[CCS86]

The original Mezzer thread got enormous and despite the huge amount of good tech, it is really spread out and hard to access.

I figured that I would do my best to consolidate the tech info. Feel free to PM me any specific info and I can add it to this post.

Let's do our best to keep the discussion tech based.


New Owner To-do List:

• Drop lowers and check semi-bath oil level
  • Motorex Power Synt 4t 5w40 (Link)
  • Supergliss [100k: 5 - 30C+], [68k: 0 - 30C], [32k: -5 - 20C] (Link)
• Remove and grease main air and IRT pistons (Slickoleum)
• Always fill IRT air first (from empty), to ensure the IRT piston is fully extended
• When filling main air make sure to thread pump on until it stops. This is crucial to ensure the negative chamber is filled. With the pump still connected, you should be able to fully compress the fork without too much effort.

User Setups and Pressure Calculator:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KPnh-oYncla19GutzWF5NkgZRzZCsmjhLGlpCLnO0eU/edit?usp=sharing​

• First tab lists out user setups and comments
• Second tab has calculators for main and IRT air pressures (I recommend using the CCS86 calculator)

Official Guides:

• Service: https://hayesbicycle.zendesk.com/hc...102677333/Mezzer_Pro_Expert_Service_Guide.pdf
• Setup: https://hayesbicycle.zendesk.com/hc...ents/360056778633/Mezzer_Pro_Set-up_Guide.pdf

Replacement Parts:

• SKF green seals MTB37MU
• Air Piston: 215 quad ring (undersized mod 214: Amazon Link)
• Air Shaft: -110 o-ring
• IRT Piston: 122 o-ring
• IRT Shaft: -110 o-ring

Dougal's 1-page general purpose setup guide:

• 1 Page Suspension Setup Guide - Suspension Setup - Technical | Shockcraft

IRT Setup Guides (Not Mezzer Specific):

• https://hayesbicycle.zendesk.com/hc...ments/360056777993/Mattoc_IRT_Setup_Guide.pdf
• https://hayesbicycle.zendesk.com/hc...ents/360055897974/IVA_and_IRT_Trail_Guide.pdf

Damper Tuning:

• I would recommend starting with damping adjusters wide open, or close to it, and adding damping in as needed
• MY21 forks reportedly have a lighter rebound tune
• Compression stack:
  • 8 x 17.5 x 0.1 ←[Dougal replaced with a 12mm, others remove it completely]
  • 8 x 17.5 x 0.1
  • 8 x 20 x 0.1
• Rebound stack:
  • Piston
  • 13 x 6 x 0.1
  • 9 x 6 x 0.1
  • 13 x 6 x 0.1
  • 13 x 6 x 0.1 ← Remove for MY21 tune
  • 8.5 x 6 x 0.2
  • 8.5 x 6 x 0.2
  • 12 x 6 x 1.0

jmvar's Tear-down Guide for Compression Shim Removal:

• Manitou Mezzer Pro Valving Change Guide.pdf

Service info from Dougal:

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• At 25/75/125/175 hours add 7cc bath oil to the lower legs
• At 50/100/150 hours do a full lower leg oil change (15cc) and air spring clean/lube
• At 200 hours do a full service (seals, foam rings, air-seals, damper oil etc).

Stated another way:​

• 25hr Bath oil top-up 7cc
• 50hr Lower Leg clean and relube with 15cc
• 75hr Bath oil top-up 7cc
• 100hr Lower Leg and Air Spring clean and relube 15cc
• 125hr Bath oil top-up 7cc
• 150hr Lower Leg and Air Spring clean and relube 15cc
• 175hr Bath oil top-up 7cc
• 200hr Full service with oil change, wiper seal & air seal change.
• Go to the top and repeat.

