I'm assuming everyone knows the numbers in my other post won't match the Zoch's? They are just for reference. An X wide bushing on a Jap bike tube has Y clearance.

:)

Ktmlew, Pobit, and Terry Hay, your guys experience really opened my eyes regarding the need of clearence at these bushings.
It is funny though, that a fork can be too rigid. :)

I need to defer all credit to Terry Hay. He pointed it out and I just looked at the Cannodale forks to see if the problem still existed. Yep!:rolleyes:

I don't want to get into a battle - but based on what I understand there is nothing wrong with this fork that needs to be "fixed".

What matters is the clearance between the bushing and the fork upper - and on some forks it does make sense to relieve the "land" in order to increase this clearance (race-tech does this on certain showa forks). The marzocchi fork has more than sufficient clearance in this area and no modification is necessary to "fix it".

jeff

p.s. The only reason I am saying something here is that I don't feel that there is anything wrong with this fork in this area - when properly valved the fork is very, very supple - even with very little break in time on them.

IMO these have EXACTLY the same problem as the old Showas.

The Marzocchi Shiver fork I had apart had ZERO clearance for the bushing to move ON the tube. Seems to me that would create a "scraper" type situation? Could be why they tend to foul the oil quickly? Whether you "fix" the bushing land or hone the upper tube, you are re-engineering a poor design. I wouldn't want to take the chance of cutting thru any hard-coated anodizing in the upper tube though.

If these don't suffer from binding why do they have to be valved so soft?

Not trying to argue just have an entirely different opinion of what I've seen.

Well, if it is an issue its certainly not consistant and/or widespread. The Huskys I've ridden were exceptional in their lack of stiction, and the local KTM/GG/Husky dealer has been very happy with the forks, eaisly prefering them to the WPs.

The forks I looked at were 2002/2003? models and I think they made some serious attempts to correct some problems with the 04 models. So this may well NOT be a concern for the later models forks!!! :cool:

I corrected my previous post as I meant to say "binding" when I posted stiction. Two different things...

I'm really curious to see the later model fork apart to see if they "fixed" the bushing land.

These forks do not have the same problem as the showas - the showas didn't have enough clearance between the bushing and the upper fork leg. You are stating that having the bushing fit tight on the lower leg is an issue - given the choice of having it fit snug and having it "float" - I would prefer to have it fit snug; Having it fit snug doesn't turn it into a "scraper" as you suggest.

The other comments you make about the fork are not consistent with what I know about this fork; I confirmed this with a suspension tuner who has done over a hundred sets of these forks...

1. This fork does not have to be "valved so soft" to compensate for "binding". They are valved like any other "good working" fork.

2. These forks do not "foul the oil" quickly when installed properly. There will be dirty oil if the triple clamp pinch bolts are improperly torqued to a high value; The causes the upper fork tube to collapse and the fork to bind, and wear, when the slider passes this area.

Both a friend (the suspension tuner friend of mine) and I have cannondale marzocchi forks mounted on a different bike - valved for my weight and terrain and they are "pure magic". My friend has had both sets apart and there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.

Again, I don't want to battle. And the only reason I am saying anything is that the fork is being unfairly characterized. And both the fork and the bike are being improperly demeaned as a result.

jeff