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Shockcraft Pick & Mix Tuning - McMara Rear Shock Edition

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Dougal

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Shockcraft Pick & Mix Self Tuning for Manitou McLeod & Mara Inline

Pick & Mix is a suspension tuning framework engineered by Shockcraft. It provides a rack of dyno proven tunes for self install that match your weight, bike geometry and riding style. You can Pick & Mix to suit your terrain and preferences.
We launched last year for the Manitou Mezzer Pro fork and picked up the Mattoc Pro fork on release. https://www.mtbr.com/threads/shockcraft-pick-mix-tuning-mezzer-pro-edition.1212657/post-15813075

Now we tune the whole bike with Pick & Mix tuning kits available for Manitou McLeod and Mara Inline Rear Shocks. We've got the range to cover lightweight kids to DadZilla's(tm).

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Pick & Mix Self Tune Kits include:
  • Physics calculation of your target compression and rebound tune.
  • Hardware modifications and shim kits which bolt in.
  • Tuning drawings which lay-out your shim stacks for target, softer, firmer, poppier and stickier tunes.
  • Pictorial instructions for stripping, re-valving and reassembling the damper.
  • Tool, fluid and torque lists.

The first rear shock kit in the Pick & Mix Self Tune framework is for the 2015-2019 Manitou McLeod and 2020+ Manitou Mara Inline. It will hopefully fit future models too.

More info and purchasing here: Shockcraft Blog - Tune Your Own Suspension - Pick & Mix Self Tune Kits | Shockcraft

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Fitments include imperial and metric eyelet including metric trunnion up to 65mm stroke (205x65T or 230x65E).

They're a bit more complicated to install than the fork kits, but we have full 12 page pictorial instructions.
The kits include three options for setting IPA platform valving.
A: No IPA adjustment for the simplest install
B: Trail IPA adjustment (setup of this is a bit complex).
C: XC style firm platform (same setup as B).

In another industry first, these kits have bee produced with the full support and cooperation of Manitou Engineering and Management. They even let us use their logos on our stickers.

Hit me up with any questions. These ship as soon as our bulk shims arrive. Available as kits or pre-installed in new shocks.
 
Discussion starter · #6 ·
G60Dub said:
Awesome news for al the Manitou users. Was hoping this would drop at some point (settles down to wait patiently for the Pro verison :cool: )
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Carmel said:
I second this. Once a Mara Pro kit is available I will order it for that and my Mezzer Pro to save on shipping.
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Sorry to say we're not working on a Mara Pro Pick & Mix kit. The market is too small due to fitment problems from the long snout. I will be offering custom tuning for them.

I chose the McLeod and Mara Inline because when tuned they perform just as well, fit virtually everything (max 65mm stroke so no DH fitment) and are tough enough for about 95% of riding.

I've been test riding my Mara Inline for the last 3 months or so and I haven't found anything it can't do exceptionally well. Big guys on jump lines will find they heat/cool too fast and that's about the only limitation.
I even think the Inline has better small/sharp bump response than the Pro. Likely due to shorter oil flow paths (doesn't push oil up the shaft with each bump).

wayold said:
If you're offering the pre-installed version with the same 50% discount Hayes is now giving on the Mara I'd be very interested. If not I suspect the kit is a much more economical approach for most of us.
Click to expand...
We can't match the 50% off due to shipping costs. We're doing 20% off with free worldwide shipping: Spring Sale - Special Pricing - Swag | Shockcraft

You're also welcome to send us any good shocks (new or used) for installation).

TylerVernon said:
Awesome!

btw this url does not load for me Pick & Mix McMara Self Tune Kit (Shockcraft) | Shockcraft

I'm interested in increasing the hsc in open mode and making the lockout fully locked out.
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Working for me, let us know what errors you've got and we'll hunt it down.

The XC tune option gives you more compression damping than you'll ever need. Firmer platform stack than Manitou used but combined with a smallest piston bleed hole. So it's got a small bit of give but you can still bleed them by hand. There were several different cam profiles so different shocks will give slightly different lockout results.
 
#9 ·
@Dougal I have to admit that I tracked away from air cans personally for the last 5 years. If I'm happy with a CC DB Coil, what would I be able to expect from the Mara?

Obvs more stiction from the air spring, but would the (significantly lighter) shock offer anything other than more easily tuned damping for me?
 
