Looking to dive into the world of shim stack tuning on my Mara Pro.

I added a cascade link, and then went with a smaller air can, and overall I like how my Ripmo feels, but I'm hitting a wall-of-progression ~70%-80% into the shock stoke. Of course I could send it off to a shop and done professionally, but I thought it would be a fun project and learning experience.

Anyone have any tips on where to buy shims? Any general advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Looking to dive into the world of shim stack tuning on my Mara Pro.

I added a cascade link, and then went with a smaller air can, and overall I like how my Ripmo feels, but I'm hitting a wall-of-progression ~70%-80% into the shock stoke. Of course I could send it off to a shop and done professionally, but I thought it would be a fun project and learning experience.

Anyone have any tips on where to buy shims? Any general advice would be greatly appreciated.

My first tip, drill the piston ports bigger. This gives you more "leverage" on the shims so you can run more shims for the same forces and gain more tuning options.

 

Got my hands on a Mara Pro, what air can volume do you recomend as a baseline for this curve? Shock is 185*55...

 

Mid volume.

 

Hey Donkeeboy, I want also give the Mara pro a try in my Kavenz. How do you like it?

 

I hope its a good combination because I've ordered a Kavenz frame, Mara Pro and Mezzer Pro

 

nice! why did you choose this combo?

 

I have both Mezzer and Mara Pro.... Parts are easily sourceable from 2 online stores in europe.

 

Ison Distribution Ltd in Ely are starting to sell Hayes brakes so I'd wonder if they'll list Manitou

I have bought from German shops if I couldn't find in UK, captured a secondhand Mara il (230x65) on ebayUK

Rich.

 

Is the Mara Pro compatible with Fox’s 5 piece shock hardware?

 

Yes.

 

Sweet, I just bought one. The 210x55 comes with the "short" reservoir, do you know if it will clear the upper link on a Santa Cruz Hightower2?

The above is the leverage curve, should I go with standard or king can? I've got both links, but have been using the stock one lately. Overall I'd like to get the most linear feel possible.

 

Sweet, I just bought one. The 210x55 comes with the "short" reservoir, do you know if it will clear the upper link on a Santa Cruz Hightower2?

View attachment 2083517
The above is the leverage curve, should I go with standard or king can? I've got both links, but have been using the stock one lately. Overall I'd like to get the most linear feel possible.

Looks like it should clear but I haven't got any direct experience to confirm.
Your shock comes with the King-Can. Run that at mid volume first.

 

Has anyone seen a write-up on how to change the stroke length on the Mara pro from 50 to 55mm?

 

Depressurise, strip, remove spacer, reassemble, rebleed and pressurise.

 

Does the Mara Pro 205/60 Trunnion have a spacer to reduce travel from 65mm, if so can it be removed to increase travel to 65mm?

 

Yes. Needs a damper strip down and rebleed to change it.

 

So I was at work yesterday, designing some exciting data processing pipeline for volumetry and got an unexpected phone call. It was ready to be picked up at the LBS. About an hour later I got possession of this

Now it’s time to loose those DU bushings and pray that thing will fit in my frame. Let the tinkering begin!

 

What frame/bike are you planning to use it with?

 

It works! No clearance issues.

Out of the box there are two things I’m noticing while trying to get a baseline setup.

one: there’s a lot of resistance in the first part of the travel, like off the bike, I can’t depress the shock by pressing on the saddle. Once it’s through those first mm, it’s quite smooth.

two: there’s a knock at topout, very noticeable. At first I thought it was because I’m running all the clickers in the open position. But even with the rebound fully closed, the rebound feels too fast and the knock and very fast rebound at topout persists.

I have about 135 psi in the shock, this is giving me 17mm which is 30% sag. How come the rebound is too fast for that pressure? I haven’t read the whole 103 pages, but is there something else I should do before trying to set it up? Why is the rebound so fast?

 

I think you should reset the negative chamber and grease the air piston.

 

What’s the proceedure? Deflate the shock, remove the outter sleeve of the king can and put it all back together? Should I remove the whole air can too?

If you could link a post or video that’d be great. Couldn’t find a Hayes video on this.

 

It's a tight fit, the stock has plenty of clearance under the upper link, but looks like it's almost touching the frame above the shock tunnel...

Is the rebound too fast even if it’s completely closed?

Anyway, looking forward to hearing your riding impression compared to what you had before.

 

It's a tight fit, the stock has plenty of clearance under the upper link, but looks like it's almost touching the frame above the shock tunnel...

It’s alright, I thought it’d be worse. The distance between the reservoir end and the shock tunnel is kept constant throughout the travel so I’m not even concerned now.

Is the rebound too fast even if it’s completely closed?

Yes, particularly in the beginning of the travel (lsr?).

Yea completely remove the air can and reinstall (Hayes YouTube has a video of air can service that shows you)

Thanks, I’ll try that rightaway.

 

I think you should reset the negative chamber and grease the air piston.

Thanks, that did the trick.

Anyway, looking forward to hearing your riding impression compared to what you had before.

My first impression was: I think I got a flat tire (and I ride 27psi in the back). My second impression was: good luck making any money back selling the tractive tuned SDU… no longer need it.
Althoug my spring rate isn’t dialed yet, the ride is smooth and controlled, elegant I’d dare to say. I look forward to riding it more but I’m slowly becoming a Manitou fan… This is a great video where he goes over some nice little features.

 

Thanks, that did the trick.


