Fork rebuild

[Guest ONETHUMPER]

I have a 2000v11 with 22000 miles, and was installing some 1.1 ohlns springs the compression leg felt odd when purging the fluid. Almost no resistence at all has anyone replaced the valving with any success and if so where did you get the parts. Always looking to upgrade if it needs to be replaced anyway.

[Guest ratchethack]

I have a 2000v11 with 22000 miles, and was installing some 1.1 ohlns springs the compression leg felt odd when purging the fluid. Almost no resistence at all has anyone replaced the valving with any success and if so where did you get the parts. Always looking to upgrade if it needs to be replaced anyway.

OT, I've had some experience with this fork. It's the same as on mine, the Marz 040 USD.

 

Unless I'm missing something, this is a bit of a puzzling post.

 

When you say there was almost no resistance when "purging the fluid", I take it that you meant purging the old oil, and you'd dumped it out at this point. You wouldn't expect to have any resistance, unless the fork leg is upright with the normal amount of oil it it, so the cartridge is submerged.

 

Unless you meant it had no resistance when purging the NEW fluid of AIR BUBBLES?!

 

Now that'd be an entirely different kettle o' fish, and if so, y'got me by the tweeter on that one. . .

[Guest ONETHUMPER]

I was when installing the new fluid. I think the problem had been there for a while the front had been feeling a bit different and I was thinking the springs would help. I did get the sag correct now on to this problem.

[Guest ratchethack]

Congrat's on getting the sags set properly (you need both laden and unladen sags set, of course -- just checkin').

 

I think gettin' them both correctly set (or even in the ballpark) puts you in the 99th percentile of V11 owners!

 

Are you setting the air gap correctly -- 100 mm, forks completely compressed, springs and spacers out?

[dlaing]

When you adjust the compression damping do you notice a change?

[Guest ONETHUMPER]

No makes no change at all, on the rebound leg it does.

[luhbo]

Those 40 Marzocchis don't have a compression damping as you might have seen on other forks. It's only some sophisticated sort of bottom out protection.

The compression damping works only on the last 20-40mm or so.

 

Hubert

[GuzziMoto]

On my wife's V11, I was changing fork fluid and noticed the same thing you are talking about. After some experimenting with the forks, I decided the holes in the damper tube were to blame. I blocked one of the holes off so that more fluid had to go thru the piston and valving and it made a world of difference.

[dlaing]

Those 40 Marzocchis don't have a compression damping as you might have seen on other forks. It's only some sophisticated sort of bottom out protection.

The compression damping works only on the last 20-40mm or so.

 

Hubert

Really?!?

When I had the 40mm forks, I recall that the compression adjustment had an effect all the way through the stroke, and that backing the compression adjuster all the way gave the smoothest ride.

I was going to suggest that the blue nut inside was off from the recommended setting, but assuming you are correct, the behavior ONETHUMPER is observing is normal.

[luhbo]

Really?!?

...

 

Really! As GuzziMoto also says. Do a search here and you'll find more postings about it.

 

Hubert

[GuzziMoto]

It's fixable, but stock from the factory the adjuster did nothing. Because the oil doesn't have to go thru the valve. It just goes out the holes in the side of the tube. When I was trying to figure out why it did'nt seem to work well, I put the fork back together without the spring. And you could really feel what was going on.

Funny thing, the adjusters on a Buell I used to own were the same way. They made no difference.

[luhbo]

I'd really not change it. It's a dirt cheap fork and it works as designed. The bottom valve is not meant to work as a low speed damping element. You should accept that low speed range is not adjustable. If you close the wholes you've to open the valve more or less completely to achieve a smooth responding fork - but then without any reserve for unexpected bumps or sudden break manouvers.

 

That's nothing special. In fact most of the forks actually found in midclass bikes are not adjustable at this point.

 

Also this does not mean the Marzocchi was an unusable or even bad fork, it's just not high end.

 

Hubert

[Guest ONETHUMPER]

Thanks for the replies gives me something to think about. So with the stiffer springs I am up higher in the suspension so all is as it should be. Not sure so I may pull it apart and have a look, might put 15 wt fluid in that side and see how that is. Thanks again.

[GuzziMoto]

My experience was that when I blocked off one of the holes in the damper tube the ride quality improved. The forks no longer just blew thru the majority of travel only to slam into a sudden increase in resistence. I don't believe my solution was perfect, but it was an improvement in the action of the fork.

[luhbo]

My experience was that when I blocked off one of the holes in the damper tube the ride quality improved. The forks no longer just blew thru the majority of travel only to slam into a sudden increase in resistence. I don't believe my solution was perfect, but it was an improvement in the action of the fork.

 

This sounds reasonable. Maybe I'll try it one day. Anyway I feel the fork already be too stiff, but I'm no pro here.

 

Hubert