I just recently bought an '04 Junior T brand new from pricepoint.com for my new stab primo frame. I installed it on the frame, out of the box, and it was just way to soft! First off, the sag was nearly one inch up the stanchions. This is strange since im only 145 pounds and nothing really changed when I cranked the preload adjusters to the max preload. So I talked with some mechanics and local riders, some told me stiffer springs, some told me heavier weight oil, some said add oil, and somebody told me to swap one of the top caps with an air valve cap and to pump it up a bit. I called marzocchi tech and they told me to change to 10 wt oil and fill to 95mm from the top of the stanchion ( the max amount). I decided just to open up the fork and see how much oil was in it at the time anyway. I took off the caps, took out the spacers and springs, and measured the oil, and it was about 70 mm from the top, when the fork was fully compressed. I didnt really understand this considering it was the stock oil. I put it all back together and then tried installing an air valve cap on the left leg from my dj1, and pumped it to about 15 psi....and voila!!! the fork is now the stiffness that I want it. I took it for a test ride and something on or in the fork was making a loud clacking/raddling noise everytime my front wheel landed on the ground and it became very very annoying. i switched the caps back to normal to see if it would still make the noise and sure enough clack! clack! clack! Now the fork was super soft to where I can bottom it out on a 3 foot drop, and was making a lot of noise. I know that it is not my hub, spokes, rim, tire, or cables/hoses making that noise, so it has to be something inside the fork. Does anyone know how to solve this problem? Im very fed up with the issues im having with this 2 week old fork. Please help!
Marzocchi Fork Problems...
- Thread starter hardtailer88
- Start date
That clack noise is the springs bending and flexing quickly and hitting against stanchions.Try some more preload on the springs and you can put heat shrink tubing 1" diameter size cut to maybe 2"-3" lenght on the middle of the springs were they flex out or put allitle on the ends of the spring- experiment. get it here search for PVC heat shrink tubing http://www.mcmaster.com/ alot of riders do this-some say a condom works but never tried it or a peice of road innertube stretched over the middle of the spring
Thanks, ill order some of that stuff. I just attempted the road tube technique and it was too thick to get back in the stanchion. I then tried wrapping electrical tape which fit but was pretty inneffective. I hope that the springs are whats making the noise.
Ya if the road tube was too tite then the heat shrink tubing will be too tite as well. I know cause i tried it in my 04 Drop Off Comp that was making spring noises when hitting a sharp edged bump.Allthough I Couldn't get the tubing in there like you to test my theory that it was the springs making the noises. Marz increased the diameter of the springs in 03 or 04 leaving little or no room between the springs and stanchions for spring silencers. I was going to try the condom next on my fork springs, only problem is it's very thin and may wear thru. Worth a try though. If it's not the springs on the stanchions maybe the spring and how it sits on the SSV near the bottom. Like I said I havn't been using the fork on my slalom bike, so I havn't worked enough on fixing the noise.
Did dialing in max preload not help at all?
Did dialing in max preload not help at all?
I just remembered reading on a UK forum the guys were using them latex dish washing gloves, fingers or thumbs sections. Or even thinner material latex surgical gloves. Perhaps put 1" sections on the ends of the springs aswell as a section in the middle. If the end sections overlap the spring end I'm sure the abuse of the fork action will tear them unfortunately, I dont think small pieces of latex will be good floating in the oil valving, but thats maybe were the noise is from -the ends where they meet top caps and on the bottom were the spring sits on the plastic SSV.Maybe let it overlap the end a few mm's. Didn't your DJ3 fork make spring noise? I read guys noticed it their DJ forks aswell.
You do know that sag should be set at 20 to 30% which on a 6" fork is 1 1/4" to 1 3/4".hardtailer88 said:
i'll try heat shrink tubing experiment. i'll get back after testing this "in the field". in my case ain't expecting much as i know this aren't just the springs. perhaps this is why you shouldnt buy OEM Marzocchi fork :/
UPDATE: heat shrink tubing 1" diameter size is too thick, insted i used some thiner heat shrink tubes and I pulled them straight on the "wire" of the spring (sorry, bad english?). this one worked for me. I also changed the oil to 10W (oil level 9,5cm from the cap) and now my super T works very nice. I weight 70kg.
UPDETE2: added picture
UPDATE: heat shrink tubing 1" diameter size is too thick, insted i used some thiner heat shrink tubes and I pulled them straight on the "wire" of the spring (sorry, bad english?). this one worked for me. I also changed the oil to 10W (oil level 9,5cm from the cap) and now my super T works very nice. I weight 70kg.
UPDETE2: added picture
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there is a space between the top cap and the c-clip for the rod.p@wDD said:the same here :/ loud clacking noise. I've got super t pro 2004. IMHO not only the springs make the noise. i think the mount of SSV to the stanchion has some margin and it dosent fit how it should
my 03 super makes the same noise, i tried a few things to fix it but i learned to deal with it
sound like what your clack might be?
The sag sounds perfect for you, I don't know why you're messing with things.... It should be at least 1 1/2 inches up the stanchion.
And if you really want more preload get an air assist top cap for one leg, problem solved.
And if you really want more preload get an air assist top cap for one leg, problem solved.
ive got the same thing going on in my dj3, and ive learned to just ignore it. the clicking wont hurt anything if i dont do anything about it, will it?