marzocchi drop off problem

[freerider4ever]

My friend has a marzocchi drop off fork that came on his 04 kona stinky and hes having a problem with it making a fairly loud noise when landing rear wheel first that almost sounds like a cracking sound or something. We figured maybe it was locking up or there was too much air in one of the legs. Does anyone have information on how this fork should be properly adjusted? I will call marzocchi tomorrow but figured I could get some information today anyway. Thanks.

[Jay T.]

air pressure could be too high, but he should stop landing rear wheel first on a kona, if he compresses the suspension all the way before the fork touches the ground the fork will just hit and be too raked out in order for it to work applying huge amounts of pressure to it

[LIPS]

I've got the same bike/fork. I'm assuming that it's stock (oil weight/level) Drain the oil replace it with 10wt. and check Marz. web site for level. Pull back the dust seals with a sharpened wooden dowel and put in some triflow lube. Add air in 5psi increments until the front wheel sticks to the ground when you compress the fork and pull up fast. This has been the best feel I can get out of this fork. It keeps the fork glued to the ground and keeps it from packing up. I weight 215 lbs, he may have to adjust levels for his weight but this should get you close.

[freerider4ever]

Hes a good rider, intentionaly he has been landing rear wheel first but not a ridiculous amount just to exaggerate the affect on the fork trying to diagnose the problem, because it really doesn't happen much when he lands smoothly.

[Dantes Inferno]

nothing to do with the internals of the fork. Stop landing like that on a budget fork. I used the same fork on drops up to 10 feet for a year and had no problems. My internals were no were close to being stock as I hated the way they felt. But every once in a while Id do as you described and same creaks sounding. It comes from the crown steer tube area as well as the rest of the fork flexing. Pretty soon that sound will stop and hell get one loud snap. Then its over.

I had the same sound with my monster Ts.

Id tell him to go tighted all his bolts and maybe give them a locktite treatment. Check where his steer meets the lower crown for cracks. (Its a steel steer so it wont snap, but it will bend) And check the headset. Landing like this will also stress his frame. You run the risk of ovalizing the head tube if everything isnt tight.

Like its been said. Hes landing too raked of for the suspension to work. The forces are more in favor to snap the legs off his fork or just tear off his headtube.

[freerider4ever]

Alright thanks Dante. Hes about 130 lbs and we always do drops to nice trannys, nothing over 4ft to flat. Although he has done 15ft drops with it without problems I will show him the thread, he wants a new fork soon anyway.

[Dantes Inferno]

Multiply his weight by alot more to come up with the force against the fork even when he lands a small drop its still alot. And it doesnt really matter how nice the tranny is if hes landed really rear heavy, he may as well land flat.