, CA
zedro said:
i bet it just needs a cleaning, the seals may weep if they're packed with dirt. Especially if it hasent been maintained since 2002 :eek:
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Last overhaul was about 12 months ago at Mikes bikes. Twas a proper job, so I'll check the seals for dirt.
-J
 
M

mtbpaint

Monkey
Jan 17, 2005
158
0
University of Connecticut
go with 5wt if there is still a problem call Manitou they supposely have great customer service. But its deffinately not affected permately (sorry if i spelt wrong) because if it was we would all here about it a lot more and i know some kids that ride dorados down ski slopes (in winter) with their Dorados they have had some problems with them freezing up but supposely once new oil is put in or just after the fork is warmed up it gets all better
 
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