pump up forks

dom1234

hi,
got sum marazochi forks in part of a swap for a frame,they have valves on them to pump them up , can i use a foot pump to pump them up or do i have to buy a fork one as a friend said i will break the seals or something.

jacktheoc

get a shock/fork pump, you can get them for about £15

dom1234

am saving for new bike so dont want to be spending unneceserily , could i use the foot pump?

jacktheoc

no, doubt it would even fit! if you realy have no money just go to your lbs and ask them to pump it up to how you want it they will probably only charge a couple of £

stucon

a foot pump!!!!!!!!???????? no you need a shock pump.

you need to know how much air to put in them as well, dont just go putting air in to them if you have no idea about what presure to put in them you could fcuk them up...

what forks are they???

how much do you way???

what pres should you put in them...

you need to know the answer to these questions...

dom1234

dont now what they are they are marazhocchi ones with red bottom bits (think there called legs)and gold upper bits(sanctions?) with both sides having the valve on,

i am 15 stne

nicklouse

pictures of the forks?

stucon

yeah im with nick,

get a pic of them, im sure we can tell you what they are and how much air you need to put in them!!!....

dom1234

pics

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9998703@N08/1591179880/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/9998703@N08/1590294297/

nicklouse

could be anything. press the valves to let the air out of both legs remove the top caps and see if there are springs inside.

but i would say one of the MX forks from about 2004.

dom1234

already did that and there is no springs

nicklouse

MX airs then down load a manual and away you go. but as much air as needed for 20-25% sag.

dom1234

thanks, i had a quick look on google but cant find any psi guidlines also looked on marazocchi site but couldnt find any there either?

nicklouse

just set the SAG that is all you have to do. there are lots of guides.

eg table 21 in the 2004 manual...

skyliner

Try 40 psi in the left leg, and 20 psi in the right to start off. this stops them working like a pogo stick IME. Put a cable tie around one of the stanchions to measure the sag, then stand on the pedals with your weight over the centre of the bike, and you should be looking to get a third of the travel in sag. The different pressures in the 2 chambers will give you better small bump action at the start of the travel, then the lower pressure in the 2nd chamber helps to stop it bottoming out on bigger hits.
Remove or add air from the left leg to tune the small bump action, and the same for the right leg for big bumps to tune them.
(that is if they are 03/04MX comps. They may have low pressure chambers if a different model. Then, the same theory applies, but with lower pressures)

Splasher

Dom,

If you don't want to buy a shock pump, go to the bike shop and buy an old-fashioned pump adapter for a Shraeder valve. It's a length of hose with a screw on end for Shraeder valves (the things on the top of your forks). You can then use this with your existing hand-pump. It's not ideal but a much better solution than a foot pump.

P.S. If the price is right on the frame, I'll throw a shock pump in.

dom1234

thanks everyone

grommet

a few of my friends wack a compresser on and it seems to do the trick, how ever i would either use a normal fork pump or just go steady with a regular hand/foot pump.

mistercrabb

I have drop off 3's and they will happily take a normal tyre pump..
Not as accurate as a proper shock pump, but it works (my tyre pump has a gauge).

Thought you might want to know.

dom1234

sorted now i just stuck an car pump on it and works a treat dont know what the fuss about needing a fork pump was.