2000(ish) Z4 Air rebound adjustment

[Sketchyxup]

Hopefully someone can clear it up for me, i've just got a set of Marzocchi Z4 Airlight forks and according to the manual online the rebound can be adjusted with 'the supplied hex rod' which i dont have, does anyone know what size and length this would need to be?

I seem to remember from years ago that it was around the 5-6mm size but googling suggests anything from 2 to 10mm?

 

[novocaine]

it's only a plastic hex as it's not an overly tight nut. I'll measure it tonight but I seem to remember 10mm. I have to admit that usually just used a socket extension and hex key but very very careful so as not to scratch the inside of the stancion.

 

[novocaine]

I checked. Matches an 8mm allen key.

 

[Sketchyxup]

Cheers for checking, I had a go at the weekend and it was the 8mm that seemed to fit. Saying that one adjuster seemed to move freely in both directions with no feeling of reaching the end of a movement and the other side was stiff to turn in both directions? Neither direction seemed to make much difference to the damping?

 

[novocaine]

all it's doing is turning a plate in the bottom of the foot to open or close holes. there should be some resistance and there should be a stop. they get gunked up by crap in the oil. you'll only be able to tell it's made a difference once the fork is rebuilt and pressurised.

the fact it didn't make any difference suggests it isn't working . they are pretty easy to strip down given that now you've pulled the top cap it's only the foot nut to undo and the whole top end comes out.

 

[Sketchyxup]

That's the next step. They're the NOS ones that popped up on CRC a while back so should be brand new internally, they could be gummed up though, afterall they've been sat not moving for 20+years it would probably be a good shout to put some fresh oil in regardless.

 

[Sketchyxup]

Dug a little deeper and an oil change is definately a good idea, the old stuff seems to have formed a sticky varnish over everyhing so worth taking apart.
The dampers are a little more confusing, the seem to be a plain bore which is what i could feel offering a bit of resistance to the 8mm key. There doenst appear to be anything inside of this which would restrict the oil flow, just a small hole at the top and one near the bottom.



I wonder if these forks are a non-adjustable oem version?



New lighter oil arriving tomorrow so i'll get them back together and see what difference that makes.

 

[novocaine]

they look like z5 push rods. strange. can't say I've stripped an OEM fork so your guess could well be right.