# DVO SUSPENSION Emerald Review...



## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Been riding mine for 2 weeks and this is what I have so far. Trails have been bumpy, rockgardens, and turns. No drops so far. Will have more reviews in a few more weeks. Plus two other rider reviews.

Background:
I like to set my fork up super soft. The only problem with that is the fork dives in the corners. If you make your fork stiff then you lose small bumb sensitivity. Fork will bounce through the chatter. It is hard to find a balance between brake dive and small bump sensitivity.

The Emerald solves that problem. you set your fork a little stiff (at least for my riding..then they have this knob on the top left of fork (Called OTT=Off The Top) that you turn in...(This is important because I went wrong way in beginning). You think logically you would back off...*but you tighten the OTT for more small bump sensitivity*...and oh Nelly !!! this softens up the first few inches of travel...so you get the small bump sensitivity without brake dive into corners.

What I have found so far. Is the fork tracks amazingly through the chatter. You don't feel the arm pump as much because the fork absorbs the bumps like crazy. Very nice feel in heavy rock gardens.

Cornering is a new story for me. I am use to brake dive because the way I set up forks soft. So it took me a few runs to get use to it. (ok more then a few) because I was "springing out of the turn. First thing is when you trust the fork you can feel the momentum coming out of a bermed turn. So you actually ride faster because of this energy carries you to the straitaway.

So far I love the fork. The cons are the price and the weight. The weight is 7.11 pounds, but honestly, you don't feel the difference of the added weight. I understand why DVO made the fork a little heavier then most forks. DVO can't make something very lite because if it failed then they would be out of business. The price is up there too, but I remember complaining buying a 500 dollar bike and now I buy over $5,000.00 dollar bikes. If you told me 13 years ago that I would be spending that kind of dough I would have laughed. Hopefully they can get a better pricepoint when more are available.

Sidenote 1: compared to the Dorado. The Emerald is stiffer and more plush. Plus in 2 years of research the Emerald hasn't had one seal go bad - like some other forks

Sidenote 2: I always compare things to a Shiver because they were so plush. I said things like it feels plush like a Shiver. This fork is better then a Shiver...way better. I found my home.


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> Been riding mine for 2 weeks....
> 
> ........ Plus in 2 years of research the Emerald hasn't had one seal go bad - like some other forks


The fork just came out and you've only had it for 2 weeks, so how can you come up with that conclusion?


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

the-one1 said:


> The fork just came out and you've only had it for 2 weeks, so how can you come up with that conclusion?


asked Ronnie at DVO.....that is why I wrote 2 years of research


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## DHgnaR (Feb 20, 2008)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> asked Ronnie at DVO.....that is why I wrote 2 years of research


Which other forks that fouled seals during their "two years of research" do you speak of?


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

DHgnaR said:


> Which other forks that fouled seals during their "two years of research" do you speak of?


boxxers, dorados


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## the-one1 (Aug 2, 2008)

Crank Brothers Kronolog also was perfect in its "years of research". 
Just saying during "research time, they won't disclose what went wrong. Everything is good and working


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## bg. (Jan 28, 2004)

Ronnie at DVO knows his ****. If he says two year no failure than that's what it has been.


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## bg. (Jan 28, 2004)

I'm looking at this fork or the Marz 380. 
Price isn't the problem, but the weight difference is. What I'm looking at is 3250g (Emerald with brace) vs. 2750g (380). That's a 1/2 kg difference (more than 1lbs).


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

The DVO uses almost identical seals as the Dorado does. 

Also, if you're worried about a pound on a DH fork, you got your priorities all out of whack.


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

Gemini2k05 said:


> The DVO uses almost identical seals as the Dorado does.
> 
> Also, if you're worried about a pound on a DH fork, you got your priorities all out of whack.


You would be surprised what Cat 1 Mid pack racers are worried about on their DH bikes. Forget the fact they wouldn't have stood a chance in Semi Pro but they can barely get a top 5 in what is Expert. but they are sure a 3LBS bike will make them better than NICO ever was.....


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

you don't notice on bike (at least I don't) feels the same as lighter forks (but it is hard to feel a 10 oz difference while riding - 888 ti vs DVO Emerald)


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Gemini2k05 said:


> The DVO uses *almost identical seals* as the Dorado does.
> 
> Also, if you're worried about a pound on a DH fork, you got your priorities all out of whack.


so what you are saying is not the same but almost identical???


