Marzocchi 888rs

fallboy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I have a set of Marzocchi 888rs 2004 and need a new rebound cartridge. I am doing it myself as there does not seem to be a lot in it. Does anyone know where I can buy parts at the right price? Does anyone have any set up tips ie oil weight and quantity? I am 83kgs.
 

udi

swiss cheese
Fallboy -

The rebound cartridge will set you back a fair chunk of change, what is wrong with it exactly?

Pulling the fork apart involves popping off the adjuster knobs, then the topcaps, then unscrewing the topcaps from the cartridge (which are tightened against the "red nuts" you will see.. you can undo them from each other and then take the topcaps off). Finally, undo the gold bottom nuts to pop the cartridges right out of the fork. DON'T remove the stanchions from the lowers.

As for setup tips, i'd suggest draining the fork completely with oil, and flush everything (cartridges and fork) with some fresh oil again before refilling. Drain again obviously - I used a clean sock on a broom handle to dry out the insides of the stanchions/lowers as well.

I used Motul Factory-Line 7.5wt, which is a touch pricey ($24~ for a litre) but well worth it. I'd suggest starting off with 225ml per leg (measure it in perfectly with a measuring jug) and then test it out for bottoming.

If you are bottoming out, you can add 5ml to both legs at a time until it stops, but don't overdo it.

Last but not least, as I said above - don't, and I mean don't, remove the stanchions from the lowers/seals at all. Make sure you do everything without sliding them out of the lowers --> because once you do that and reassemble the seals tend to weep/leak and you'll need new ones.

Anything else just ask..
--Udi
 
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tu plang

knob
i got motul factory line for $15 a litre... even so $25 isnt too bad, its decent stuff. After picking up the bottle of motorex and being told that it was $70 anything sounded cheap.
 

udi

swiss cheese
I was in a rush so happily paid RRP, i'm sure you can get the stuff cheaper. :)

Juls uses motorex, and he pays $23-24 per litre also, so i'd say someone was just pulling your leg with the $70. (or being a typical aussie retailer.. haw haw)
 

toodles

Wheel size expert
Udi - his forks have no rebound damping at all. Zero, zip, zilch, nada.

Any suggestions as to what could have failed to cause this? I've never worked on 888s, has anyone had this happen to them? One minute working normally, then next - no rebound damping. Thought something might have become detached within the forks but I wasn't about to completely disassemble them beside the trail.
 

tu plang

knob
uDi said:
I was in a rush so happily paid RRP, i'm sure you can get the stuff cheaper. :)

Juls uses motorex, and he pays $23-24 per litre also, so i'd say someone was just pulling your leg with the $70. (or being a typical aussie retailer.. haw haw)
yes, while i obviously questioned the validity of it i assumed that it was going to be more than i wanted to pay anyway, so motul was a solid choice. having said that, Juls probably has 'the hook-up' - us mere mortals probably cant get it that cheap.
 

fallboy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
I pulled the offending certridge out, it has chewed some metal that had broken off the top of the cartridge above the internal circlip. I could probably reco it myself but I am not even sure what it is suppose to look like so i am not sure if the breakage is crucial. It seems to be in a non working area.
 

udi

swiss cheese
toodles said:
Udi - his forks have no rebound damping at all. Zero, zip, zilch, nada.

Any suggestions as to what could have failed to cause this? I've never worked on 888s, has anyone had this happen to them? One minute working normally, then next - no rebound damping. Thought something might have become detached within the forks but I wasn't about to completely disassemble them beside the trail.
That's crazy. I have never heard of it happening before. No suspicious oil leakage from anywhere? It's hard to say without seeing it - but i'd be questioning the previous owner re: home rebuilds etc.

Even then it's pretty hard to mess stuff up - so no idea. My suggestion would be to pull it apart and inspect the cartridge - flush it with clean oil (you can dip the end in a cup full of oil and pump it, the rebound only has intake holes in the bottom) and there is a tiny screw at the top once you have removed the knob etc - that adjusts the rebound. I'd be turning it all the way in to closed and pump to see if you get any damping feel at all on the rebound stroke.
 

treggs

Treggs Tuned
888 rebound

fallboy said:
I pulled the offending certridge out, it has chewed some metal that had broken off the top of the cartridge above the internal circlip. I could probably reco it myself but I am not even sure what it is suppose to look like so i am not sure if the breakage is crucial. It seems to be in a non working area.
Sounds like what happened to me. First bounce on my 04 rc's (back when I bought em) and it went clunk. The outer sleeve (rebound rod goes down the centre of it) snapped just below the top cap. If it isn't attached to the top cap it just flops around internally and thus no rebound. Marzocchi sent out a new one under warranty. If you ain't to bad with tools it's not too hard to replace. I don't like the sound of chewed metal though. Check out the rest of the cartridge for damage.

Don't be afraid of pulling 888's apart. They are typical Marzocchi and are easy to service. Just don't force anything and be careful of the top cap lock nut, I have seen the sleeve fracture because the lock nut is to tight.
 

Juls

Junior Marzocchi Tech
Send me a email to juls@rccars.com
and I'll email you back a exploded view of your fork,
which might help you understand better what is broken ect.

regards
Juls
 

fallboy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
treggs said:
Sounds like what happened to me. First bounce on my 04 rc's (back when I bought em) and it went clunk. The outer sleeve (rebound rod goes down the centre of it) snapped just below the top cap. If it isn't attached to the top cap it just flops around internally and thus no rebound. Marzocchi sent out a new one under warranty. If you ain't to bad with tools it's not too hard to replace. I don't like the sound of chewed metal though. Check out the rest of the cartridge for damage.

Don't be afraid of pulling 888's apart. They are typical Marzocchi and are easy to service. Just don't force anything and be careful of the top cap lock nut, I have seen the sleeve fracture because the lock nut is to tight.
There is a circlip in the top of the cartridge that holds a little sealing piston in with an o-ring on it. This has sheared out allowing the piston to lift up out of the top of the cartridge, hello no rebound.

Does anyone know how dear $$$$ this sucker (rebound cartridge) should be?
 
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