Comments on: Mountain Bike Fork Servicing (Manitou)

By: element22

element22 — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 12:31:07 +0000

There will always be a small about on the legs…However if it is excessive you should replace the seals…At the same time service the fork… Change the oil using 5wt suspension fluid…

Here is the link to the service guides from Manitou:

http://www.manitoumtb.com/index.php?page=support

Cheers

By: jdbrzo

jdbrzo — Wed, 06 Apr 2011 11:46:36 +0000

My Manitou Skareb has very few miles on it and the right leg is leaking oil. What component has failed? Do I need to purchase a new set of seals?

By: element22

element22 — Sun, 13 Mar 2011 01:16:07 +0000

Hi Lenny

Sound like you missed a few things…

From what your saying the fork is traveling freely which more than likely means the oil level in the right leg is low.

The left fork leg has 20ml below the piston and 3ml above it….

The right fork leg you fill it to the indicated reading on the yellow chart which in the case of an R7 is 105mm from the top If you have a TPC…

What you may want to do is print out these instructions or go to :

http://www.manitoumtb.com/index.php?page=support&c=service-guides

Let me know what happens..

By: lennydegiorgio

lennydegiorgio — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 23:00:06 +0000

Hi,

I’m hoping you can help me out. I have an R7 MRD 2009 which I took apart recently to service. I tried as best I could to follow your instructions but must have screwed up with something. Here are my problems;

1) Fork bottoms out much more than previously did
2) Fork sags about 3cm on lockout and when I apply pressure it sags even more

I weigh 75kg and am using 90psi. I used 5-10 Motorex oil all round.

I put exactly 16cc into each leg. I’m quite sure the problem I have is with the damper. I’m not sure about the damper. Should I quarter fill the small tube inside the stanchion or the stanchion itself?

Thanks

By: Radicalis

Radicalis — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 04:43:08 +0000

I just finished my first rebuild on my r7 comp thanks to this DIY! Thanks Again element22!

By: BonkedAgain

BonkedAgain — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 15:54:02 +0000

Great article, Element. We all appreciate that you have taken the time to put that together.

Btw, Fox owners can find detailed service instructions (with step-by-step instructions, pictures, part numbers, the whole bit) at the Fox website: http://service.foxracingshox.com/consumers/index.htm

By: CyrusJax

CyrusJax — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:34:37 +0000

Very comprehensive guide thanks for this, the forks I use are in definiate need of a good service so this is going to come in handy! Mountain Biking Guide

By: steve32300

steve32300 — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:19:14 +0000

Yeah,I have the Fox Talas 32 RLC,that would be cool to learn how to do the sevice on it,it’s just about due I think.It might be a little bit of a pain to learn it,but how nice would it be to just work on the thing myself.

By: GoldenGoose

GoldenGoose — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:22:35 +0000

NIIIIICE!!

By: element22

element22 — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:37:25 +0000

The Manitou series are actually very easy to service..In the up and coming month or so I will write another few articles on forks and one will be on the Fox TALAS 36…That will be a bit more work…In fact most forks that have height adjustments are usually a bit more difficult…

With this article however you can for go most of the rebuild and just change fluids..If that is all you want to do PM me and I could let you know how to do it.

With Fox forks to change up fluids its a matter of only discharging the fork (ALWAYS do that first) then remove the lower nuts and washers that hold the Lower fork legs.. Then change up the fluid…Manitou, Fox, Rockshox all sell just a wiper kit and then its a matter of fluids.

By: Suvacrew

Suvacrew — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:17:46 +0000

One of the better DIY sequences I’ve seen period. Nice Work.
Unfortunately I have neither the patience nor fortitude to crack open my Talas RLC and RP23 can to service it, thus I pop the $150 to have them serviced 2X a year.
Are some forks just easier to service than others??
I did my SID World Cup once…and swore I’d never touch those guts again either, maybe it was because when it was all put back together, I still had a part in my hand!! Yep that went to the tech too.