Manitou woes from a novice rider

[gillyske]

So upfront, I don't service my own forks. I don't wanna deal with oil disposal etc.
So I have a Manitou Mattoc Pro 2 in which the dampener has basically just stopped working at all after a service.

Story goes like this. A while back I took my bike to get serviced before a weekend to Bright. The mechanic mentions to me that he's never serviced a Mattoc before but is confident he can do it and has serviced Manitou products before.
Day comes to get my bike back and mechanic mentions that my lockout doesn't work. I advised the Mattoc doesn't really have a lockout, it sorta just gets stiffer.
I arrive to the store and apparently my fork no longer extends all the way? I see him put 300psi into this thing to try and get it to extend. I advise that I think the fork has a positive and negative air chamber and that might be causing it to not extend when the pump is attached? Eventually it extends, but the fork's dampener isnt working at all.
It's basically like it is stuck in full open position. The rebound works, but thats it.
Mechanic says he had set the right oil level and made sure everything was in place properly.
I dunno people rate him on this forum so I gotta trust that?

No other mechanic in Melbourne will touch this fork, they all wanna ship to it either Taiwan, NZ or QLD and maybe they could look at it? I'm looking at $300 minimum for someone to just take a peek at it. I could have bought a new one of these for $450 haha. If I wanna open it up and take a look at it myself I need to get a manitou tool kit thats $100?
It's outta warranty so Manitou don't wanna deal with me either.

So yeah never fucking again. Fork performed well when it worked though.

 

[Freediver]

I'd say the problem is with the mechanic, not Manitou.

 

[gillyske]

I'd say the problem is with the mechanic, not Manitou.

My main issue is that there isn't a mechanic in Melbourne that can work on one. You can take a RS or Fox to just about anywhere and a mechanic will be able to work on it. Oh and needing manitou tools to service it.

 

[moorey]

My main issue is that there isn't a mechanic in Melbourne that can work on one. You can take a RS or Fox to just about anywhere and a mechanic will be able to work on it. Oh and needing manitou tools to service it.

Astroboy in Collingwood is manitou guru and former authorised repairer.
Another Mattoc fan here.

 

[SummitFever]

The Mattoc requires a couple of special tools to service: a thin wall 8mm socket and a slotted cassette removal tool. Once you have those it is very easy to work on. I'd just make or buy those tools and then service them yourself. There is very little oil to deal with, maybe 120ml per service so just collect it in a 2l milk bottle and drop it off at a recycling centre every 5 years. Watch the official Manitou service video. Very straight forward.

The pos and neg air chmbers equalise when the shock pump is attached. This physically opens a valve between the chambers. Spunds like the mechanic did not have the pump screwed on far enough to open that valve. Put a shock pump back on and slowly let the air out while cycling the fork. Pump itbackup the same way ensuring you cycle it as you add air.

 

[DMan]

My main issue is that there isn't a mechanic in Melbourne that can work on one. You can take a RS or Fox to just about anywhere and a mechanic will be able to work on it. Oh and needing manitou tools to service it.

NS Dynamics in Brisbane service Manitou too.

 

[tkdbboy]

Astroboy in Collingwood is manitou guru and former authorised repairer.
Another Mattoc fan here.

+1 for Astro

 

[moorey]

There’s sweet fa oil in them. Disposal isn’t really something I’d concern yourself with too much.

Edit. What @SummitFever said

 

[Freediver]

Most LBS will send forks away for service. One of the best things about Manitou is the service guides on there website are second to none.
What special tools do you need? there is a work around for most.
Edit Q answered while I dicked around.

 

[Dozer]

The "mechanic" sounds like a rookie, he shouldn't have done what he did without researching the how-to manual and he sure as shit shouldn't be sheepish about it. I'd be letting him know his service sucks.
I'll back up the advice to seek some help from NS Dynamics and even try the guys at Mountain Bike Suspension Center in west Sydney. Eitehr way, deal with the guy's who know and hopefully you'll be sorted.

 

[gillyske]

Astroboy in Collingwood is manitou guru and former authorised repairer.
Another Mattoc fan here.

That's who I took it to.

The Mattoc requires a couple of special tools to service: a thin wall 8mm socket and a slotted cassette removal tool. Once you have those it is very easy to work on. I'd just make or buy those tools and then service them yourself. There is very little oil to deal with, maybe 120ml per service so just collect it in a 2l milk bottle and drop it off at a recycling centre every 5 years. Watch the official Manitou service video. Very straight forward.

