Lubrication question: Marzocchi dust wipers.

I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net), the
only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."

Of course, Marzocchi's tech help has not been helpful, technically. I have read some about just
using fork oil underneath the wiper ("...squirt a small amount under the wiper.") Holy crap, is
there ANY definitive source on what kind of lube to use, other than stuff that doesn't cause
seal swelling?

Searched: google web, google groups (a.m-b, rec.bikes.tech, a UK ng,) Marzocchi's tech
section (LOL).

I know there are is a large contingent of Bomberhood members. I figure that they do proper
maintenance on their forks. *Somebody* knows something , so gimme the goods!

Spider (a handle on it's last legs. Eight of them, precisely...)

P.S. If you want to e-mail me, don't use this spam-magnet account. Use this one instead:

rfjonesy *at* hotmail *dot* com

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...
> I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net), the
> only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
>
That's what Marzocchi has recommended from the beginning. "Silicone fat" was the translation
>
> I know there are is a large contingent of Bomberhood members. I figure that they do proper
> maintenance on their forks. *Somebody* knows something , so gimme the goods!
>

I use this stuff in all my Marzocchi Forks (a growing list of 5 forks)

http://www.belray.com/consumer/productpages/hpfo.html

You can find it at your local motorcycle shop. Others will recommend Golden Spectro fork oil. For me
it's harder to find and more expensive.

I don't do any wiper maintenance. I just take the fork apart on occasion (annually?), clean it out
and replace the oil. If you really want to you could pry the wiper up every now and then and apply a
few drops of this oil. The only other 'lubricant' I use is Englund Slick Honey on the o-rings around
the nuts that hold the lowers on.

Mike

You took my answer (pretty much). I use the spectro, but other than that bingo. Regular maintenance (two to three times per year I change everything out up here in the wetlands of Oregon) and the fork oil is all you should need. Enjoy the 'zokes!

K.

__________________
Don't give up, don't ever give up.


Disciples Of Dirt

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...
> I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net), the
> only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."

Marz says silicone oil, easy to get in spray cans. I notice no difference whether I use it or not.
Open bath design seems to take care of lube problems. YMMV.

Chris

"ctg" <n/a@n/a.com> wrote in message news:xcFjb.5502$Bv6.1683959@news1.epix.net...
>
> "Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...
> > I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> > maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net),
> > the only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
>
>
> Marz says silicone oil, easy to get in spray cans. I notice no difference whether I use it or not.
> Open bath design seems to take care of lube problems. YMMV.

Ditto. Now I just dribble a little Tri-flow on there once every blue moon.

Bill "still getting used to letting fork bottom out (feels oookie)" S.

"ctg" <n/a@n/a.com> wrote in message news:xcFjb.5502$Bv6.1683959@news1.epix.net...
>
> "Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...
> > I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> > maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net),
> > the only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
>
>
> Marz says silicone oil, easy to get in spray cans. I notice no difference whether I use it or not.
> Open bath design seems to take care of lube problems. YMMV.
>
> Chris
>

I use the standard silicon spray available at the local auto shop. Comes in handy for many places.

Look back at my post of the "melted" wipers into the shock arms. Pretty funny looking back on it.
This was the first sad experience with my set of three zokes.

I tend to clean and wipe as needed (not often), then change the seals and oil annually or sooner if
lots of mud and junk floating around.

Bob

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...

> I know there are is a large contingent of Bomberhood members. I figure that they do proper
> maintenance on their forks.

Maintenance? Whassat? I've repaired damage, but dunno 'bout that other stuff.....

> *Somebody* knows something , so gimme the goods!

Bananas are the world's most popular fruit.

I have used, as have many others, very successfully, the silicon spray that is used for
lubricating rubber car parts, like door hinge seals etc. That IMO is the best stuff, just keep it
away from yer brakes.

Shaun aRe

beelzebubba@hotmail.com (Spider) wrote in message
news:<73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com>...
> I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net), the
> only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."

[Responding to my own post, for a reason...]

Thanks to everyone who replied. I went and got some silicone spray, and it seemed to clear up a
little stiction I had with the X-Fly - which would only happen on the first stroke.

And yes indeed, I will keep the overspray off the brakes. I like being able to stop well. Keeps me
from running into stuff.

