Problems with Marzocchi Bomber z3 stamped 96

[androbus]

I picked up an early Marzocchi z3 fork with 96 forging on the sliders that i installed on my trusty old Bridgestone MB5 a few years ago, but never really rode more than down the street on it due to other things. Last month i found that it doesn't have any movement at all,(stiff as if frozen, but when i removed caps and pulled pushed separately got them to move) and opened up to find no oil at all, and some heavy grease on the springs?? also the springs appear to be shorter than the photos i see online?
The legs were both spring only and not one air adjustable??

what i did initially was to remove the springs, collapse the legs and fill them to 50mm from the top per what i saw online. I re-assembled and found the forks did not extend fully? i adjusted the dials for full compression with little change.

What is the size of the correct springs? (I will measure mine soon and note it down when i do)
What adjustments can be done?
I recall on some motorcycle forks when you changed springs you had pac spacers as the progressive springs are shorter than the stock springs.

Thanks for any help/advice!

Paul

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

They're the 1997 model foek and spring are all the same lengh.

I would undo the bolt at the bottom and pull the stanchions out as well to give them a check over.

 

[66 triumph daytona]

Re:

This must be a common problem with all early Bombers,I have a set of 96 stamped Z1s and if they are left idle they lock solid.

 

[androbus]

well the thing is not just the locking solid. the first 3-4CM or so of suspension isn't even there, so i was wondering if it either is spring length (needing a spacer with the shorter springs? or something else?
I adjusted the rebound adjusters underneath with not much noticeable difference either? stiffer, but not much more.
Guess i will need to dig up the manual and take apart and look closely at everything. does anyone have a spare set of correct springs?(I know some have changed out to heavier or lighter ones from stock. just not sure if it is worth the cost of new springs, seals and all else for these?

 

[androbus]

Re: Re:

They're the 1997 model foek and spring are all the same lengh.

I would undo the bolt at the bottom and pull the stanchions out as well to give them a check over.

You said springs are all the same length. what i meant was that i need the measurement of the correct spring as i think that i may have a set of customs springs in there that are short and were designed to be used with a spacer or something?
does anyone have the specs of the springs?
good call on the complete diss assembly i think, but not sure i can do that right now.
I rode the bike yesterday and there really was minimal travel at all, and it was sticky when it did compress...so think it needs to come apart.

Thanks!

 

[FluffyChicken]

Re:

Un bolt the bottom bolt and just pull the legs out and have a look, doesn't take long.

Er I have a friend with a similar problem but I've not played with the 97 forks only later.

I don't know the length, check the manual or the tech docs 97-01 in the Archive, they normally mention initial length and replace length. At least rockshox do.

It could be a negative spring problem not pushing the forks up?

 

[fjpshaw]

Re: Re:

They're the 1997 model foek and spring are all the same lengh.

I would undo the bolt at the bottom and pull the stanchions out as well to give them a check over.

You said springs are all the same length. what i meant was that i need the measurement of the correct spring as i think that i may have a set of customs springs in there that are short and were designed to be used with a spacer or something?
does anyone have the specs of the springs?

Z1 springs measure 190mm end to end.