Check your Manitou forks elastomers
Posted: October 13th, 2012, 7:26 pm
If your Manitou seems to be riding low or bottomed out, this procedure can help you diagnose the issue on Manitou forks with stacked and skewered elastomers, like the Manitou 3 and Manitou 4:
On each fork side, there is an allen screw on the steerer that clamps the upper fork tube to the steerer. Loosen this screw completely (only on one fork tube). Now unscrew the large blue top cap counter clockwise. You should be able to do this by hand. If not, break out the channel lock pliers, putting a rag between the pliers and cap (to try to prevent damaging the pretty blue). Break it loose so it so can be turned by hand. Now, flip the bike so the fork tube is upside down and vertical. Totally unscrewed the blue cap and pull it out about 4 inches and see if the elastomers are coming out with the skewer. If not wiggle it slightly to see if the elastomer’s will fall down the skewer. If elastomer’s do not fall down the skewer, go ahead and screw the cap back into the fork. If this is the case, you probably have elastomer’s that are disintegrated or melted in the fork. Need a rebuild. If they come out with the skewer, count the number. You should have 6 elastomer's per side. If their are less than 6, you either are missing an elastomer, or have one that is disintegrated. If everything looks good, go to the next tube with same procedure only after tightening up the steerer bolt on the steerer of the first tube.
notes* I have you loosen the steerer bolt because the pressure of the clamp prevents the blue top cap from loosening.
Here is a link for Manitou manuals:
http://suspensionforkparts.net/manitou_manual.php
On each fork side, there is an allen screw on the steerer that clamps the upper fork tube to the steerer. Loosen this screw completely (only on one fork tube). Now unscrew the large blue top cap counter clockwise. You should be able to do this by hand. If not, break out the channel lock pliers, putting a rag between the pliers and cap (to try to prevent damaging the pretty blue). Break it loose so it so can be turned by hand. Now, flip the bike so the fork tube is upside down and vertical. Totally unscrewed the blue cap and pull it out about 4 inches and see if the elastomers are coming out with the skewer. If not wiggle it slightly to see if the elastomer’s will fall down the skewer. If elastomer’s do not fall down the skewer, go ahead and screw the cap back into the fork. If this is the case, you probably have elastomer’s that are disintegrated or melted in the fork. Need a rebuild. If they come out with the skewer, count the number. You should have 6 elastomer's per side. If their are less than 6, you either are missing an elastomer, or have one that is disintegrated. If everything looks good, go to the next tube with same procedure only after tightening up the steerer bolt on the steerer of the first tube.
notes* I have you loosen the steerer bolt because the pressure of the clamp prevents the blue top cap from loosening.
Here is a link for Manitou manuals:
http://suspensionforkparts.net/manitou_manual.php