[Caveman Lawyer]

The valve seems to be stuck open. I have broken the fork down but can't seem to get to the valve. Does anyone know how I can get to the valve or have detailed break-down instructions? I tried to use the 03 directions, but they seem to be significantly different? Thanks.

 

[Caveman Lawyer]

figured it out

Unscrew the caps. Use a crescent wrench to hold the red nut while using a the socket wrench to unscrew the caps form the internal bolt.

FYI, a quick way to drain your oil - loosen the nuts on the bottom of the stanchions and oil will drain from there. I'm assuming you can then add oil the same way.

Does anyone know how much total oil goes into each leg to get to the 45mm, 50mm and 55mm marks as described in http://myweb.cableone.net/rkindig/marz_marathon_s.html ?

 

[bikerx40]

ETA side is approx 115cc's, and the Rebound side is approx. 145cc's. My measuring cup isn't exactly an accurate graduated cylinder, but that's pretty close.

Add or remove about 5cc's to make your fork more progressive or linear.

 

[stlburner]

Clarification

ETA side is approx 115cc's, and the Rebound side is approx. 145cc's. My measuring cup isn't exactly an accurate graduated cylinder, but that's pretty close.

Add or remove about 5cc's to make your fork more progressive or linear.

So adding oil will make the fork more progressive? And removing oil will make the fork more linear? Or vice versa? Does this hold true for all forks?

 

[bikerx40]

So adding oil will make the fork more progressive? And removing oil will make the fork more linear? Or vice versa? Does this hold true for all forks?

Yes. Adding oil will reduce the volume of air inside the fork and therefore will ramp up more during the last 20% of your travel.

Less oil (lower height) will have a greater air volume and rely more on just the linear nature of the coil spring.

 

[stlburner]

What about.....

Yes. Adding oil will reduce the volume of air inside the fork and therefore will ramp up more during the last 20% of your travel.

Less oil (lower height) will have a greater air volume and rely more on just the linear nature of the coil spring.

An 04 Marathon SL 105? Will the same hold true, given the nature of the air shock? I'm trying to fight dive and get all of my travel. Right now I'm getting about 85mm. My theory right now, if the oil height thing applies to my SL also, is to add some pressure in the positives, and lower the oil a bit. More pressure might fight the dive a bit and less oil might allow me to get up to 95mm or closer due to less ramp up.

 

[bikerx40]

An 04 Marathon SL 105? Will the same hold true, given the nature of the air shock? I'm trying to fight dive and get all of my travel. Right now I'm getting about 85mm. My theory right now, if the oil height thing applies to my SL also, is to add some pressure in the positives, and lower the oil a bit. More pressure might fight the dive a bit and less oil might allow me to get up to 95mm or closer due to less ramp up.

Yes, the same basic principles will apply, but I don't know the exact oil heights or volumes for your fork. You'll have to do a search on that.

I think that you're heading in the right direction as far as tuning goes. I'd shoot for 20-25% sag as measured by a zip-tie, and then add negative pressure until you get your desired small bump sensitivity. Reduce oil height until you're getting full travel under an 'extreme' situation, such as a drop-off or something.

 

[stlburner]

Thanks

I'll just go in 5 increment steps (psi or cc's) until I find what I like.

 

[Caveman Lawyer]

Thanks for the measurements

bikerx40 thanks for the info. My LBS stripped the sheet out of my cap on the ETA side, so it looks like my future oil changes will be done this way.

ETA side is approx 115cc's, and the Rebound side is approx. 145cc's. My measuring cup isn't exactly an accurate graduated cylinder, but that's pretty close.

Add or remove about 5cc's to make your fork more progressive or linear.

 

[MK_]

bikerx40 thanks for the info. My LBS stripped the sheet out of my cap on the ETA side, so it looks like my future oil changes will be done this way.

Sounds like your LBS should buy you a new cap on ETA side

_MK