Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • Lighter spring for Marzocchi 55RC3 Evo2?
  • Andy-R
    Full Member

    I have a set of these forks but the problem I’m having is that they’re just over-sprung for me and, on a typical, ride I’m never using more than about 120mm of travel and can’t achieve more than about 30mm of static sag.
    Ok, being an old biffer, I’m not dropping 8 feet to flat or anything but I’m not mincing round on flat, smooth paths either.
    I’ve done all the depressurization stuff but it’s still not the answer and bearing in mind that travel you can’t access is just a waste of time, what I’d really like to do is set them up with a lighter spring, but without paying £170 for the soft spring from Marzocchi.

    Has anyone else found an alternative that will work in these (it doesn’t even have to be Ti) so that I can at least try the idea out at a reasonable cost, even if I eventually end up shelling out for a genuine spring?
    The standard spring is 6.92 N/mm (about 40 inch/lbs) so I’m thinking that something around 75% of that wouldn’t be far off the mark – I’ll give UK Bikestore a shout and see what rate the soft spring is.
    The only other alternative is to grind the standard spring down to reduce the cross sectional area of the wire, which would work but be a bit of a pain in the ass to do.

    BlobOnAStick
    Full Member

    If they are basically the same fork as older 55’s, why not remove the spring completely and go to air only? (I assume there’s a valve on the top cap of the sprung side?)

    I have 3 pairs of 55’s (admittedly dating from 2008 or so) and one has a spring in, the other 2 are air only.

    Andy-R
    Full Member

    The air valve (for fine tuning preload) is actually on the damper (RH) side – ok, there’s no reason why I couldn’t fit an air top cap on the spring side, instead of the mechanical preload cap that’s currently there and then play about with oil levels to get progression that works but IME it’ll never feel as good as a coil fork.

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    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    What size are the stanchions? 35mm? You could just have a general look for springs from 35mm stanchioned marzocchis. The old 66’s and 888’s had 35mm stanchions. Once you find one; cut it to length.

    Andy-R
    Full Member

    Yes, I was thinking about 66 springs – so I’d be looking at something like the 2006 RC2X then?

    davidtaylforth
    Free Member

    Aye, exactly that (06 or 07), or the 2005 R/RC I’d guess. I’d measure the one in your forks, just to make sure the 66 one’s are long enough. I’d imagine they would be though. Not sure how much of a task it is to chop a spring, there’ll be a guide on the internet somewhere.

    Another option could be a custom spring, not sure on the cost though.

    Andy-R
    Full Member

    Thanks for that – shortening a spring would be no big deal, it’s finding something with the right rate and pretty near the length I need (305mm free length) .
    I’ll have a hunt around anyway.

    seanodav
    Free Member

    I’ve been having similar problems as you Andy. Did you have any luck?
    What do you weigh?
    What I have done and have managed to get near full travel is as follows.
    Undo coil and damper, compress fork allowing coil to come out. Set oil height at bottom thread on damper side. Compress fork fully then screw damper side cap back up, you will then need to pull up on uppers to get coil back in. Tighten that up and hopefully that should work.
    I am 9stone ish in my birthday suit.

    crashtestmonkey
    Free Member

    You’ve made the oil side a negative air spring. I’ve done the same on my 55RC3Ti but not to the same extent (just put body weight on bars, opened and closed air valve with fork still compressed). I dont get full travel so may try take it a step further with your method.

    seanodav
    Free Member

    Even with neutral air in the cartridge you can feel it ramp up near the end with the coil out

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    Have you asked Windwave? They’ve always been good at answering any emails I’ve sent them. It’s just their website that sucks.

    Tom kp

    seanodav
    Free Member

    I spent a while chatting via email, even sent them back to be checked. Shaun is very helpful but couldn’t come up with a solution in the end for me. He asked marzocchi if there was an alternative sorting, I was told there wasn’t. I note fund out you can from UK bikestore which I find odd

    seanodav
    Free Member

    Excuse the phone typos…

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    Have you tried a lighter oil? Or possibly running with a bit less oil? I’ve just got a pair and was told I could add a little extra oil to work like a volume spacer so a bit less might work the opposite. Or get someone to fiddle with the shims tack to make it a bit less progressive.

    Not sure if either would help, just spitballing.

    Tom KP

    seanodav
    Free Member

    The recommended oil level is too much for anyone light, hence my comment on filling to bottom thread on damper cap instead. That still wasnt enough for me though.
    Also tried lighter oil but still ramped up to hard in mid stroke. You can feel the neutral air in the cartridge when you remove the coil and compress the fork. Sending this into negative pressure makes a huge difference. I couldn’t get enough negative just by pushing down and opening the valve I had to do it by removing coil first.

    zero-cool
    Free Member

    I’m 90kg and I’m running the stock spring with a bit of compression (no preload). I was led to believe that there wasn’t a lighter Ti spring available. Have you co ta red any of the tuning companies (Loco, TF Tuned, etc.) to see if they can work any magic?

    Tom KP.

    seanodav
    Free Member

    I was told there wasn’t another spring I could use by windwave, however UK bikestore stock a soft to spring for them.
    This though is 170 quid…

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)

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