# 1997 Manitou SX fork rebuild



## 2wheels2 (Jan 1, 2011)

Help. I'm hung up on the last step in a GT refurb' project. Trying to rebuild the fork, and I found the service manual on-line. Problem is ...

1) it doesn't say how to remove the lower casting, or

2) how much oil to put in the damper side. Later models gave a fill height for the oil, but anything after 1997 was a much different fork as I understood, with a different damping design, so I don't think they would be a good guide.

Any suggestions?


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## banks (Feb 2, 2004)

1. Remove the lower bolts and yank off the lowers down wards.
2. IIRC that damper is to be air free, purge the air & excess oil while tightening the upper seal head without compressing the damper rod


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## 2wheels2 (Jan 1, 2011)

I have the one bottom screw removed, but don't see the other one. Does the adjuster knob have to be pulled off? I can't tell from the diagram (above), but is that the second screw under the adjuster? i.e. the part labeled "damper dropout nut"


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## aerius (Nov 20, 2010)

The adjuster knob has to be pulled off, pull on it till it comes off and try not to lose or damage the o-ring. Once that's removed the damper dropout nut can be unscrewed, after which the lower slider assembly can be pulled off the stanchions.


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## 2wheels2 (Jan 1, 2011)

Thanks Aerius and Banks, the bottom casting is off now, and I've opened up the damper.

Any thoughts on which snap ring should be removed here? 
There's one on the rod, and one on the outer edge of the disc inside the damper [right side of picture]


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## 2wheels2 (Jan 1, 2011)

I finished the rebuild now and am answering my own questions above. Hopefully this will help others that might do the same fork.

Correction on my previous post - -
There was no second snap ring between the stanchion tube and disc. Once you have the cap nut unscrewed from the damper leg, you just pull on the rod carefully, and that whole inner assembly comes out.

Adjuster knob removal - -
Aerius was right, you just pull this off. I was able to remove it by hand. Be careful on this because it comes straight off. Do not not bend it to the side.

Filling the damper with suspension fluid - -
Banks was right on this as well. It must be free of air. Manitou set this up for bleeding it fairly easily too.
1. fill it most of the way, and stroke it until you don’t see bubbles anymore. There is an inlet hole in the damper rod that should not get above the oil while doing this, or you’ll pull in more air.
2. fill it up to about half way up the threads
3. temporarily remove the O-ring from the cap nut. Note: the nut has a bleed hole in the side, and the O-ring would otherwise cover this. 
4. hold the nut in a position with the bleed hole facing up.
5. rotate the fork leg onto the nut. The fork leg should be at about 45 degrees from vertical when doing this.
6. when the nut is nearly full on, it will burp out the last bit of air and fluid. At this point, install the O-ring, and tighten to 30 – 50 in-lbs. Nut us 15/16”, but used a 24mm that worked well.

I used Golden Spectro 5 Weight 85/150 Fork Oil, which worked well with the adjustment turned to minimum. 

I used a white synthetic Teflon grease on areas that needed something thick for high pressures, or for sealing. For other areas, I used M-Prep which is thinner, for less drag. 

One issue that came up was ... in the left leg, the coil spring and blue bumper below it had to be pushed out because the spring connectors (i.e. cups) were too tight in the tube. The fork previously felt stiff to me, and I believe this is why. Using a utility knife and very fine tooth file, I reduced the diameter of these Nylon parts to make them fit.

Some people comment that this was never that good of a fork, but after this rebuild, it really performed well for a short travel fork. Now the action is very smooth, and well damped. It rolls right over rocks and roots without drawing attention to itself. Plus, it feels more progressive than the air fork I have.


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## Wasmachineman NL (Jan 31, 2012)

Slightly off topic, but that Answer decal looks f*cking epic.


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