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

ianjenn said:


> You would be surprised what Cat 1 Mid pack racers are worried about on their DH bikes. Forget the fact they wouldn't have stood a chance in Semi Pro but they can barely get a top 5 in what is Expert. but they are sure a 3LBS bike will make them better than NICO ever was.....


true true...people are crazy about weight but won't train


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## bg. (Jan 28, 2004)

Gemini2k05 said:


> Also, if you're worried about a pound on a DH fork, you got your priorities all out of whack.


I agree that weight isn't everything, but 500g isn't nothing either.

I would probably notice the weight more than I would notice better suspension performance, when compared to a 380.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> you don't notice on bike (at least I don't) feels the same as lighter forks (but it is hard to feel a 10 oz difference while riding - 888 ti vs DVO Emerald)


My Dorado feels lighter than the 888 and 40 I've had. They are pretty much all the same; 6.75 lbs or so. The invert gives less feed back/force/whatever on bumps as there is less weight bouncing around on the wheel side of the suspension.

Too bad that DVO is so expensive. Looks like a great fork.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Ithnu said:


> My Dorado feels lighter than the 888 and 40 I've had. They are pretty much all the same; 6.75 lbs or so. The invert gives less feed back/force/whatever on bumps as there is less weight bouncing around on the wheel side of the suspension.
> 
> Too bad that DVO is so expensive. Looks like a great fork.


my 888 ti weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces with axle, and stem. The Emerald weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces

agree on feed back...less unsprung weight


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> my 888 ti weighed 7 pounds 2 ounces with axle, and stem. The Emerald weighed 7 pounds 11 ounces
> 
> agree on feed back...less unsprung weight


I am selling my Fox 40 Float will replace with an Emerald and do a review of it while I have it. Going with a Black version for the baby blue G2.


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## Rob-Bob (Jun 11, 2004)

Sweet looking ride you got there SMT. What handle bar is that.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Rob-Bob said:


> Sweet looking ride you got there SMT. What handle bar is that.


Already have some different parts like a CCDB and Ti Spring for shock
Those are Azonic Flow bars

Azonic Flow 800mm 1" Rise Handlebar > Components > Handlebars and Stems > Mountain Bike Handlebars | Jenson USA Online Bike Shop


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

maybe it's the angle, but that looks like a whole lot more than a one inch rise...


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## dytrdr5 (Mar 6, 2006)

Thanks for the review, I should be getting mine later this week. On a side note about Dorados my friend's fork which is barely 6 months old is leaking oil bad from both legs. I also had a shiver back in the day and it will be nice to see how they compare to me.


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## Rob-Bob (Jun 11, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> maybe it's the angle, but that looks like a whole lot more than a one inch rise...


That's why I asked about them , they look like they have 2" of rise in that picture.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

somehow i knew that "plush" would be pretty much the extent of your review. i have to admit, you are quite the wordsmith...


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## Driftking (Jun 21, 2013)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> Background:
> I like to set my fork up super soft. The only problem with that is the fork dives in the corners. If you make your fork stiff then you lose small bumb sensitivity. Fork will bounce through the chatter. It is hard to find a balance between brake dive and small bump sensitivity.


Disagree completely with that one. You can set a fork up to be stiff and have support while retaining its small bump, it may be harder to do with external adjusters for some people, but its possible and once you crack open the fork and adjust the shim stack its very possible.

sounds good though, been keen to hear a long term review of it. More importantly if you still have the old forks do some back to back timed testing to see if it improves your times.

The OTT is cool though essentially its a negative spring that it adjusted independently of the rest of the forks pressure.
Good site with some quick explanations of the fork
Video: Get Up Close With the DVO Emerald


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## Fix the Spade (Aug 4, 2008)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> asked Ronnie at DVO.....that is why I wrote 2 years of research


Has any manufacturer ever gone 'Oh Hell we broke like a million of these things in testing,' when asked how their new product performed during development?

Quality looks fantastic on the DVO fork, but to me '2 years of research and no failures,' should be read as '2 years of of inappropriate research,'

Like the Challenger's SRB O Rings always passed the testing without failure. Not that DVO is anything like NASA, it's just the best example of research and development failing to reflect reality I can think of.