My first impression was: I think I got a flat tire (and I ride 27psi in the back). My second impression was: good luck making any money back selling the tractive tuned SDU… no longer need it.
Althoug my spring rate isn’t dialed yet, the ride is smooth and controlled, elegant I’d dare to say. I look forward to riding it more but I’m slowly becoming a Manitou fan… This is a great video where he goes over some nice little features.

are you still getting along with the Mara on your Hightower V2? What is it doing better over your Tractive SD? I’m really tempted to go this route but curious if you’ve noticed in negatives since installing? Also, are you running it with 55mm and do you run a CC link?

 

For those users who use a 3 piece shock hardware (like RockShox), can you routinely remove and reinstall the inner sleeve without degrading the DU bushing? I’m thinking about negative chamber resets multiple times a year.

 

Sure, mine have been in and out dozens of times.

 

Since I got rid of Lyrik for Mezzer Pro and still have Super Deluxe Ultimate (which is kind of annoying me in some ways) on the bike, how does it compare to Mara Pro? Would that be a sound upgrade?

 

which is kind of annoying me in some ways

In what ways is the SDU annoying you? What is it that you don’t like? Maybe that helps steer your decision.

 

My frame is designed for upside down shock orientation, and the shock is kind of creaking when pedaling around. Creaking is probably not the correct word, simply a noise of dry rubber rubbing against something. It only happens when the shock is moving a tiny bit. It's driving me nuts, and it only stops when I remove the air can and relubricate the seals. That lasts about 10km until it starts again. I suspect it's a side effect of the orientation, and the shaft is not lubricated since all the oil is at the bottom, an the grease simply disappeares withing few hundreds of compressions.

Besides, even after spending €160 on tuning (new piston and probably adjusted shimstack), the shock still doesn't feel like doing much.

 

Can you fit a coil shock to your frame? That would get rid of having an air can and needing to regrease it. Swapping an air shock for another might be a lateral move?
Not sure about the others but my Mara Pro is quite noisy, typical dpx2 zipper sound, and the damper is audible when riding. Neither of those annoys me, but it isn’t the quietest of shocks (at least mine).

 

No, it's not designed for coil. Propain Hugene.

But it's not just that, it's about the performance too. I am a heavy (~90kg naked) rider, and the shock still feels like ass (I write feels because I have no comparison except for Suntour Triair on a completely different bike).

 

Besides the noise problem that bothers you, maybe the custom tune you made is not suitable for you, your needs, or your bike. You should talk with person who made this for you and maybe he can retune it.

 

I've had my Mara Pro installed for about a year and recently noticed that I have lost rebound dampening (the adjuster makes no change in actual rebound dampening). Otherwise the shock is performing perfectly.

What could be the possible culprit? I've read that if the air in the IFP chamber bypasses the seal into the oil it could cause loss of rebound dampening; is this true? I would have thought that I would be able to hear the squish-sounds if there was air in the dampening oil.

It's time for a full rebuild anyway, but just curious if I should be on the looked for some particular failed portion of the shock during the rebuild. Thanks!

 

recently noticed that I have lost rebound dampening (the adjuster makes no change in actual rebound dampening).

Most probably air can reset is required, as negative chamber lost pressure.
its as simple as remove aircan, clean everything nicely, apply slikoleum liberally and re assemble aircan.

Oren

 

I would have preferred if people answered my damn question instead of questioning my current setup.
Mara Pro vs Super Deluxe UItimate Charger 3 (or whatever is it called) - better or not?

 

What a nice attitude… anyway, Fox Float X.

 

mara pro is better

 

I would have preferred if people answered my damn question instead of questioning my current setup.
Mara Pro vs Super Deluxe UItimate Charger 3 (or whatever is it called) - better or not?

Your question was already answered 3 posts before yours:

My first impression was: I think I got a flat tire (and I ride 27psi in the back). My second impression was: good luck making any money back selling the tractive tuned SDU… no longer need it.

But if your problem is having an air can because of the upside down configuration (which seems bogus to me honestly) then no air shock will be a solution.

 

Your question was already answered 3 posts before yours:



But if your problem is having an air can because of the upside down configuration (which seems bogus to me honestly) then no air shock will be a solution.

Guess I didn't understand.

What does bogus mean?

 

That's grease though, and would affect performance in a negative way (compared to the intended thin oil), wouldn't it? And besides, with the shock upside down, most of it would end up at the bottom just like the oil I think?

edit: I really don't know what the hell is wrong with the shock, it's been doing that since the beginning, it was serviced twice, and I removed the can and relubed the seals about 500 times myself, and it's always 10km or so until it starts doing the noises again. I just feel like I've had it with the thing and am inclined to sell it (ideally to someone who would have it mounted in the classic way) and get something better/different (hence the Mara inquiry).

 

Could you post a video showing us that squeaky sound?

 

Not really. I tried recording it at some point, but it's very subtle and it only (well, mostly) happens when I'm pedaling in such way that the shock is doing only minimal, hardly noticeable compressions. Like when I'm pedaling uphill on asphalt. When I'm riding in terrain it's silent - presumably because at least 50% compression makes what's left of the oil inside to reach the can seals.

I really would need to try a different shock to see whether it's a side effect of the shock orientation or a defect in the shock I have.
Thinking about it, I have a brand new regular Deluxe Ultimate (or whatever is the name of the model without piggyback) here that's meant for my wife's bike I'm building, but I'm not sure whether I'll keep it or return it and get something better for her, so I'm reluctant to install it.

 

So all those special and better than before oils (looking at you Maxima Plush something) are just a load of marketing BS? I know SRAM butter is supposed to be good, but I assumed oil is superior for shock and fork application due to the "thinnessness" (is that even a word?...).

I'll see if I can reproduce it by just pumping up and down sitting on the bike in the workshop. It's quite "typical" (I assume) sound of dry rubber rubbing against something.
It's bizarre and I have never "seen" it before either.

 

It's not shock hardware that goes quiet for a bit after it's been disturbed?