Discussion starter · #10 ·
wschruba said:
@Dougal I have to admit that I tracked away from air cans personally for the last 5 years. If I'm happy with a CC DB Coil, what would I be able to expect from the Mara?

Obvs more stiction from the air spring, but would the (significantly lighter) shock offer anything other than more easily tuned damping for me?
Click to expand...
Honestly we'd have to dyno your current setup to know where you were at and where improvements could be made. But the weight would be about half.

Stiction wise there's almost none in these shocks. They're remarkable in that respect. The downside is you need to reset the negative air every 3-6 months depending on use because they use trapped negative air. That's just removing and reinstalling the air-can.
 
#11 ·
Hey, Dougal. Are there any special tools needed for a complete tear down of the Mara inline? I’m used to taken my Rockshox and Fox dampers apart completely, and besides the special tool for the IFP pressure nothing else was needed. Could not find anything online for some reason. Other than the 50hrs. aircan service there seems to be nothing.
 
Discussion starter · #12 · (Edited)
cdalemaniac said:
Hey, Dougal. Are there any special tools needed for a complete tear down of the Mara inline? I’m used to taken my Rockshox and Fox dampers apart completely, and besides the special tool for the IFP pressure nothing else was needed. Could not find anything online for some reason. Other than the 50hrs. aircan service there seems to be nothing.
Click to expand...
I've got full pictorial instructions inside the product here: Pick & Mix McMara Self Tune Kit (Shockcraft) | Shockcraft

Direct link: https://www.shockcraft.co.nz/media/pdfs/Pick & Mix Kits/Instructions_for_Shockcraft_McMara_Pick_and_Mix_Self_Tune_Kits.pdf
 
#13 ·
"Dyno proven" but no dyno charts shared. How would someone know what they are going to get before they purchase? Or an idea of what they might get?

Ohlin's has their tune bank and the charts are readily available, you know if something is going to be roughly digressive or linear and some rate of progression.

What's a Dougal tune look like?
 
Discussion starter · #14 ·
shirk said:
"Dyno proven" but no dyno charts shared. How would someone know what they are going to get before they purchase? Or an idea of what they might get?

Ohlin's has their tune bank and the charts are readily available, you know if something is going to be roughly digressive or linear and some rate of progression.

What's a Dougal tune look like?
Click to expand...
If you can read a dyno chart and know how many kg damping force you need at target speeds then you aren't buying a tuning kit.

Can you do that?
 
#15 ·
Discussion starter · #18 ·
springs said:
What length stroke was the shock that the plots relate to?
Click to expand...
216x63mm dyno tested over 30mm of stroke.
Aside from some sizes getting tight on IFP volume (200x56mm is the tightest) the tunes behave the same in all the different size shocks.
 
#19 ·
Dougal said:
216x63mm dyno tested over 30mm of stroke.
Aside from some sizes getting tight on IFP volume (200x56mm is the tightest) the tunes behave the same in all the different size shocks.
Click to expand...
Why only 30mm of stroke and not say 60? Is it the first 30mm or in the middle? I guess there has to be a bit of a safety buffer but once the limits are set correctly on the dyno would it be an issue if the stroke was set to say 60mm? Wouldn't this be more useful having a wider stroke range to ensure consistency of damping?

Obviously the bottom out bumper has an effect on rebound and compression, I'm curious why these never seem to be part of anyone's dyno plot to show their effect?
 
Discussion starter · #20 ·
springs said:
Why only 30mm of stroke and not say 60? Is it the first 30mm or in the middle? I guess there has to be a bit of a safety buffer but once the limits are set correctly on the dyno would it be an issue if the stroke was set to say 60mm? Wouldn't this be more useful having a wider stroke range to ensure consistency of damping?

Obviously the bottom out bumper has an effect on rebound and compression, I'm curious why these never seem to be part of anyone's dyno plot to show their effect?
Click to expand...
Consistency, speed-range and forces.

30mm stroke lets me dyno all shocks with the same settings. From 38mm stroke to 75mm and more.
The 30mm stroke sets the minimum and maximum speed range of the dyno. This covers a 20x speed range and gives the resolution I need.
The 30mm stroke also allows me to use the maximum force of 1 ton if required.

I can't find any good (bad) plots showing a bumper contacting. I usually delete them. But it gives you this silly bump at the end that swamps all the damper forces. It's something you never want in a damper test.
 
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