​

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Other Modifications:

• In warmer climates, you can downsize the air spring quad-ring for less friction (size 214): Amazon Link
  
  
• I found that on my fork, the ideal lower leg spacing was spot on for a 110mm hub after I removed the paint from the hub interface surfaces on the lowers. The paint is built up fairly thick here and this causes the lowers to splay a little too much. I made a 3D printed tool to carefully sand this paint down while preserving the flatness of the interface surface (and perpendicularity to the axle), which is very important to having a stiff fork assembly. PM me about the tool, maybe use a chemical to peel the paint, but use extreme caution here. [Edit: I have decked 3 other Mezzers and found that they needed a little correction to the metal as well, not just paint removal]

Before/After:​

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• I like to put bottom-out indicators on my suspension. Label tape works really well, but plenty of other tapes could work too. Basically, you just air the fork down or leave the pump connected to the main air fitting and bounce the fork firmly to bottom-out. Then place your piece of tape so that it lines up with the top of your o-ring. Being able to accurately see how far you are from true bottom out is crucial to getting the IRT pressure dialed in. The diagonal shape of the crown to stanchion connection makes it impossible to accurately guess without a marker:
  
  

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Cutaway View:​

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Make sure to feed your Mezzer a steady diet of chunk!

 

[Dougal]

Excellent guide.

Sent from the Shockcraft mobile typewriter

 

[Curveball]

I'm compelled to say a huge Thank You!!!

Thanks so much for putting the effort into that excellent guide. I very much appreciate it.

 

[ungod]

I just finished burnishing the bushings on my Mezzer (which I believe is a '19 model). I have somewhere in the realm of 600-800 miles on mine, and it was already a fantastic fork in my opinion.

On my particular set of lowers it seemed like the damper side lower bushing was the tightest, and the damper side upper had a single slight deformity. After one pass with a .08mm burnishing head it was sliding smooth, and a second pass all the extra stiction is gone.

I also removed the paint from the dropouts and clamped my wheel in the lowers for testing.

 

[CCS86]

I just finished burnishing the bushings on my Mezzer (which I believe is a '19 model). I have somewhere in the realm of 600-800 miles on mine, and it was already a fantastic fork in my opinion.

On my particular set of lowers it seemed like the damper side lower bushing was the tightest, and the damper side upper had a single slight deformity. After one pass with a .08mm burnishing head it was sliding smooth, and a second pass all the extra stiction is gone.

I also removed the paint from the dropouts and clamped my wheel in the lowers for testing.

It is worth mentioning that ungod's fork seems to be the exception here. The vast majority of user reports have good bushing fit, which if anything tends to loosen after some hard miles of riding. This was especially common in the very early production units and seems more rare now.

I don't doubt that his fork was a little tight, but I would caution anyone else to ride the fork hard for a while (like he did) before considering burnishing the bushings.

A fork loose enough to audibly knock will still perform far better than a fork with bushings too tight.

 

[CCS86]

Excellent guide.

Sent from the Shockcraft mobile typewriter

I'm compelled to say a huge Thank You!!!

Thanks so much for putting the effort into that excellent guide. I very much appreciate it.

Thanks guys.

I'm sure I missed something on this first pass, so definitely point out whatever you think should be in this post. I already added a couple things and expect more will follow...

 

[kamper11]

WOW - as someone w a Mezzer yet to be installed, this is like an answer to a prayer! THANKS

 

[hugelick]

THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[reo-fahrer]

maybe one of the forum stuff might close this thread so that this won't be a 2nd mezzer thread where everyone keeps posting random stuff and only keep the important posts here?

 

[CCS86]

maybe one of the forum stuff might close this thread so that this won't be a 2nd mezzer thread where everyone keeps posting random stuff and only keep the important posts here?

As long I don't get locked out of editing the thread, I can keep putting the useful stuff in post #1. I checked a post of mine from a few months ago and was able to edit, so it looks like it will work.

Plus, technical discussion helps advance our understanding.

 

[Lutsch]

Why 15cc in the lowers? Isn't it 21cc in the manual?

 

[ungod]

It is worth mentioning that ungod's fork seems to be the exception here. The vast majority of user reports have good bushing fit, which if anything tends to loosen after some hard miles of riding. This was especially common in the very early production units and seems more rare now.

Is that just based on user reports here, or is that something Dougal (or similar) are seeing? Mine seemed to be well fitted overall, but had a slight deformation which the burnishing fixed. I don't consider it a defect, it seems like burnishing is something that's worth doing to all forks. Someone in the burnishing thread said that the Manitou forks are some of the tightest, but that may be with their older forks. Just curious...I had considered renting out the burnishing tool or doing the work for people for low cost.

maybe one of the forum stuff might close this thread so that this won't be a 2nd mezzer thread where everyone keeps posting random stuff and only keep the important posts here?

