Rocco issues

[tigerstripe40]

I have a Marzocchi Rocco TST 5 on my Dirtbag.
It seems to keep loosing air from the air can.
Every 3 days I have to refill it.

Is that normal for a Rocco?

Also, getting to the air valve is a major PITA. To get to the air valve, I need to pull the fixing bolt off of the linkage.
I have been thinking abut flipping the shock over. Will it work OK flipped upside down?

[phatfreeheeler]

How do you know it's losing air?

Orientation doesn't matter here, TGR, I mean the shock can go both ways.

[tigerstripe40]

How do you know it's losing air?

Orientation doesn't matter here, TGR, I mean the shock can go both ways.

I know it's lost air, because when the air is gone, I flip the TST adjuster it doesn't feel any different.

However, when there is air in the shock, each setting feels different.

Also, I put my pump onto the shock to check the pressure in the reserve can, and there is no pressure.
I have to pump it up.

[phatfreeheeler]

I know it's lost air, because when the air is gone, I flip the TST adjuster it doesn't feel any different.

However, when there is air in the shock, each setting feels different.

Also, I put my pump onto the shock to check the pressure in the reserve can, and there is no pressure.
I have to pump it up.

I have 2 Roco TST's in the house (both working great) and the way I understand the system, the air is mostly just for bottom out, but it does pressurize the oil system so the damping would increase some with increased pressure. I don't notice a massive difference though with different pressures, but maybe empty would be different.

If you didn't know, putting the shock pump back on will always show way low pressure. It's a tiny chamber and most of the air is required just to refill the shock pump. This is true for all shocks with an air valve. The only time you use the shock pump gauge to tell you what is in the shock is right before you remove the pump from the valve. If you reconnect it, it just drops the pressure again as the pump fills with air.

Leaks in marz air chambers is a bane of mine. I've got two leaky air forks. The leak could be as simple as needing the valve core tightened a bit (or replaced), or it could be a seal leaking. I'd start with the valve core, the tool is only a couple bucks. The shocks are also user maintainable if you are really mechanically inclined, but I'd probably take it to Go-Ride for anything major. Of course, even they couldn't find the leak in my fork. Sending it back to Marz is your other option since it's likely still under warranty.

[bagtagley]

While you're right about the burping, the loss of air pressure when removing the pump from the valve isn't enough to empty the chamber. Also, Marzocchi recommends a minimum of 180 psi, which is required for proper rebound damping. I've seen a couple instances where the seal for the air chamber has been shuffled out of place, making the shock pretty much useless.

While the shock is deemed user serviceable, my understanding is that mostly refers to oil changes, and that taking the shock apart voids the warranty, unless you're a certified tech. I've read that a couple places, though nobody has confirmed it 100%. It wouldn't surprise me though, given Marzocchi's tendency to cover their asses.

I agree w/ phat that you should take it into a shop and let a pro look at it. It's most likely a warranty issue, which I'd let Marzocchi deal with. Kris at Go-Ride knows the thing inside out. He'll tell what's wrong w/ it and what to do about it.

[tigerstripe40]

Well, I may have detectivized the problem...

I was running the shock in it's stiffest setting, thinking that was the appropriate setting for DH/Freeride use...

*JONG!*

So can anybody tell me what the negatives to that is?
I know in the manual for the Rocco it says to not run the shock in it's stiffest setting when downhilling...

Any clues if this is going to need to be rebuilt or replaced due to my own JONG-ness?