|   FYI: '03 Marzocchi Marathon S Oil Height | bikerx40
Oct 14, 2003 11:20 AM | | Just got off the phone with Marzocchi Tech Support. Like many others on this board, I wasn't getting full travel- only 78mm. My model is the 105mm version. I weigh about 160 pounds without riding gear and ride very agressive xc.
I had tried many different oil heights from 40mm down to 62mm without any luck. The tech at Marz said that I was at the very bottom of the 'recommended rider weight' for the stock springs. He said that the stock spring is for people with a "riding weight" (ready to ride with helmet, camelback, etc) of apx 180-220 pounds.
He said that swapping both springs to the next softest kit (apx. 145-180 lb) may be too soft. So, he recommended swapping just one of the springs to the softer spring weight. The part number for the 145-180 pound springs for the 105mm model is Marzocchi Part #850-346, which can be ordered through your LBS (Quality Bicycle Products is a distributor).
When I asked him about the correct oil height for the 105mm model, he said that the correct height was 45-55mm.
He also mentioned that getting every last millimeter of travel out of this fork would require an extremely hard hit. The reason for this is that at the bottom of the ETA cartridge is a small spring that is extremely stiff (around 11kg/cm or something), which I suppose acts as the bottom-out bumper. This spring is supposed to ramp up the spring rate on the last few millimeters and make it extremely progressive.
I know that I had a hard time searching and finding any good info on the oil height / not getting full travel, so I thought that I would share. |
| re: FYI: '03 Marzocchi Marathon S Oil Height | brutrak
Oct 14, 2003 11:42 PM | | Thanks for sharing that info!
Although I'm still in the break-in process, I'm experiencing the same problem. I'm just in the edge of the two ranges, as my "riding weight" is probably 185 pounds.
When talking about the correct oil height, is it measured from the top of the fork?
Many thanks!
brutrak |
| re: FYI: '03 Marzocchi Marathon S Oil Height | LocoToo
Oct 15, 2003 6:37 AM | | Measure from the top of the threads that the top cap screws into. You'll be fine. |
| re: FYI: '03 Marzocchi Marathon S Oil Height | Ak Dave
Oct 15, 2003 7:03 AM | | It's great that those tech boys finally give out some good info. I tuned mine by the old trial and error method as did everyone here. I weigh about the same as you and here is my setup. I changed the damper side oil to 5wt and am running the oil height a bit lower than spec's at 60mm down....no problems from that. I will constantly get 100-103mm of travel. I have bottomed the fork once in awhile at 107mm.
Later,
Dave |
| re: FYI: '03 Marzocchi Marathon S Oil Height | bikerx40
Oct 15, 2003 7:19 AM | | I actually copied your set-up info in my quest to get full travel. I am currently running the 5w in the rebound damper side at 62mm height. One thing that the tech warned me about with that low of an oil height is cavitation (which I think means that air gets sucked into the damper and you lose damping).
Using this set-up I am still not getting more than 78mm of travel. I think that I am going to order up the softer springs and also raise the oil height back to at least 55mm.
I'll keep you posted.
-Ryan |
| Interesting... | LocoToo
Oct 15, 2003 9:00 AM | | I would put my "riding weight" at about 170. I'm using 7.5wt oil in both sides at 52mm height with stock springs and gettting about 89mm max travel. The fork has about 25 hours on it.
What preload setting are you using?
Rebound setting? (turns from fully closed) |
| Interesting... | bikerx40
Oct 15, 2003 10:49 AM | | My riding weight would be around 170-175 assuming 10 lbs for camelback, shoes, helmet, clothes, etc.
My fork probably has the same number of hours on it. Oil height is 62mm both sides, 5wt oil in damper side, 78mm max travel.
Stock springs. Preload all the way CCW on both sides. Rebound is at 2.25 turns from fully closed (CW). Keep in mind that the rebound settings may not be comparable due to the different weight of the oils that we are using.
Any advice?
By the way, you have a black plastic spacer in each side don't you? I have a longer spacer in one side and a shorter one in the other side. The spacers sit between the preload adjuster and the spring (to put it simply).
-Ryan |
| Spacers... | LocoToo
Oct 15, 2003 6:00 PM | | Yes, there is a spacer on each side, one shorter than the other on my fork as well.
I wouldn't want to go any lower than the 60mm, so it seems like the softer spring should be your next try.
Your rebound would definately be faster than mine with the 5wt oil so your 2.5 turns to my 4 turns makes sense. Again, it's also a personal preference.
Do you see any color marking anywhere on your springs? I see a white marking on each of mine. My impression was that this was the "medium" weight spring. |
| Interesting... | Ak Dave
Oct 16, 2003 6:31 AM | | I am running about 1 turn of preload. With the 5wt I am using more turns on the damper but I can't remember at the moment. I actually tried a bit lower oil height first and it was too low. I would not go lower than 60mm either. I think my riding weight is about the same as you when all gear is on.
Dave |
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