Sorta tangential, but interesting: I like the air fork's dynamics with the Fango. The coil-n-oil Z2
BAM is wonderfully plush, and soaks up everything, big and little - which is great. But the air fork
seems to have a little extra stiffness, and I have not yet bottomed it out. No surprise - I usually
don't go in for a lot of drop-ins or other huckin' junk. It also has changed the geometry a little,
making the headtube angle a little more slack. The steering was a little twitchy before, and now
it's merely quick. It's a good match for this bike, IMO. When the time comes to get a new fork, I
think I'll want to match the crown-to-dropout length.

The air forks I've used in the past were not Marzocchi, and they all felt harsh, and/or lost air
quickly. This fork is just a world apart in comparison. We'll see how long this thing lasts - I'm
not sure replacement parts (seals and the like) are made any more. That might have to be my next
question...

Cheers to all (grudgingly to Rimmer,)

Jonesy (formerly Spider)

---
E-mail:

rfjonesy *at* hotmail *dot* com

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310170159.490f5cc4@posting.google.com...

> Cheers to all (grudgingly to Rimmer,)

Why grudgingly? You have a problem that I'm always right and always give good helpful info?

> Jonesy (formerly Spider)

Whassatallaboutden?

Shaun aRe

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310170159.490f5cc4@posting.google.com...
> beelzebubba@hotmail.com (Spider) wrote in message
news:<73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com>...
> > I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> > maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net),
> > the only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
>
> [Responding to my own post, for a reason...]
>
> Thanks to everyone who replied. I went and got some silicone spray, and it seemed to clear up a
> little stiction I had with the X-Fly - which would only happen on the first stroke.
>

The stiction problem I had with my '01 X-Fly didn't go away. I sold the fork and bought a Marathon.
The tuneable negative spring gives it a little push in the right direction to overcome stiction. The
Marathon is the first air fork I've ridden with the plushness of a coil/oil. I don't know if the
internals would fit your fork for the negative leg but you may ask Marzocchi.

Mike

"Michael Dart" <mrdart@erols.com> wrote in message news:bmok51028g9@enews1.newsguy.com...
>
> "Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:73da2590.0310170159.490f5cc4@posting.google.com...
> > beelzebubba@hotmail.com (Spider) wrote in message
> news:<73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com>...
> > > I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> > > maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net),
> > > the only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
> >
> > [Responding to my own post, for a reason...]
> >
> > Thanks to everyone who replied. I went and got some silicone spray, and it seemed to clear up a
> > little stiction I had with the X-Fly - which would only happen on the first stroke.
> >
>
> The stiction problem I had with my '01 X-Fly didn't go away. I sold the fork and bought a
> Marathon. The tuneable negative spring gives it a
little
> push in the right direction to overcome stiction. The Marathon is the
first
> air fork I've ridden with the plushness of a coil/oil. I don't know if
the
> internals would fit your fork for the negative leg but you may ask Marzocchi.
>
> Mike

Definitely plush. Our DHer says he's never felt an air fork feel so nice, and if he was building up
an XC bike he'd be throwing one of those on there. And then break it off a 10 foot drop.

Too bad mine is spewing oil out the negative valve, and has developed play! D'oh!

Marzocchi has been really cool about it though - the tech said it probably wouldnt' hurt to ride it
more, so I can wait until winter to send it in. And if it did cause more damage, then they'll take
care of it.

Jon Bond

"Spider" <beelzebubba@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:73da2590.0310160843.c7d28bd@posting.google.com...
> I have two Marzocchi forks. '99 Z2 BAM, and a '00 Z2 X-Fly. After reading a whole BOATLOAD of
> maintenance suggestions, including a download of the Barnett's manual (http://rideitbent.net), the
> only thing I get back is "silicone grease" or "silicone oil."
>
> Of course, Marzocchi's tech help has not been helpful, technically. I have read some about just
> using fork oil underneath the wiper ("...squirt a small amount under the wiper.") Holy crap, is
> there ANY definitive source on what kind of lube to use, other than stuff that doesn't cause seal
> swelling?
>

For lubing under the dust wipers of my Marzocchi forks, I've had good success using a silicone
grease sold for automotive brake caliper slides and contact points. It's designed for use with
rubber parts and, for those of you who've melted your wipers, it can withstand high temps. Unlike
fork oil, it stays in place where it's needed and I think it has a better consistency for this
purpose than Slick Honey (which is a bit too thick in my opinion.) It's also less expensive than
bicycle-specific lubes.