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Manitou 4-way keeps breaking.

Super-man

Chimp
Jun 20, 2005
56
0
Orem, UT
I don't know if there is anyone else having this problem, hopefully you guys can shed some light on this subject for me.
My 2004 Big Hit Expert had a 2004 Manitou 4way on it, well it broke, I mean the shaft busted after the seal had blown and all the oil emptied and immediately after, it topped off really bad and broke the shaft right off the top eye bolt.
Well that was a sad story, :nopity: but then Manitou gave me a 2005 4way swinger for $60 :thumb: (thank you) but I only had that for about 10 rides and the same thing happened again! :eek:
Has anyone ran into this problem? It looks like Manitou will probably take care of me again, but I don't know if I want to go through this all over again. Has anyone else ran into this problem?
 

profro

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2002
5,617
314
Walden Ridge
You might discuss this with Manitou techs, but maybe you're running the wrong srping rate or not enough SPV. Shock shafts do pull out. I've had a Fox R do it and buddy had a DHX do it as well. But two this close together is unsual.
 

vitox

Turbo Monkey
Sep 23, 2001
2,936
1
Santiago du Chili
take a good look at your frame to be sure theres nothing bent, or otherwise out of order, i just spoke to a guy who had broken two 6ways but on a gemini which is more understandeable since its not progressive, your bike should protect the shock a bit from bottoming out.
 

blt2ride

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2005
2,333
0
Chatsworth
You need to speak with a Manitou tech. It may be that your shock has the wrong spring rate. One of my friends had numerous problems with a 4-way, on a BigHit as well. The '04 shock blew out 3 times, before they replaced it with an '05. The '05 Swinger has been on the bike for about 6 months, and it has been great so far...
 

Super-man

Chimp
Jun 20, 2005
56
0
Orem, UT
I'm running the stock spring that came with my 2004 swinger and I'm a pretty basic rider, nothing too extreme, my weight is only 175lbs.
My frame is perfect, nothing out of line and I've gone back and forth making sure that this new 2005 was set up properly, just to be disappointed
 

S.K.C.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 28, 2005
4,096
25
Pa. / North Jersey
...O.K. sounds good so far but - the million dollar question is: How much PSI are you running in the SPV air chamber???

If you have less than 50psi, you will loose damping ability in the shock. If you are really pushing it hard on rough terrain, bad things could happen...
 

Super-man

Chimp
Jun 20, 2005
56
0
Orem, UT
S.K.C. said:
...O.K. sounds good so far but - the million dollar question is: How much PSI are you running in the SPV air chamber???
That I have no idea. I was running w/e the stock PSI it came with. I opened it out of the box and put it on. It felt good, so I didn't worry about anything. Do you think that is my problem? Sorry for the ignorance.
 

Spunger

Git yer dumb questions here
Feb 19, 2003
2,257
0
805
You're going to want to read that manual carefully and pay attention to anything relating to PSI. Most rear shocks take between 50-175 psi as it is a coil shock with something like an air assist. If it had like 50 psi or less in it thats the problem with you blowing them out. I'm not familar with that frame and shock combo but you might want to check into what spring you may need though the stock one might be fine and you get the air pressure in the shock right.

It will ride a worlds difference when you get it dialed as well as you can. Just follow all the directions and you should be ok, but make sure that you get a shock pump and pump that guy up to what it says for your weight. Rear coil/air shock combos I don't think like to go above 175 psi. A total air shock will go to 250 or more (well I'd not put 300 in one, but I've put 250 with no problems).
 

S.K.C.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 28, 2005
4,096
25
Pa. / North Jersey
Heh - Super-man, it's O.K. - I didn't know my arse from an SPV chamber before I upgraded for the first time to a stable platform shock...

Another thing to remember other than not dropping below 50 psi. is that the air chambers in ALL of these types of shocks (Swinger 4-way, Fox DHX 5.0, etc) will loose air pressure over time. So check your pressure at least once every 4 days.

Also if you increase the volume in the SPV chamber (by unscrewing the bottom-out control in the back of the resi. - the large red hex nut that goes around the air valve - ) you are DECREASING the pressure in the chamber so you will then have to add some to be back to your orig. measurement before turning the bottom out.

The opposite happens when you decrease the volume (screw the adjuster IN). The pressure INCREASES....

Hope this helps.
:)
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Super-man said:
I was running w/e the stock PSI it came with.
hoo-boy.

Are you running your tubes with the 'stock' PSI as well??

MD