Setting oil height-zokes

[rubiconrod]

Hi guys.
What I'm wanting to know is which components to leave out when adding oil to the fork.
I have a 2007 EC250 with 45mm Marzocchi Shiver forks. Now I realize that the spring should be inserted after the oil has been added to a predetermined level, but do any of you leave out other components until after the oil height/air gap has been set?
I have read countless posts about suggested levels but there is very rarely any information regarding the assembly proceedure. I did read somewhere a long time ago that the level should be set prior to inserting the spring spacer, spring and rebound adjuster rod, but I have my doubts about this.

As an example;
I set my oil height at 130 mm.
Added spring spacer 115 mm, more than I expected.
Added rebound adjuster rod 107 mm
Didn't take measurement with spring in.

Someone at a bike shop recommended treating the spacer as part of the spring, so if the spring is out then so too is the spacer. However a 53 mm long spacer displaces far more oil than would the equivalent length of spring.
So i'm hoping some of you in the know can shed some light on my dilemma.
Cheers.

 

[Jakobi]

Usually measure with the damper rod compressed, fork collapsed. Spring and any spacers out.

You could measure the volume of all components and then mathematically calculate how much oil they will displace within the fork, however as long as you're not dancing around the point where the fork hydraulics, its more of an issue of just doing things the same way to ensure consistancy between services.

 

[rubiconrod]

Yeah, with you on those points and I see where you're coming from about the consistency. I know it's probably a case of starting with a safe reference point and making refinements and not getting hung up with where to start.

Fork compressed
Damper rod compressed
Spring spacer out
Spring out

I take it that the rebound adjuster rod (thin aluminium rod that goes inside the damper rod/shaft) is usually left in when setting the oil level.

 

[CACTUSREID]

rubicon,make sure that you have pumped the fork up and down a few times before you take your measurement, to be sure that there is no air in the little nocks and cranys of the fork. we also put a palm of our hand over the open fork top to pressure-ise the oil to go to those places that it might not go on it's own before you do your final air gap setting.

 

[rubiconrod]

I always make a point of pumping the damping rod several times or until I feel the stroke become solid (stops cavitating).
I will try the "hand over the top" trick next time I have the forks apart and am reassembling.
Thanks guys for your input. Much appreciated.