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Manitou Stance Blunt Help

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dillis

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Hello,

I have a Manitou Stance Blunt on my bike right now, and it is winter time and it has been pretty cold the last few days. Today on my ride I noticed the fork was very stiff and didn't rebound quickly. I already have the rebound set at maximum speed and its just about right in warm weather.

Do I need to change fork oil to a lighter weight oil?

Is the cold affecting my rebound and compression?

There is only oil in one leg, that I can see from taking off the top caps. The left leg, from riding perspective, just has a greasy spring, and the right has a decent amount of oil in it. I have read through the manual for it but cannot really understand it. It's all sort of jumbled and has a few different fork specs in it so I'm a little confused.

Also, can I use engine oil in my forks, like maybe 10w-30?
 
#2 ·
Ur not seeing everything in your forks. Usually oil in lower legs by those r old forks so hard to say. Right leg oil your seeing is damper oil.

Mobil 1 synthetic oil works in lower legs for fork lube, the oil in the left leg isn't anything like motor oil and will make ur issues worse. Synthetic transmission fluid will work in the damper side but might still be too thick for cold weather use. Really low weight damper oil is best but costs way more.

Beyond that its winter time, everything is going to be cold and stiff.

Also, best bet will be to fully open up forks clean and put in new oil in lowers, fresh grease (if u can't get proper grease use blue marine grease) on spring side and clean atf in the damper side. Forks will work alot better overall as they just like anything need maintenance (changing oil in a car) to work properly and last.
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
tigris99 said:
Ur not seeing everything in your forks. Usually oil in lower legs by those r old forks so hard to say. Right leg oil your seeing is damper oil.

Mobil 1 synthetic oil works in lower legs for fork lube, the oil in the left leg isn't anything like motor oil and will make ur issues worse. Synthetic transmission fluid will work in the damper side but might still be too thick for cold weather use. Really low weight damper oil is best but costs way more.

Beyond that its winter time, everything is going to be cold and stiff.

Also, best bet will be to fully open up forks clean and put in new oil in lowers, fresh grease (if u can't get proper grease use blue marine grease) on spring side and clean atf in the damper side. Forks will work alot better overall as they just like anything need maintenance (changing oil in a car) to work properly and last.
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Click to expand...
Ok cool, thanks.

I will start studying the manual so I know what I'm doing when it comes apart.
 
#4 ·
The Stances were grease lubricated. So undo the rebound knob, insert an 8mm allen key into the foot of the rebound shaft behind and turn it clockwise into the leg to unscrew.

Pull the lowers off, clean, regrease and go riding.

Suitable greases are Manitou Prep M or Slick-Honey/Slickoleum.
 
Discussion starter · #5 ·
Dougal said:
The Stances were grease lubricated. So undo the rebound knob, insert an 8mm allen key into the foot of the rebound shaft behind and turn it clockwise into the leg to unscrew.

Pull the lowers off, clean, regrease and go riding.

Suitable greases are Manitou Prep M or Slick-Honey/Slickoleum.
Click to expand...
What about the oil in it? Will I need to replace it?
 
#6 ·
dillis said:
What about the oil in it? Will I need to replace it?
Click to expand...
The damper oil is contained in the upper stanchion tube and lasts for a very long time. No need to change it now. But the lowers will need regreased.

I had a stance for a while with the black stanchion tubes. I polished the tubes and it was an extremely smooth running fork.
I also installed a tpc damper. Big improvement.
 
Discussion starter · #7 ·
Well....

I broke the damper rod......



Now I'm screwed. I can't ride until I get parts or a new fork. The threaded part the threads into the lowers snapped off.. The lowers are off now though... Ugh.

I am broke right now so this is really not good. I can't just get a random fork either, my wheelset is bolt-on, so I either need a new wheelset/front wheel...

My life is falling apart right now!!
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
I have figured out what I need, I am pretty sure.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/manitou-stance-compression-rod-assembly/rp-prod21896

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/manitou-stance-rebound-damping-assembly-2005/rp-prod20929

I need the rebound dampening rod because I broke off the threaded end, and I need the compression rod assembly because there is no O-ring and it is quite worn

Dougal how did you polish the stanchions? What polish did you use, what methods, got any vids etc.?
 
#12 ·
Btw the threaded rebound side is backwards in a matter if speaking, at least on newer stuff (and being u broke urs guessing older) u have to "tighten" the threaded part into the lower. If u turn to loosen u snap it off and doesn't take much. Take retainer off normal way and turn threaded section the opposite way. Ur far from the first dont sweat it!
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Discussion starter · #13 ·
tigris99 said:
Btw the threaded rebound side is backwards in a matter if speaking, at least on newer stuff (and being u broke urs guessing older) u have to "tighten" the threaded part into the lower. If u turn to loosen u snap it off and doesn't take much. Take retainer off normal way and turn threaded section the opposite way. Ur far from the first dont sweat it!
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Click to expand...
I think thats where I went wrong. Went to "remove" it like a regular screw and it was hard to turn, so I spun it the other way (clockwise) and it snapped. I pulled off the lowers and sure enough, that's what happened
 
#14 ·
dillis said:
I have figured out what I need, I am pretty sure.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/manitou-stance-compression-rod-assembly/rp-prod21896

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/us/en/manitou-stance-rebound-damping-assembly-2005/rp-prod20929
Click to expand...
CRC doesn't show the Part Numbers for those parts but their Hotlines supplier does.

