Wanted Manitou Mach 5 SX elastomers

[bsg]

Looking for new elastomers to rebuild my (probably 1996) Manitou Mach 5 SX - especially 2nd and 3rd stage pieces.

 

[Vesatoro]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/363831536029
My suggestion, just put steel springs instead of elastomers:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/294341616189
Note: with these you must do some easy drilling, as the plastic centralizer needs a bit bigger hole for the rod of SX. Or you can remove the rods, drill a bit bigger hole into the compression preload adjuster for the screw in the plastic centralizer.

 

[bsg]

Thanks Vesatoro! Are you sure that those springs would fit? Drilling is not a problem ...

 

[Vesatoro]

Thanks Vesatoro! Are you sure that those springs would fit? Drilling is not a problem ...

Yes, done two conversions with those for Mach 5 SX.

 

[Vesatoro]

Ahh, you are in Germany. Then just go buy them here so you do not have to pay the ebay overheads

https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s...mp-xc-federnkit-repairkit/2264672894-217-2149

 

[bsg]

Exactly the fork I have here . Could you provide a pic of the result / drilled stack? Fork travel stays the same or is a bit limited?

 

[Vesatoro]

I use the setup like this. It gives approximately 50 mm of spring travel, and the bottom out elastomer maybe gives 10mm more for biggest hits. This setup will compress the spring maybe 3-4mm preload when screwed in, but if you leave the bottom centralizer away, then there's no preload (then total capacity of the spring is ~53mm). I woud guess the steel spring will take away few millimetres of the total travel (manufacturer claimed 63,5 mm?), but provides constant spring rate in both cold and warm temperature. In Finnish winter no elastomer fork works... There's a number of reasons why there's no elastomer suspension anymore

 

[Markybeau]

@johndeverill might be able to help...I said might.

 

[bsg]

Yes, John has some options as well .

Thanks Vesatoro - understood how to use that stuff. Loosing 5mm of (pseudo-)travel is surely not the biggest problem . Factory damping is strong enough to keep the steel spring in bridle? Or do you use different oil (manual says 2,5 WT)?

 

[Vesatoro]

Yes, John has some options as well .

Thanks Vesatoro - understood how to use that stuff. Loosing 5mm of (pseudo-)travel is surely not the biggest problem . Factory damping is strong enough to keep the steel spring in bridle? Or do you use different oil (manual says 2,5 WT)?

I use Motorex 5 W oil. With that weight the damper fine tuning works as I like. I think the elastomer has some self-damping properties especially in colder weather, so a bit more damping is needed when changing to steel springs.