Marzocchi 48 advice

[Diggs345]

I can check tomorrow if you like as I have the stock ones out in the shed.
Cheers Mark

That would be great

 

[Diggs345]

Looks like they are 4.6 springs , one is longer than the other slightly

 

[Diggs345]

Spring lengths are 466mm and 476mm , they were shimmed out but more so on the longer spring ?

 

[wence]

Measured the original 48 springs in my shed.
They are both 525mm long.
Cheers Mark

 

[Diggs345]

Thanks pal , much appreciated

 

[Jakobi]

You must have jinxed my forks too! They pretty good this morning, but as the terrain for more rocky they began to feel horrible and deflected off just about everything. Even down a firetrail hitting potholes felt like someone was trying to drive the bars through my chest.

I think I'll be going back in again and shuffling a few more shims. Opening up the float and trying to get a little more bleed happening on the higher shaft speed impacts.

 

[Diggs345]

As far as valving goes I wouldn't know where to start , time I learned I think .
Iv always had the preload wound out all the way unless I do a mx track or you get that harsh feel .
My problem now is the springs are too short , not shimmed out to match the originals and too stiff .

 

[Jakobi]

The stock springs ran 5mm preload. If the new ones were say 5mm short and you moved the circlip on the cart down 5mm to match you'd still have 5mm preload. Using spacers etc also doesn't really cause an issue unless if its to the extent that the spring coil binds at full compression.

Ideally you only want around 3mm preload on the spring.

 

[Diggs345]

There is no circlip jake , only that cone shaped bit , so those springs that were fitted were too short , and he only shimmed them about 5mm at best , leaving 45mm or less shorter than the original springs .
My forks were manufactured in 2011 , so maybe the circlip was a afterthought .

 

[Jakobi]

The circlips are UNDER the cone shaped spring perch. You need to work them down towards the bottom of the fork, which will reveal the circlip and grooves. They can be quite firmly seated against the circlip and take some gentle force to get them down.

Does that mean the spring was rattling around internally?

 

[Diggs345]

I got that now jake , just takes a little force , yes the springs must have been loose on full extension , I never heard them though .
The small spring in the cartridge , is that the same as a kayaba fork ?? , I'll do do some reading while I'm away .
So far the fork looks pretty simple to my eyes , I may look into delving a little deeper if someone has some hot shim stack set ups

 

[Jakobi]

I didn't measure the size of the ICS spring but tuners have replacement ones available. No hot up stacks here. Working on some stacks, but nothing stellar to report. I'd say its going to take a lot of time, trial and error.

 

[Diggs345]

Cheers jake your a top bloke , I'll see where I can source the parts today .getting off topic, I had a quick go on a sherco 300 last week , it felt to me more like a trail bike , it was quite mellow , but then again mine is quite brutal with the smart carb

 

[Diggs345]

Just got the 48mm Zokes and Ohlins 888 back from the tuner... http://motolabdirtbikes.com/

He did two main things to correct the problem.

First was to replace the cartridge spring with a lighter 1.4 spring. It is noticeably thinner than the stocker and compresses about twice was much (by hand as a ballpark).

Second was to do a KYB-like compression stack. More open and more progressive. He said the stock compression stack was something he'd give to a pro rider. Super stiff. He also closed up the rebound stack with a double dose of smaller diameter shim.

He said it would rebound quicker in the first few inches and go progressively slower when up in the stroke. Previously I'd go over softball and larger rocks with little problem, but have issues with smaller trail trash.

The shock was more of the same KYB-esque treatment. Less compression. Slower rebound.

Next weekend I will test it by working our club's Camp Wood race www.amraracing.com -- It is famous for rocks.

Are the 1.4 springs marzocchi ones , or kyb

 

[AZRickD]

He's the area Beta guy, so I'm sure he has Zokes parts in his shop. I have a txt into him.

 

[Diggs345]

That would be great , it would be good to know if the springs are similar to kyb/Showa .

 

[nato]

Hey jake have you sourced a place for fork springs at a good price in aus? Im going up on the spring one size. Also when suits you to service and fit the new springs hahaha

 

[Diggs345]

Got my springs back , turns out one is 4.4 and a little , the other 3.9 and a bit , averaging out at 41.6 , the spring length is 475mm , confirmed by twowheels.
I need to make a tool to get into the inner chamber .

 

[Jakobi]

Got my springs back , turns out one is 4.4 and a little , the other 3.9 and a bit , averaging out at 41.6 , the spring length is 475mm , confirmed by twowheels.
I need to make a tool to get into the inner chamber .

I used one of these DRC units.

Its not deep enough to fully engage into the cart cap, but enough to do whats required if you pay a bit of attention to detail.

 

[Diggs345]

That's the one I ordered , maybe I can machine a bit more out with the lathe .

Apparently someone on this forum is using plumbing tools to work on their forks , read it on the beta forum lol