Ducati Sporting Club UK > DesmoDue Race Series > DesmoDue - General Questions and Chat > What's the cheapest way of making my standard Marzo forks harder?

[Tonio600]

It seems my forks are giving me a hard time (can't brake as hard as I would like to before the whole bike starts vibrating, even if I'm using only 1 brake disc...).

Is there a cheap way to improve them for the use I make of them (hanging around Cadwell Park at desesperatly slow speeds...)? Even better if I can do it myself, I'm always happy to learn. Thicker oil? Washers to compress the springs?

[domski]

You could add a small amount of oil to each leg (equal amounts) until you're happier.

or, add a shim/washer like you say.

I think both these ways will have different effects, although technically doing the same thing.

I think

[Tonio600]

interesting answer my friend
But I could do with a bit more information (what kind of shim/washer, what oil thickness, etc)...

Otherwise I could just ride the bloody thing, but eventually I've got enough handicap with myself no to have a proper handling bike

[AK]

you can put oil in them Tonio, what are you running now?

find out, then go for a thicker oil.

If you had std oil such as 7.5, then you could put 10 weight oil in.

otherwise, just put an extra 5cc's (centiletres) per leg to start with & see how they are. If necessary add another 5cc's per leg.

[AK]

Giz, Tonio cant swap the springs on his marzocs, at least i dont think he can...

waiting for correction now

[Zimbo16]

You can swap the springs Alan, although springs aren't listed for it. I have a set of Ohlins monorate .85kg springs in front of me now to suit Marzochis, correct diameter etc, just a little shorter than the standard spring so the spacer tube needs increasing in length to compensate. If you think you can use them Tonio then let me know, I won't be using them now and they'll be going cheap! I boughtthem for Dessie but never fitted them.

[Gizmo]

Originally Posted by AK

Giz, Tonio cant swap the springs on his marzocs, at least i dont think he can...

waiting for correction now

Is that a DD rule AK?? going down the more oil/thicker route don't always work, it affects the rebound and on long bumpy sections you might start to get packing down because it takes the oil too long to flow back. I noticed both your bikes were running with about 25 -30 mm unused travel on the fork at Oulton, I didn't get any hard braking photos at the end of the straight to check to see how other bikes were set-up and didn't know whether the fork would actually go to the bottom , it may be the 25mm mark was actually full travel.

[paynep]

Tonio - are you 100% sure that you headbearings are tight, that the disc is true and the front spindle is straight?
I've used std Marzos and Showas and the only braking judder was when the headbearings were loose......
Also at Donny I raced with one of the forks bent by 1/4 inch...I only noticed back home when I noticed the front wheel was turning left when the yokes were straight....
How much fork travel are you using (cable tie around the slider) and have you measured your sag and preload front and rear before you start messing with the spring rates?
HTH, Paul

[Scooter916]

As alan says tonio.
Are they the early forks or the later ones ??

[Scooter916]

call solent uk ltd and ask for dan, they are now the uk importer of Marzocchi, They are still learning and it takes ages for the springs to arrive but they can supply the later fork springs.
glyn