2012 Marzocchi 55 TST Micro Switch TA - how to self-service

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2012 Marzocchi 55 TST Micro Switch TA - how to self-service
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flag Lurch420
Posted: Apr 12, 2015 at 18:07 Quote
Lol maybe marzocchi should be documenting it and including it in the manual?
So just to clarify. Take off rebound Knob and top cap knobs, drain oil from fork leg, remove cartridge then loosen nut on bottom of cartridge remove oil/top up then put back in reverse order?
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 12, 2015 at 20:45 Quote
Lurch420 wrote:
Lol maybe marzocchi should be documenting it and including it in the manual?
So just to clarify. Take off rebound Knob and top cap knobs, drain oil from fork leg, remove cartridge then loosen nut on bottom of cartridge remove oil/top up then put back in reverse order?
You've probably simplified that explanation a bit, but yeah that's the gist of it. Loosening the nut is on the top of the cartridge though, not bottom.

I'm struggling at the current moment with "topping up" the oil in the TST cartridge, as when I screw the piston rid back in, and turn the dial to activate the lockout, I can still push the piston rod down about 1/4-1/2 inch. Not sure as to how high I should be filling the cartridge with oil before I put the piston rod back in.....
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 12, 2015 at 22:04 Quote
Chuvak - as I was looking back through your how-to, what is the point of dropping oil into the lowers? What does it lubricate anyway? There's nothing down there to be lubricated...
flag Chuvak
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 2:31 Quote
Why nothing? And how about friction pair of fork leg and bushings?
flag Lurch420
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 2:42 Quote
Yup my cartridge is half empty. Culprit! Getting that silver nut off is proving to be a mission though. Under the top black nut and the white washer was a black rubber seal that looks like it had popped out. Was yours like that too chris?
Right, I'm gonna go find my butane powered soldering iron now lol
flag Lurch420
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 3:46 Quote
Success!!! All sorted, the lockout wasn't working because the top cap was a little loose. Damping is back to normal after cartridge top up, unsurprisingly Wink that was really easy to do actually.
Cheers guys!
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 8:16 Quote
Chuvak wrote:
Why nothing? And how about friction pair of fork leg and bushings?

If I understand correctly, the stanchions won't just be sitting in the oil in the lowers when the bike is at rest. And even out while riding, when the oil sloshes around, it's only going to be touching, what, maybe the bottom 1-2 inches of the stanchion? the tolerances are so tight that it's not like the oil is going to splash all the way to the top cap. Maybe I'm just having a hard time visualizing why oil in the lowers lubricates anything....

Lurch420 wrote:
Yup my cartridge is half empty. Culprit! Getting that silver nut off is proving to be a mission though. Under the top black nut and the white washer was a black rubber seal that looks like it had popped out. Was yours like that too chris?
Right, I'm gonna go find my butane powered soldering iron now lol

Yeah, the silver nut is a bugger. It's powered by blue loctite Smile . My fiance had to help me, needed a second set of hands. It was only after I undid the black nut/cap that I realized you didn't need to loosen that one at all. The cap specifically is in place to hold in those washers and o-ring. There's actually a washer, then the o-ring, then another white washer under the o-ring. It was a challenge getting those back into proper place. I don't think they come out of place at all unless you unscrew the black nut, then they just pop right out because of the oil pressure coming from the cartridge. I doubt that was the culprit for you; without loosening that black top nut, the washers and o-ring have nowhere to go. If your cartridge was only half full, where did all the oil go?
flag Lurch420
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 13:51 Quote
All the oil was in the lower fork leg by the looks of it, a lot more than 10cc came out. The black seal may be leaking on mine but since it takes a few months I'll change it later on. Heading to Rotorua in 2 days so I'll leave more tinkering till I get back lol.
You might be surprised what that 10cc of oil does in terms of lubrication. Fork Inners can get pretty crazy at high speeds. It probably acts as a bit of a moisture guard too, if water did get in the chance of it condensing on parts and causing corrosion would be less?
Oh yeah and locktite on internal threads is so you don't have to do them up super tight and stretch the threads. Locktite stops em backing out.
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 14:12 Quote
Lurch420 wrote:
All the oil was in the lower fork leg by the looks of it, a lot more than 10cc came out. The black seal may be leaking on mine but since it takes a few months I'll change it later on. Heading to Rotorua in 2 days so I'll leave more tinkering till I get back lol.
You might be surprised what that 10cc of oil does in terms of lubrication. Fork Inners can get pretty crazy at high speeds. It probably acts as a bit of a moisture guard too, if water did get in the chance of it condensing on parts and causing corrosion would be less?
Oh yeah and locktite on internal threads is so you don't have to do them up super tight and stretch the threads. Locktite stops em backing out.
Was your o-ring damaged perhaps? Even if it was, can't see oil get up and out over both white washers anyway.

I've had fun learnign about this fork. It's tricky to learn all these little parts. PB folks on here have been trmemendously helpful as well.
flag Lurch420
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 15:52 Quote
I never took the piston damper rod assembly apart, just took it out, topped up then it went back together. I'll check for damage when I get back. It was getting too late last night, and was out of beers lol.
Its no surprise it leaks really. On the rebound stroke whatever oil can't get past the piston is going to get pressurized against that seal and just want to squeeze past. Might have to get a few of those seals as spares!
I agree, its been a blast. I probably wouldn't have had a go if not for PB and I've got 10+ years of fitting and machining behind me!
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 13, 2015 at 18:43 Quote
So I'm having a hell of a time trying to get new oil seals in place. I bought this tool
photo

It's a perfect fit on the seals, but they refuse to go in. I've liberally oiled the seals as well as the fork leg. What is your secret for getting these things in?!?!? I've seriously got oil all over my tools and towel and hands. This is crazy. There's gotta be a secret method.....
flag Chuvak
Posted: Apr 14, 2015 at 0:49 Quote
You may be surprised, but these 10-15cc's of oil are delivered by the stanchions all the way up to the seals, lubricating them and all the bushings.

About seal changing: mz has them set really tight. Just a little more force while hammering and some patience)
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 14, 2015 at 7:36 Quote
I noticed almost right off the bat that what ends up happening is, as I push the oil seal down, the seal press tool starts to lean to one side. Basically, the Marzocchi tool has a long thick rod that extends down into the fork leg so as to ensure the seal goes in straight and doesn't get crooked at any point. I think this seal press tool I bought was a waste of money. The piece that protrudes inside the oil seal doesn't actually go down into the fork leg at all, so there's nothing in place to keep the tool straight as I push down.
flag cmi85
Posted: Apr 16, 2015 at 13:36 Quote
Ended up getting these guys in. Took me some time and ingenuity to figure it out.

Anyone reading this actually opened up their STA cartridge? What did you use to open the lock nut if you didn't have the Marzocchi STA wrench?
flag Lurch420
Posted: May 13, 2015 at 15:57 Quote
Well I'll be doing my third rebuild of my damper cartridge this weekend... in 6 months... what's happened to the zocchi name Frown
That and the flakey stanchions, it's been a right lemon of a fork. Wish I had just bit the bullet and brought the Pike now.

 


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