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## ringoesroadking (Feb 4, 2008)

Dorado owner here
I can attest to the leaking seals. I love the feel and adjustability, the seals are junk though. Hayes Manitou customer service is Bad. They won't even return my calls.
Great to hear you are loving the DVO, never hurts to have more quality players in the suspension game.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Wow, these things are tough to find north of the 49th. One Alberta dealer in Edmonton (eww), 2 (!) In all of BC. I'm going to have to smuggle one in from the US...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

dytrdr5 said:


> I also had a shiver back in the day and it will be nice to see how they compare to me.


IMO ...Way better then the Shiver ...way better


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Fix the Spade said:


> Has any manufacturer ever gone 'Oh Hell we broke like a million of these things in testing,' when asked how their new product performed during development?
> 
> Quality looks fantastic on the DVO fork, but to me '2 years of research and no failures,' should be read as '2 years of of inappropriate research,'
> 
> Like the Challenger's SRB O Rings always passed the testing without failure. Not that DVO is anything like NASA, it's just the best example of research and development failing to reflect reality I can think of.


They been testing the fork for over a year and a half....they could have released it, but wanted to make sure everythinbg was up to par as far as duralbilty and such. I can trust Ronnie...He told me a lot when 2 Marz 888's broke at Red Bull Rampage


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## rep_1969 (Mar 25, 2004)

Your last paragraph is what I was waiting for. I too, was a hard core Shiver fan, and nothing since that fork has felt as plush. I may have to look into one of these. Thanks for the review. Keep us posted as the season progresses.


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## Tim F. (May 22, 2006)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> Been riding mine for 2 weeks and this is what I have so far. Trails have been bumpy, rockgardens, and turns. No drops so far.
> 
> Your homeowners association called. Your neighbors are complaining about your riding on the landscaping, and leaving skid marks on their lawns, and riding in the neighborhood after dark without reflectors...
> When are you going to take that thing out for real ride, put on a few scratches, and some dirt!


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

ringoesroadking said:


> Dorado owner here
> I can attest to the leaking seals. I love the feel and adjustability, the seals are junk though. Hayes Manitou customer service is Bad. They won't even return my calls.
> Great to hear you are loving the DVO, never hurts to have more quality players in the suspension game.


Did you store the fork upside down? I did that for a few months and my seals went to poo. Sent it back to Hayes for the 1 year free service and it's fine now (as I store it the way the instructions say to).


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> Plus in 2 years of research the Emerald hasn't had one seal go bad - like some other forks


I literally laughed out loud when I read this. A few test forks didnt leak oil.... good to know. Lets wait and see how the seals perform in the field before statements like this are made.

Side note, you cant store Dorados upside down(that means hanging too). Most people dont know this and the seals start leaking after 6 months. Properly taken care of, the seals last a few years.


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## bg. (Jan 28, 2004)

mullen119 said:


> I literally laughed out loud when I read this. A few test forks didnt leak oil.... good to know. Lets wait and see how the seals perform in the field before statements like this are made.


We're all so used to crap seals.

Back in the day a Shiver would go 2+ years on the same seals no problem.


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

bg. said:


> We're all so used to crap seals.
> 
> Back in the day a Shiver would go 2+ years on the same seals no problem.


I have gone 4 years on a lyrik, 3 on a manitou minute, and am going on 3 on a revelation. Not a single drop has leaked out. Proper maintenance keeps forks alive for a long time.


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## bumster22 (Feb 15, 2004)

That was a good read. OP: Thank you for the review.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

mullen119 said:


> I have gone 4 years on a lyrik, 3 on a manitou minute, and am going on 3 on a revelation. Not a single drop has leaked out. Proper maintenance keeps forks alive for a long time.


i ran a 2000 Monster T untill 2007 without a single issue. just changed the oil every summer. not a matter of "proper maintenance", marz forks are straight up 'set and forget' and we are all aware that it's the norm. their forks just last forever compared to any other offering out there. sure your forks may have lasted minute with all that maintenance you did on them, but marz owners never have to touch theirs and they still last longer...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> i ran a 2000 Monster T untill 2007 without a single issue. just changed the oil every summer. not a matter of "proper maintenance", marz forks are straight up 'set and forget' and we are all aware that it's the norm. their forks just last forever compared to any other offering out there. sure your forks may have lasted minute with all that maintenance you did on them, but marz owners never have to touch theirs and they still last longer...


yeah had a 2002 Shiver till 2006...just changed the oil every year...never did anything else....they just last without replacing seals or other stuff


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> yeah had a 2002 Shiver till 2006...just changed the oil every year...never did anything else....they just last without replacing seals or other stuff


Pink bike blew a seal in their test........

