[pnj]

I have a 2002 or so DJ II.

I am going to be changing the oil this weekend and would really like to stiffen the front end up. what happens if I run alot more oil then recomended?

I already have the heaviest springs and use heavier oil. I only weigh 145ish too.

thoughts/suggestions?

I will probably just run what it says in the manual as I don't like the idea of buying another fork but thought i'd ask....

 

[Mutt]

I'll make this suggestion, which I have done and did work for me, so long as I'm not held accountable . Keeping all els in your set up the same, you could put springs in that are meant for a longer travel fork. That should stiffen it up sifnificantly for sure. I did this with an '01 Z1, and experienced no deleterious side effects, and I got the stiffness I was looking for (pretty dang stiff).

 

[vitox]

I'll make this suggestion, which I have done and did work for me, so long as I'm not held accountable . Keeping all els in your set up the same, you could put springs in that are meant for a longer travel fork. That should stiffen it up sifnificantly for sure. I did this with an '01 Z1, and experienced no deleterious side effects, and I got the stiffness I was looking for (pretty dang stiff).

that sounds pretty odd, did you preload it to get it to fit?

 

[pnj]

I don't know, all I did to reduce the travel was swap out two springs on each side.

so your saying put the longer springs back in? I don't know if that would work... I'd have to look. I'm not spending more money for different springs, thats for sure...

 

[Mutt]

that sounds pretty odd, did you preload it to get it to fit?

I agree, it was a bit odd, but it worked. I had to compress the springs in order to reassemble it, I don't recall having a tough go at it though. However I had not previously reduced the travel, so in your case, it may simply bring you back up to full travel. My fork had no extra travel to give, and so the existing travel just got stiffer.

 

[WestCoastHucker]

I don't know, all I did to reduce the travel was swap out two springs on each side.

so your saying put the longer springs back in? I don't know if that would work... I'd have to look. I'm not spending more money for different springs, thats for sure...

if your longer springs are only 1" longer than the others, you will be able to run them without them becoming coilbound, you actually have about an 1.4" extra spring to compress before the spring binds in full compression.

i've done this also, while modding a Z1 down to 3" using a 3" rebound kit (made with a PVC spacer) and a 4" compression kit. made a super stiff DJ fork

 

[Kornphlake]

do you have the air cap things? I'd try adding more air pressure, it seems like everybody I've met that has a DJ fork thinks it's too stiff and they don't use all the travel.

 

[pnj]

air cap things? I don't know what you mean by that, Kornphlake. this fork doesn't take air. or at least, not the kind you put in w/ a pump. just oil and springs. their IS air inside but just what is left at the top of the stanchion after putting oil in.


I don't remember what color of springs I took out are. if they are softer then it wouldn't make sense to run them, it seems. otherwise it might be a good idea to try.

 

[Kornphlake]

I thought the DJ forks had an air assist or something, an air valve on top of one of the legs so you could pressurize the air on top of the oil. Maybe it was something that didn't come around until '03. Or maybe it was only an option on the DJ III. I'm not a real marzocchi history buff. I wouldn't put longer springs in because there's a chance that they could bind under full compression, I imagine that would wreak havoc on internals. You may be able to buy the air preload cap or whatever it's called for a MXR/EXR fork and use those, it seems like that was popular for a while and they only cost like $15.

 

[WestCoastHucker]

I thought the DJ forks had an air assist or something, an air valve on top of one of the legs so you could pressurize the air on top of the oil. Maybe it was something that didn't come around until '03. Or maybe it was only an option on the DJ III. I'm not a real marzocchi history buff. I wouldn't put longer springs in because there's a chance that they could bind under full compression, I imagine that would wreak havoc on internals. You may be able to buy the air preload cap or whatever it's called for a MXR/EXR fork and use those, it seems like that was popular for a while and they only cost like $15.

aircaps are on the 03-04 models. but on that note, you can get the aircaps from another marzocchi air assist fork with the 30mm legs and do the same thing....

 

[pnj]

I don't feel like spending money though, so that is out.

I'll just go w/ the thick oil and fill em up pretty good. I think I may have under filled them before.

 

[vitox]

I don't feel like spending money though, so that is out.

I'll just go w/ the thick oil and fill em up pretty good. I think I may have under filled them before.

just go buy one top cap, it will preload the fork in the same way compressing a longer spring will do, only cheaper and faster.

or you can ghetto rig a shrader valve to the top cap, just use your imagination, worst thing that could happen is that it wont hold air and then thats not a big concern anyway.

 

[pnj]

well, i changed the oil and they still feel really soft...

but that is just hopping up and down on them while stationary.

do they get stiffer if I hit a bump at speed? I over heard some guys talking about forks that do that but I didn't catch what ones they were talking about.

I will probably add a tad more oil but for now, it's beer drinking time.

 

[Kornphlake]

I don't think you want to get to carried away with adding oil. If you're trying to compensate for having springs that are too soft you could concieveably add enough oil to limit the travel, which would probablly blow the seals pretty quick. Using an air cap is different because it uses air to preload the fork, air will compress irreguardless of the pressure. Oil on the other hand will not compress, so if you don't have enough pressure to keep the fork from bottoming with a larger air volume and low pressure the obvious solution is to raise the oil height, which reduces the volumen and makes the pressure ramp up faster. Well that works until you get to the point where you're essentially bottoming your fork on the oil. Then since the oil doesn't want to compress it just pushes past the seals.

Edit: Volume is spelled volume in english, it's volumen in spanish. I thought I'd gotten those two languages separated, in fact I thought I was forgetting spanish and now this sneaks up on me? Que Paso, parece que me estoy volviendo loco!

 

[pnj]

I see what your saying... the manual says you can go plus or minus like 10 mm in oil level. I wasn't planning on filling the whole stanchion( I actually DID, by mistake, and the fork was suddenly a rigid one ). I was just going to add a few more milli meters of oil.

I'll look into the air cap thing....

thanks!

 

[shootr]

Is yours an 02 Dj series fork? If so, for a paltry sum you can upgrade it to a 04 DJ 1.
Contact your local Marzocchi dealer.
This is applicable on all 2002, and 2003 aluminum stanchion model dirtjump forks..
It is sort of a "recall" where they experienced some problems with the stanchion tubes shearing and have offered a cost replacement for these forks to the current steel stanchioned version DJ1.. the Canadian cost equivalent is around $200 so expect it to be less in the USA.

 

[pnj]

good to know shootr but too much money.

 

[vitox]

Que Paso, parece que me estoy volviendo loco!

entonces suelta el prensao antes que sea muy tarde!

 

[WestCoastHucker]

Is yours an 02 Dj series fork? If so, for a paltry sum you can upgrade it to a 04 DJ 1.
Contact your local Marzocchi dealer.
This is applicable on all 2002, and 2003 aluminum stanchion model dirtjump forks..
It is sort of a "recall" where they experienced some problems with the stanchion tubes shearing and have offered a cost replacement for these forks to the current steel stanchioned version DJ1.. the Canadian cost equivalent is around $200 so expect it to be less in the USA.

it was $299 straight from marzo just last month...