Advice on how to stiffen 120mm RS tora 302 forks please.

lexinoo

Hi,i have a giant trance x4 with 120mm tora forks that i wish to stiffen up,i am fairly new to mtb so i have a few stupid questions.
Originally i was thinking of trying to fit a lockout,but now i feel it may be easier , cheaper and more useful to fit stiffer springs,as the bike bobs about all over the place when i try to get some drive up hills,and they are using up all the travel on rough downhills(monkey trail),but please correct me if im wrong.I have the preload set to max and about 25mm of sag sitting on it,when i take it for a steady ride down the street it is using about 45 mm of travel.
Am i right in thinking my forks have a spring in the left hand side and no oil,and only oil in the right hand side and no spring.?
How will i know what springs are currently fitted?will they be stamped with a number or something?
I have searched the web for tips but i am totally confused ,as there seem to be so many different types of tora 302 s ,some are air,some spring ,some lockout,some dont ,some have poplock?
Mine are the white standard forks that came on the 2010 trance 4x,they are 120mm travel,have preload adjustment on the LHS,and just a rebound damping lever at the bottom of the right hand leg.
Has anyone ever fitted a lockout to these ?is it a hard job?Sorry for the ramblings,thanks.

Matt 24k

If you want to limit the travel while climbing then lockout is what you need. It would be helpful to let us know how much you weigh and what size frame your bike has. Rockshox offer soft, medium and firm springs and some bike manufacturers have different weights of spring in different size bikes. However, from what you say about your sag and level of travel on the smooth, it sounds like you aren't too far out on the spring rate as it should bottom out every once in while on tough trails.

lexinoo

Hi mate,i weigh 13stone 5lbs,and the bike is a medium,i love everything about the bike other than the issue with the forks,they do feel very plush and smooth though ,someone mentioned before i should get a moco cartridge,but i can find very little information about them ,what it does,and how to fit etc.plus i am on a tight budget.So you think a lockout would be the way to go?
Maybe i should just get a set of second hand forks off ebay?any recomendations ?This suspension fork topic is a mine field!

supersonic

Moco cartridge is an improved damper - will not change the spring rate. However it does have adjustable compression damping to tame bob.

You made a need a firmer spring too - contact TF Tuned for options.

lexinoo

Thanks,is it easy to fit a moco cartridge?

lexinoo

OR would it be cheaper and easier just to buy some rs tora 302 u turns with pop lock for £160 from wiggle???????????????These would give me everything i need and more wouldnt they and i could sell mine on ebay.what dya think.

supersonic

The 302 does not have moco - it does have a rudimentary lockout, but the same weight spring as you already have.

I'd look for a 318 air.

cavegiant

No-one seems to have pointed out the obvious, you are new, your pedalling technique is probably shite.

If you have not been riding much your muscles will not have adjusted to riding yet (east to spot a bike by the muscle ratios in different parts of the legs)

You need to be very powerful to ride smoothly, as you a new to this you are probably jerking the moment slightly (as the secondary muscles are not strong enough to transition properly).

Once you have done this a while (6 months to a year), you will be able to circular pedal smoothly and this problem will go.

I ride a Doardo, this is an exceptionally plush DH fork. When I am cycling on road it doesn't bob 1mm. If I move my weight slightly the fork moves inches.

So to summarise, this problem will mostly leave with time as you technique improves.

The Mocco cartridge will help though, and is a worthwhile upgrade.

So you don't need to spend money to fix this, but if you have money to burn it is a worthwhile upgrade.


dammit forgot the most obvious bit, is your sag correct?

supersonic

45mm stood, too much I reckon.

lexinoo

Cheers boys,your right about pedal technique,i am unfit and agree it will probably get better the more i go out,however i dont think the forks are doing me any favours though as its almost impossible to stand up and pedal at the moment.i will give tf a call about springs and moco if thats what you recommend,as i would prefer to get these forks sorted out rather than buying a new set.

cavegiant

they are very good forks and TF are awesome.