My point is that saying a fork that has been out for a few weeks has great seals is a ridiculous statement. Only time in the feild can determine this. Not a good start in the field when a seal blows during a test. They may turn out to be great, but we wont know for about a year of real world testing.


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

mullen119 said:


> Pink bike blew a seal in their test........


I just read that. What they wrote was that a seal had gotten folded over during assembly. It didn't blow.


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

evasive said:


> I just read that. What they wrote was that a seal had gotten folded over during assembly. It didn't blow.


Doroados had a guy installing the oil seal upside down for a while making them go bad quicker. Thats life. Leaky seal is a leaky seal.


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## DHgnaR (Feb 20, 2008)

evasive said:


> I just read that. What they wrote was that a seal had gotten folded over during assembly. It didn't blow.


What does that matter to the end user? They still have to jump through all the same hoops of bad seal. Seems like they're having QC issues with assembly already, on a test fork designated for an write-up lots of people will read none-the-less....

Also, I'm not trying to bash DVO here, every company has their growing pains and seems like DVO has a strong first showing anyways. I just like messing with Bob and all his "super-informed reviews..."


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## evasive (Feb 18, 2005)

DHgnaR said:


> What does that matter to the end user? They still have to jump through all the same hoops of bad seal. Seems like they're having QC issues with assembly already, on a test fork designated for an write-up lots of people will read none-the-less....
> 
> Also, I'm not trying to bash DVO here, every company has their growing pains and seems like DVO has a strong first showing anyways. I just like messing with Bob and all his "super-informed reviews..."


To that particular end user, it doesn't matter at all, obviously. But to the overall pool of end users, I think it makes a difference whether you're looking at an error in assembly versus a design flaw or a bad batch of seals.


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## ringoesroadking (Feb 4, 2008)

Never store the bike upside down. The only time the fork is upsidedown is when its hanging from a lift by the front wheel? I wonder if lift time could be causing the seal leak? Doubt it but you never know


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## whoda*huck (Feb 12, 2005)

ringoesroadking said:


> Never store the bike upside down.


Well, that's just wrong. That will expose a leaky seal but won't cause one.


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## Ithnu (Feb 16, 2007)

whodaphuck said:


> Well, that's just wrong. That will expose a leaky seal but won't cause one.


Actually it will cause a leaky seal. It says right in the Dorado instruction manual not to store it upside down.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

whodaphuck is correct. although a dorado stored upside-down will leak, it's because the ability to leak is inherent in the dorado's design no matter which way it's stored...


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## mullen119 (Aug 30, 2009)

Ithnu said:


> Actually it will cause a leaky seal. It says right in the Dorado instruction manual not to store it upside down.


This is correct. Dorado seals will dry out and get small cracks if not kept wet. Storing upside down for weeks at a time is big no no with them(as stated in the manual). Generally speaking, if kept right side up, the seals will last a reasonable amount of time.

Hanging upside down for short periods of time is no big deal, the problem is only when stored upside down.


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

Will write some thoughts in next few weeks.


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

you got a stick in your rear triangle. might wanna have that looked at...


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

.WestCoastHucker. said:


> you got a stick in your rear triangle. might wanna have that looked at...


Hey don't make fun of my ghetto stand. I just dumped 2 weeks pay on a bicycle fork!


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## .WestCoastHucker. (Jan 14, 2004)

it was worth it. that bike is the hottest thing i've ever seen...


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## dytrdr5 (Mar 6, 2006)

*Here is mine, loving it so far*


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

dytrdr5 said:


> View attachment 874579


sweet...how you liking it...pm me if you want set up tips


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## B-Mac (Oct 2, 2008)

That's one sweet looking fork!! Really dig the black one on your setup SMT!!


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Any more reviews?


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## aedubber (Apr 17, 2011)

Forks look good guys , i sure did love my Dorado on my Demo 8 .. Was an amazing fork , wonder how this compares to it. I had the bad seal issue , they replaced them right away for me with no questions asked. Customer service was good , no complaints here.


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## Christopher Robin (Dec 1, 2004)

What I like in the initial post is the fact they didn't want to build it super light and risk parts failing. I like that a lot! More and more companies are trying to make things 'light' and disposable. 

And even then, most forks are in between 6 and 7lbs. You won't feel that extra half pound or so. 

Are you able to service things like bushings yourself?


