huski Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Hi,anyone know how to change a fork seal on a 2010 pro please? I've done them on shercos and betas,is the job any different,Heard a rumour they're harder or is this just the same job.Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hi,anyone know how to change a fork seal on a 2010 pro please? I've done them on shercos and betas,is the job any different,Heard a rumour they're harder or is this just the same job.Thanks in advance They are fairly straight forward except that you will need to set the oil level and not use volume. You will need to remove the spring to set oil level (180mm for steel tube and 160mm for aluminum tube Marzocchi's). If you make a simple tool like this aluminum plate it will make messing with the spring a lot easier. Pull the spacer down and insert the plate, then you can remove/install the top cap easier. They also take a pin spanner to remove the top cap on most of the Zokes and use a little heat to break the o-ring bond. The top caps only are tightened to finger tight. (the tool on the top of the damper rod is used to bleed the cartridge easily) Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 In the last photo I just had the plate in to keep the rod from dropping down but here it is above the spacer: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yup, that just about makes them seals clear as mud, Jon! Seems a new video may be in order! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Yup, that just about makes them seals clear as mud, Jon! Seems a new video may be in order! huski seems to have the experience necessary and the seal changing is pretty much the same as other forks but setting oil level may be new to a lot of riders and I think that's where the rumor that the Zokes are difficult comes from. The Marzocchi's compression cartridge does not drain easily, therefore you can't use oil volume without the danger of overfilling the leg and running into hydraulic lock. Copey, I think you and I should get together and make a video on fork servicing. I bet we would be the Nitro Circus of technical how-to, or maybe how-not-to in our case. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laser1 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hey Jon, Not to highjack the tread, but as it pertains to fork reassembly after the seals are replaced, Can you please describe your process for bleeding the cartridge properly? I think I may need to bleed mine as the forks have developed a dead spot at the top of 1" of the stroke. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Hey Jon, Not to highjack the tread, but as it pertains to fork reassembly after the seals are replaced, Can you please describe your process for bleeding the cartridge properly? I think I may need to bleed mine as the forks have developed a dead spot at the top of 1" of the stroke. Thanks. Probably low oil level in the fork caused by air in the cartridge when assembled/bled. The fork, while in use on the bike, will bleed air from the cartridge, but this will also lower the oil level in the fork and keep air in the top part of the cartridge. I like to add oil up to about an inch from the top and then stroke the damper rod to force air out. You will feel more resistance at the lower part of the stroke at first as the cartridge fills with fluid. Be sure to add oil to keep the level above the cartridge top. When the cartridge is free of air, you will feel consistant resistance through the whole top to bottom stroke. You can then set the oil level. A bleeder rod is a very handy tool to have and you can make your own like I do. Find a nut that fits the threads on the top of the damper rod (where the top cap goes on) and braze or weld it (I braze and machine in the lathe) to a piece of tubing. The photos are of bleed rods to fit 5 different types of damper rods. The Marzocchi is on the right and does not need holes on the side and is about 10 inches long. The other two are about 14 inches for Kayaba, Showa, WP etc and need to be longer to reach down into the longer tubes of that type of suspension. They need bleed holes on the side as the damper rods hold fluid and it is pumped out the top but the Marzocchi's don't work that way so no holes needed. The bleeder rods really make it easy to bleed air as you don't have to chase the rod when it disappears down inside the tube and then try to get a good grip on it with oily hands. It also makes it easy to pull back the spacer and insert the plate so you can attach the top cap. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laser1 Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Thanks very much for the advice Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huski Posted January 28, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thanks very much for the advice Jon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 Thanks very much for the advice Jon. Another tip for sliding the seal over the upper tube: The seal should be lightly greased (inner lips and outer ring, which seals against the lower leg). To keep the lower lip of the seal from being damaged or folded up when sliding it over the tube, cut a triangle from a plastic sandwich bag (like a three-corner hat) and put it on the top of the tube, install the seal by canting it slightly upward so one side of the lip engages the tube, push on the seal and rotate it on to tube. It should slide easily on with no damage. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Another tip for sliding the seal over the upper tube: The seal should be lightly greased (inner lips and outer ring, which seals against the lower leg). To keep the lower lip of the seal from being damaged or folded up when sliding it over the tube, cut a triangle from a plastic sandwich bag (like a three-corner hat) and put it on the top of the tube, install the seal by canting it slightly upward so one side of the lip engages the tube, push on the seal and rotate it on to tube. It should slide easily on with no damage. Jon That is just "soo" sick, Jon!!!! At this rate, he'll be using the "Trapezoid" next! Put a friggin condom on it, they are pre-lubed! Just trim off the little ring after install! Anythingwill slide right on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jse Posted January 29, 2011 Report Share Posted January 29, 2011 Put a friggin condom on it, they are pre-lubed! Just trim off the little ring after install! Anythingwill slide right on! Let's be realistic here, Copey, I doubt very much that the battery-powered ones you use (with all the squiggly things and spinning tassles) would not work in this case........... Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
copemech Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 Let's be realistic here, Copey, I doubt very much that the battery-powered ones you use (with all the squiggly things and spinning tassles) would not work in this case........... Jon Now Jon, those are for other things, Now you see they have put the Zokes on the Sherco! aT SOME POINT SOMEONE IS GOING TO ASK! I have not a clue, not having done them, but my general perception seems much similar to the cartridge style Pailoi fork based upon what you describe. Only one side on the Paioli , though. On the Paioli, the only way you can set the level correctly by volume is to extract the damper unit and pump it dry prior to reinstall, then all works fine based upon volume. And only then. Setting by level, neglecting the procedure mentioned above, seemed difficult to me on the Paioli, even though I tried. Difficult at best to get a good dipstick measure. Do they use thes on both sides of the Zokes? No idea here, but in the case of the other, quantity still seems to win out if done right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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