The pos and neg air chmbers equalise when the shock pump is attached. This physically opens a valve between the chambers. Spunds like the mechanic did not have the pump screwed on far enough to open that valve. Put a shock pump back on and slowly let the air out while cycling the fork. Pump itbackup the same way ensuring you cycle it as you add air.

I've been watching the videos and reading the manuals so I think thats what I will try and do.

I managed to almost get it to work by cycling it a few times but I think it must have something to do with the oil levels, oil did leak from the air valve a little bit. The 2016 and 2017 models list different levels so I'm going to see what level its at and go from there, pretty sure I have a 2017 model.

Or maybe I won't tbh I just want to sell the bike this fork is on but I can't in good conscious sell it as it is without knowing whether the fork is salvageable or not.

 

[moorey]

That's who I took it to.

You said in OP that mechanic said he’d never worked on Manitou. Sorry, you’re out of whack here. Paul (Astro) won’t have said that. He’s done countless, before, during and after his time as the authorized agent.

 

[gillyske]

You said in OP that mechanic said he’d never worked on Manitou. Sorry, you’re out of whack here. Paul (Astro) won’t have said that. He’s done countless, before, during and after his time as the authorized agent.

Never worked on a Mattoc before, he told me he had worked on Manitou before, I did mention that in the OP.

edit*
I'm not trying to talk shit about the mechanic, this is just what happened leading up to the fork not working properly.

I've taken my previous bike to Paul and he managed to sort out a thing with my Fox RLC that other mechanics didn't seem to think was possible.
I'm leaning more towards the Manitou being a poor product than the mechanic being unable to service it.

 

[rowdyflat]

Manitou forks are simple , service guides are good , easy service , I have had a coil Firefly fork since 2004 still going well .
Recently changed tractor hydraulic and engine oil about 70 litres of oil.

 

[DMan]

Never worked on a Mattoc before, he told me he had worked on Manitou before, I did mention that in the OP.

You did. Moorey can't read. This is why I should be taken to NZ by Dad at Xmas so he can spend time working on his readin and riting...

 

[SummitFever]

On the cost of the tools, I took the cheapest/crapiest 8mm socket I had and machined it down. Even if you don't have a lathe, put the socket in your drill chuck, get it spinning and use an angle grinder (or even a file). Will take <15mins to make one. I also ordered a <$10 cassette removal tool from fleabay and cut a slot in it so it fits over the air spring/rebound rod. If you're any way handy, don't buy the ($100?) Manitou tool kit.

 

[Oddjob]

There is almost nothing about this story that makes any sense.

Mattocs have been out for 6 years, there is 0% chance Astro hasn't seen one.

Whoever it was working on your fork should get it fixed before handing it back to you. Unless of course you didn't pay them to do the work.

Mtb suspension centre in Sydney and Nsdynamics in Brisbane can both work on Manitous. They have very simple and cheap processes for posting the fork to them. Assuming the fork isn't fubared, a service should be less than $200, unless you get it blueprinted etc at the same time.

You have to pull the fork to full extension and then disconnect the shock pump to equalise positive and negative air chambers.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[moorey]

There is almost nothing about this story that makes any sense.

Mattocs have been out for 6 years, there is 0% chance Astro hasn't seen one.

Whoever it was working on your fork should get it fixed before handing it back to you. Unless of course you didn't pay them to do the work.

Mtb suspension centre in Sydney and Nsdynamics in Brisbane can both work on Manitous. They have very simple and cheap processes for posting the fork to them. Assuming the fork isn't fubared, a service should be less than $200, unless you get it blueprinted etc at the same time.

You have to pull the fork to full extension and then disconnect the shock pump to equalise positive and negative air chambers.

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

Pretty much. I’ve spoken to Astro about mine in the past that had warranty issue. He had worked on Mattocs, though I had to send them elsewhere as the servicing was being passed over to Cyclingdeal....they are fuckwits, granted.
Sent mine to the awesome Dougal at Shocraft instead.
Long story short, Astro knows Mattocs.

 

[Boom King]

How much do you want for the Mattoc?

 

[hifiandmtb]

It’s fucked, BK - he should give it to you.