I like the idea, but keep in mind that replies are what keep the thread up at the top. As soon as people stop replying, it sinks to page 3 and everyone goes back to the original thread with useful information. I'd rather keep the thread open and move useful data into the first post as it's found.

 

[CCS86]

Is that just based on user reports here, or is that something Dougal (or similar) are seeing?

Just my personal experience with two sets of lowers and user reports here, so take it for what it's worth. People are probably more likely to notice loose bushings than tight, though.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[Vostok]

Why 15cc in the lowers? Isn't it 21cc in the manual?

I would like to second this question. I wan't to drop the lowers on my brand new Mezzer to change the travel and also clean and change the bath oil (just as a precaution) as well as grease the IRT and air spring.

The manual states that I should also grease the air and IRT shafts - but this step is missing from the rest of guides. How much grease and where to apply it?

 

[CCS86]

Why 15cc in the lowers? Isn't it 21cc in the manual?

I would like to second this question. I wan't to drop the lowers on my brand new Mezzer to change the travel and also clean and change the bath oil (just as a precaution) as well as grease the IRT and air spring.

The manual states that I should also grease the air and IRT shafts - but this step is missing from the rest of guides. How much grease and where to apply it?

I believe the 15cc number was given before the official service guide was released. The fork would work just fine with 15cc, it's just there to splash on the damper and air spring shafts. I think they bumped it to 21cc to more comfortably hit a service interval target. In theory, more oil adds some progressiveness. But I'm not sure how much in this case. Maybe @Dougal can give us some data with his fancy new rig.

On greasing the shafts: there isn't a prescribed amount. Just put a light coating on the entire shaft (above and below seal heads). Any excess will just get scraped off.

Sent from my Pixel 4 using Tapatalk

 

[hugelick]

Drop lowers and check semi-bath oil level

• Motorex Power Synt 4t 5w40 (5/40 Wt Semi-Bath Fork Oil)
• Supergliss 100k (68k for cold) (Supergliss Lubricating Oil 250 to 1000 cc (Motorex) | Shockcraft)

This maybe spitting hairs, but I think saying "cold" for 68k is a bit of a stretch.
I think we all have a different view on what cold is.

Maybe all temp ranges or dougal's chart?
100k: 5 to 30C+, 68k: 0 to 30C, 32k: -5 to 20C

 

[CCS86]

Fair enough. "Cold" is relative. Temps added to OP.

 

[greyshrike]

Is this cassette lockring tool long enough to go over schrader valve when one is adjusting travel? I measured the internal length on mine to be 4cm.

Socket Crombie

We listened to your requests and created a socket style Crombie tool that is compatible with ratchets and torque wrenches. The Socket Crombie has our signature finger spline at the top along with a 3/8" square drive for using your favorite ratchet or torque wrench. The tool is plenty deep to...

www.abbeybiketools.com

1:39 in this travel change guide

Socket Crombie

We listened to your requests and created a socket style Crombie tool that is compatible with ratchets and torque wrenches. The Socket Crombie has our signature finger spline at the top along with a 3/8" square drive for using your favorite ratchet or torque wrench. The tool is plenty deep to...

www.abbeybiketools.com

 

[Blkdoutindustries]

On the damper side, is there a way to know or a date to look for the lighter rebound tune? Also is the consensus just to remove the second 17.5 shim or do the Dougal 12mm shim instead, I'm 150 lbs for reference. What size shaft clamp would I need?

Thanks

 

[Dougal]

On the damper side, is there a way to know or a date to look for the lighter rebound tune? Also is the consensus just to remove the second 17.5 shim or do the Dougal 12mm shim instead, I'm 150 lbs for reference. What size shaft clamp would I need?

Thanks

You've got the "Dougal Tune" already in the fork we sent you a year ago. That's the 12mm compression stack and also got my rebound tune which is very different feel to stock.

You don't need any shaft clamps to change rebound tune. To get to the compression I think it's 16.3mm to hold the damper tube.
Manitou Clamp Block 172-31242