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Zoke Z1 Light air pressure?

2K views 12 replies 6 participants last post by  Jerk_Chicken 
#1 ·
I did a couple of quick searches on this and didn't turn up much.

I'm setting up my Marzocchi Z1 Light ETA fork on my Six Pack and am trying to figure out the sag. I weigh 170lbs, and if I put more than 10psi in the fork, I get less than 40mm of sag. I have the compression damping dialed completely off.

I thought normal pressure for this fork was around 40 psi at my weight :skep: Is it normal to be relying mostly on the spring in the left leg for compression? Anybody else around my weight running this fork on a Pack/RFX? What pressure are you putting in it?
 

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#3 · (Edited)
nybike1971 said:
Where did you see the 40psi spec? The manual for the '06 Z1 Light give a range of 0 to 15psi for the preload air pressure. I am 160lbs and am running around 5psi, as the fork breaks in I'll probably end up adding a bit of air.
I'm looking at the positive air pressure, the Z1 light doesn't have a preload pressure valve that I can find. I've got positive air, rebound damping, compression damping, ETA, and TAS. I took a screen grab of the Zoke manual for 06. For riders 155-180, they recommend 35-45lbs of pressure. Am I missing something? :confused:
 

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#4 ·
I'm 2 bills and I'm only runnin 15 PSI and my fork is well broken in. It is just a preload. At your weight, you may not need any PSI in there. I remember reading a review of the fork in MBA Mag about a half year ago. I think the rider was 175 pounds and they ran 0 PSI. You will love the fork and the bike - have fun!
 
#5 ·
murphie said:
I'm 2 bills and I'm only runnin 15 PSI and my fork is well broken in. It is just a preload. At your weight, you may not need any PSI in there. I remember reading a review of the fork in MBA Mag about a half year ago. I think the rider was 175 pounds and they ran 0 PSI. You will love the fork and the bike - have fun!
Thanks for the advice! Didn't know if I was going nuts or what. The bike's done, I'll post pics of the finished product tomorrow. Almost wiped out on the ice while test riding it. It's practically the arctic outside my front door this week. :rolleyes:
 
#6 ·
air pressure

hey there,
don't pay any attention to the manual regarding suggested air for rider weight. what the other guys said is it. as for reading air pressure on a typical shock pump, don't bother w/ that either. just set the sag where you want it countng full stroke pumps. those gauges at that low an air pressure isn't gonna do it for ya. those forks are totally wonderful & super easy to set up. just find the sag you like & the rest is cake.:thumbsup: later
 
#7 ·
The positive air pressure in the table you posted refers to the Z1 FR SL fork. For the Z1 Light the last line (Preload air pressure) is the relevant one. As everyone else said, the pump will not read anything useful. What I do is I pump up the fork to 10psi and then slowly let air out until I achieve the desired sag.
 
#8 ·
I'm around your weight with 75kg/165lbs and I run a '06 Z1 light at my RFX/Pack too.
As you allready said you need to fill up the positive air and not the preload air pressure because there is no spring inside you can preload.This may work at the Z1FR but not at this model of fork.
I use to run between 35-40psi of pressure and 4 clicks of compression damping after the fork is broken in.As the fork was new I only could run it with around 20-25 psi because of stiction of the seals.The fork was realy very plush in this phase but after a good month of riding it went away and I was able to rise the air pressure step by step to manufacture specs and it is nearly spot on now.

Later
RaD
 
#9 ·
OK - RaD's post made me think that I might be a bit nuts, so I went back and checked that old MBA Mag.

In June 2006 the Z1 Light ETA was reviewed. They refer to the air chaimber as "External Air Preload". It says, "The right side of the slider houses the damper and an air valve that allows for exteranal spring rate and preload adjustments." Then later on in the "Setup:" they say, "With a 155 pound rider aboard, there was no need to add air pressure to boost its coil spring."

I am not saying RaD is wrong, his opinion is certainly as valid as mine, if not more. It seems to me, put in whatever air pressure gives you the desired sag. My guess for your weight would be 0 to 10 PSI. Let us know what works for ya. Best of luck! :)
 
#10 ·
RaD said:
I'm around your weight with 75kg/165lbs and I run a '06 Z1 light at my RFX/Pack too.
As you allready said you need to fill up the positive air and not the preload air pressure because there is no spring inside you can preload.This may work at the Z1FR but not at this model of fork.
I use to run between 35-40psi of pressure and 4 clicks of compression damping after the fork is broken in.As the fork was new I only could run it with around 20-25 psi because of stiction of the seals.The fork was realy very plush in this phase but after a good month of riding it went away and I was able to rise the air pressure step by step to manufacture specs and it is nearly spot on now.

Later
RaD
Z1 FR SL = air fork
Z1 Light = coil spring with air assist for preload
 
#12 ·
nybike1971 said:
Z1 FR SL = air fork
Z1 Light = coil spring with air assist for preload
I think someone else needs to chime in and clear this up!

You guys make me dizy,but I belive it is in this way:

Z1 Sport is using coils in both stanchion legs,preloaded via air
Z1 SL is using an airspring in both stanchions(doppio air)and has the RC²damping.
Z1 light is using a coil in the left stanchion where the ETA system is and an air spring in the right stanchion and has the RC² damping too.

Can someone confirm or correct this?
I am close before opening up my fork and take a look...need to change the oil anyway.

Later
RaD
 
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