Marzocchi Shiver reassembly help needed.

[mcnut]

I'm attempting to reassemble a friend's forks on his '08 EC300. I found the Marzocchi manual on line. While trying to figure out how to cinch everything up, I read that a special tool is required to tighten the "foot screw" on the bottom of the fork.

Is there a way to tighten things back up correctly without the tool? I haven't been able to figure it out.

Pictures may help if you have them.

 

[GMP]

You mean the base valve or compression adjuster correct?

Lightly grease the threads and o-ring, with the cartridge seated in the bottom of the fork, start the threads in the cartridge base by hand a few turns. Tighten with a 3/8" drive pneumatic or a 1/2" on low VERY carefully. It just needs to be snugged up, a short burp after it seats is good. If you can't find a thin wall socket that fits, I'm sure you have a six point spark plug socket in your toolbox. It fits snug on the hex which is good as its soft.

 

[mcnut]

Thanks for the speedy response. I'll give it a shot.

I hate not knowing what I'm doing, although I should be used to that by now.

 

[GMP]

Zokes are the eaisest open cartridge fork to service besides a WP.

What did the oil look like? If real mucky check the anodizing on the uppers. Go real easy on the lower clamp torque.

 

[mcnut]

The oil was hardly dirty. This bike obviously hasn't been ridden enough!

 

[eff]

The oil was hardly dirty. This bike obviously hasn't been ridden enough!

You sound like my riding buddy. I just had my suspension lowered and the tuner said my internals look terrific so i guess it must be true.

 

[mcnut]

Fork #1 done. So I'm draining the oil out of #2 when I hear a metallic sound in my drain bucket. The bottom valve came apart. I have no idea what order the stack was in. I don't really want to disect #1 to see what's up. Suggestions?

I'll go tap a suds in the barn and comtemplate the situation for a while.

 

[GMP]

If you took the base valve out with a pneumatic, its possible that the nut became undone then and it fell apart. If not, then you might have bigger problems if the valving was floating around in the cartridge. Look for damage in the cartridge tube. Stack is anyones guess if it has been revalved. Stock stack should be listed somewhere, if not I can try and dig it up tonight.

 

[mcnut]

It is true that I used air to remove it. I didn't do that on #1. Guess I got cocky. I'll try to search for the stock stack. These forks hadn't been apart before I got my hands on them.

 

[elemetal]

With WP' sand when I just did my Zokes I like to use the pressure of the spring to help hold the cartridge while screwing in the BV, like GMP said it doesn't take much torque and since I'm usually using .46 springs or so it keeps them from spinning. Unscrew the cap and let the springs rise up but leave the cap attached to the cartidge rod (spring still loaded). If there isn't enough pressure you can put in a temporary pre-poad spacer to add more.

BTW the top nut and spindle of the BV should be peened/staked in four spots to keep that nut (and the shim stack) from getting loose (I left mine alone until I ride the thing but they were staked). Not sure if you could break these with an air hammer on the BV body, look closely for issues in that #2 leg, seems like it should have come out like the 1st one....

 

[GMP]

I've removed many base valves with pneumatics, and only had one WP43 stack come loose(not off) from no loctite or stake. When I assemble my forks I clean all threads, blue loctite, and torque to spec. I reassemble, but wait until the next day for the loctite to cure before filling, as it renders the loctite useless. Never a problem. If it came loose from the pneumatic it was due to come loose anyway.

Since the '08 stack is likely a little different than what I know the '07 was, list all the shims you found and we can shuffle them into a reasonable stack for you.

 

[mcnut]

First, I'd like to say I certainly appreciate this forum and the great information shared by its participants. I have learned a lot since joining in August last year.

If it came loose from the pneumatic it was due to come loose anyway.

You're just saying that to make me feel better. When I inspected everything the parts looked OK. So this morning I went out to the barn and measured what I have.

18 shims total
7 each, 22mm
1 each for the following sizes: 21, 20, 19, 18, 17, 16, 15, 14, 13, 12, & 11.

 

[GMP]

Thickness also. I'll be offline until Mon night, but there are other guys here that can help you.

 

[mcnut]

I'll be offline until Mon night, but there are other guys here that can help you.

I hope you're riding.

Here's the updated shim list:

22mm O.D. - .12mm thick, quantity 6
22mm O.D. - .31mm thick, qty. 1
21mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
20mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
19mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
18mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
17mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
16mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
15mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
14mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
13mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
12mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
11mm O.D. - .20mm thick, qty. 1

 

[stevethebrit]

http://www.gasgasrider.org/forum/showpost.php?p=42981&postcount=19

My spec sheet (stock shims) reads like this:
Check valve:
0,2*11mm
0,3*22mm
compression:
0,1*22mm
0,2*11mm
0,1*20mm
0,1*19mm
0,1*11mm
0,1*18mm
0,1*17mm
0,15*16mm
0,2*14mm
0,2*12mm

Didn't do the work myself, though, so I can't tell you more than the spec sheet the tuner gave me.
EDIT: Mind you, that's only 12(!), and mine has no 15mm. Looks like you have a load of .22's more from the factory than my zokes did.

 

[mcnut]

I'm clueless.

 

[moto9]

I hope you're riding.

Here's the updated shim list:

22mm O.D. - .12mm thick, quantity 6
22mm O.D. - .31mm thick, qty. 1
21mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
20mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
19mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
18mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
17mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
16mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
15mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
14mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
13mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
12mm O.D. - .12mm thick, qty. 1
11mm O.D. - .20mm thick, qty. 1

Here's what I suggest for a start
22x12 (3)
15x12
21x12
19x12
17x12
16x12
14x12
13x12
12x12
11x20

The problem is not just with the BV, the rebound is valved too soft, spring rate is too soft and the mid valve needs adjusting...and that's just the forks.
The shock needs work too because you want the bike balanced front and rear.
That's why it's best to get an expert to get your suspension set up correctly.

 

[mcnut]

I'm not looking for custom valving. I need to know the original stack. I'm waiting for an answer from Marzocchi customer service. If/when I get an answer, I'll post it.

 

[darren]

I think i have the base valve shim stack for 07 shivers off a ec250 if that will help

 

[stevethebrit]

Darren: I linked to your stack in my post, it was very similar to what I have written down for my 08 shivers. Problem is that it doesn't work with the shims that Mcnut got out of the fork.