The 'Manufacturers ID' is the Part Number you see in the Manitou Service Manuals.
http://www.hotlines-uk.com/manitou-stance-compression-rod-assembly-prod21896
http://www.hotlines-uk.com/manitou-stance-rebound-damping-assembly-2005-prod20929

Have a look in the Guides/Manuals to see if the Part Numbers are the same.
http://www.manitoumtb.com/support/
 
Discussion starter · #15 ·
cobba said:
CRC doesn't show the Part Numbers for those parts but their Hotlines supplier does.

The 'Manufacturers ID' is the Part Number you see in the Manitou Service Manuals.
Manitou Stance Compression Rod Assembly
Manitou Stance Rebound Damping Assembly 2005

Have a look in the Guides/Manuals to see if the Part Numbers are the same.
Support | Manitou
Click to expand...
Both of those are the correct ones! Took a minute, but yes they are the correct part numbers.

Thanks for letting me know about that!
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Dougal said:
The damper oil is contained in the upper stanchion tube and lasts for a very long time. No need to change it now. But the lowers will need regreased.

I had a stance for a while with the black stanchion tubes. I polished the tubes and it was an extremely smooth running fork.
I also installed a tpc damper. Big improvement.
Click to expand...
Hey, what is a tpc damper and where can I find one?

Also, what techniques do you recommend for polishing the fork tubes?

Thanks
 
#17 ·
OK, so you broke the shaft. That's why I said "clockwise" in the description earlier, you aren't unscrewing it, you're screwing it down into the fork!

But anyway, if you get stuck, then measure the shaft and I'll see if I can help you out. The same shafts were used on a lot of different forks, but they got different part numbers as they had different pistons screwed on them. You can swap the pistons.

I used really find sand-paper, maybe 1600 grit to polish the legs on mine. It worked really well, but don't use it on the chrome legs.

The TPC damper wasn't an easy fit. I had to modify parts. We'll need to get your fork working normally again first.
 
Discussion starter · #18 ·
Dougal said:
OK, so you broke the shaft. That's why I said "clockwise" in the description earlier, you aren't unscrewing it, you're screwing it down into the fork!

But anyway, if you get stuck, then measure the shaft and I'll see if I can help you out. The same shafts were used on a lot of different forks, but they got different part numbers as they had different pistons screwed on them. You can swap the pistons.

I used really find sand-paper, maybe 1600 grit to polish the legs on mine. It worked really well, but don't use it on the chrome legs.

The TPC damper wasn't an easy fit. I had to modify parts. We'll need to get your fork working normally again first.
Click to expand...
Found everything i need!

the rod that goes in the other leg (spring side) is a little worn looking and has a couple nicks in it somehow. I think I'm gonna polish it up and get it nice before it goes back together. Also, It was missing an O-ring, so maybe tomorrow I'm gonna go to the hardware store and try to find one that fits.

Ok, well I'm gonna hold off on the polishing the legs for now I think. I'll just get it working for now. Probably going to order parts this week.

For the fluid should I get some really thin oil? The rebound was pretty slow before, and I had it at max rebound, and it was just barely good. The current oil is like 1/8th grease and is super yellowed and nasty
 
Discussion starter · #19 ·
Ok! these are the specs for the oil in the forks. I am confused because I though grease was just supposed to go into the lowers. Or I don't know my terminology. It says 16cc in each leg, I think the lowers, right? Also, how does one grease the bushings in the lowers? Do I put both grease, and oil in the lowers?

I am getting 2.5 weight oil for the damping side
Stendec Crystal Fork Fluid | Chain Reaction Cycles

And this grease for the lowers/seals/whatever else
Stendec Easy Glide Fork Grease | Chain Reaction Cycles

SPECS;

Semi Bath Oil Volume 16cc per leg
Damping oil Level (100-130mm Travel) 3.9in, 75mm, 120cc
 
#20 ·
The compression rod doesn't rub or seal on anything, so nicks don't matter. The damper side shaft foot didn't get an o-ring on the Stance as there was no oil to seal in the lowers.

Stock oil is Motorex 5wt. You can remove shims from the top side of the rebound piston to speed up the rebound. Oil level is 75mm down from the top of the leg with the fork fully extended.
The 16cc per side is for forks running oil bath. If you're using grease then ignore that bit. That grease should do nicely, I've never used it but Stendec is reputable.
 
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