Marzocchi rebuilding weirdness

[wesmamyke]

I spent a couple days soaked in fork oil rebuilding varous Z-1 and Z-2 forks for myself and others, left with a couple questions.

Was it recommended to smear slick honey or grease on the foot nuts to help them seal better or something? Two different forks had grease all over the foot nuts and bottom of the cartridges.

Also encountered a 80mm cartridge that didn't have reverse threads for the normal preload adjuster assembly. Came brand new out of a package, listed as 80mm Z-2 and '98 I think. Identical in every other way except the threads wouldn't work, took me a minute to figure out. What on earth is that cart for?

Bonus fork question: In a pile of fork bits I have an oddball cartridge. Looks very much like a White brothers hard body cartridge for a Judy, but has threads built into the outside of the body at one end. I should take a picture, but does that sound like the cartridge out of an actual White brothers brand fork?

Thanks for any information you might have about the old squishy forks!

 

[Remko]

Was it recommended to smear slick honey or grease on the foot nuts to help them seal better or something? Two different forks had grease all over the foot nuts and bottom of the cartridges.

No grease needed here. Important bit are the o-rings. Are they in tact? Just lube them with some fork oil. Don't overtighten the bolts at the bottom.

Also encountered a 80mm cartridge that didn't have reverse threads for the normal preload adjuster assembly. Came brand new out of a package, listed as 80mm Z-2 and '98 I think. Identical in every other way except the threads wouldn't work, took me a minute to figure out. What on earth is that cart for?

The four forks I've worked on didn't have reverse threads. They were all 2001 Z2 Atom forks. I've read that both normal and reverse threads were used.

Bonus fork question: In a pile of fork bits I have an oddball cartridge. Looks very much like a White brothers hard body cartridge for a Judy, but has threads built into the outside of the body at one end. I should take a picture, but does that sound like the cartridge out of an actual White brothers brand fork?

As you write, a pic will help. Hard to say on basis of your description.

Good luck