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

The way i read it is DOV has been testing it for over 2 years and haven't had any issues. Is this a correct statement?


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> hey nice review and bike setup.. thanks.
> what is with the air volume for 95kg 85psi like manual or?


Watch out for the air pumps...they tend to run a little high....that being said I am 205 pounds and run mine 78psi.....with turning IN (yes Turning in) my OTT 8. also high and low speed compression backed all the way off


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

shwinn8 said:


> The way i read it is DOV has been testing it for over 2 years and haven't had any issues. Is this a correct statement?


nothing except for Ronnie accidently folding seal for the vital test...


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

Copy copy... I think some of the others replies were based off the thought it was only tested for 2 weeks with no blown seals. Sounds like a bad as fork, no funds for that kind of an upgrade just yet. Although only ridden about 5 times by me the boxxer race that came on my Jedi seems to be holding up. The previous owner I think had it serviced prior to selling it too. Time will tell the tail!


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

8664 said:


> Rollout done, 100% what i have expectet! Ride high in corners and steep gnar, super plush for chatter stuff, nice fork. Now i get same perfect suspension in front like i have in the rear! #dvosuspension #canfieldbrothers
> 
> View attachment 895805


My v.2014 is getting a Woodie resized from the v.2013/12/11. Fork will arrive some time next week... I'll update if the Avy is the magic carpet you'd want.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> Rollout done, 100% what i have expectet! Ride high in corners and steep gnar, super plush for chatter stuff, nice fork. Now i get same perfect suspension in front like i have in the rear! #dvosuspension #canfieldbrothers


welcome to the club.....a lot of people make mistakes setting fork up...pm me if you want any set up questions


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

My dvo emerald setup is
97kg ride ready
85psi
Lsc3
Hsc5
Ott 13 turns clockwise
Rb7

All clockwise.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> My dvo emerald setup is
> 97kg ride ready
> 85psi
> Lsc3
> ...


I would try 80 PSI ....gives the fork a softer feel (more small pump sensitivity) ...that is if you are not bottoming out


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

Yes, rigth.. Stay on the race track now and was going down to 85psi much better!


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> Yes, rigth.. Stay on the race track now and was going down to 85psi much better!


 try differnt pumps too...the pumps are not accurate


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

if i messure all time with the dvo pump its ok...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

Haven't gotten a chance to ride mine but if it is half as good as the service I recieved from Ronnie at DVO then I will be more than pleased. Had an issue with my fork and they are taking full care of it with no hassle. So far I am a huge fan..


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> Ride the dvo:
> 
> Video - Pinkbike
> 
> View attachment 896068


sweet..............


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

meSSican said:


> Haven't gotten a chance to ride mine but if it is half as good as the service I recieved from Ronnie at DVO then I will be more than pleased. Had an issue with my fork and they are taking full care of it with no hassle. So far I am a huge fan..


where you build in the dvo..? i seen on pinkbike that you sale the black green jedi frame?


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

8664 said:


> where you build in the dvo..? i seen on pinkbike that you sale the black green jedi frame?


Yes I do have the Jedi for sale on Pinkbike.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

I bought a 2014 Jedi, but have not gotten a chance to ride the fork or the frame yet.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Mine arrived today... at the wrong house! I was checking the package tracking online and just about shat myself when I saw that it had been delivered 30 minutes prior. Ran to the front door - no box. Checked the side gate - no box. Went one street over - thar she be, leaning up against the front door of somebody else's house. Checked the shipping label to make sure somebody else didn't order the exact same fork as me, but 'twas mine.

Should be able to install this afternoon. Any pitfalls I should be looking to avoid whilst installing this magic boinger?


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

lucky guy!


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

pinkrobe said:


> Mine arrived today... at the wrong house! I was checking the package tracking online and just about shat myself when I saw that it had been delivered 30 minutes prior. Ran to the front door - no box. Checked the side gate - no box. Went one street over - thar she be, leaning up against the front door of somebody else's house. Checked the shipping label to make sure somebody else didn't order the exact same fork as me, but 'twas mine.
> 
> Should be able to install this afternoon. Any pitfalls I should be looking to avoid whilst installing this magic boinger?


May wanna remove your trousers to install.....I blew the front outta mine when I saw that baby mounted up.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Mine arrived today... at the wrong house! I was checking the package tracking online and just about shat myself when I saw that it had been delivered 30 minutes prior. Ran to the front door - no box. Checked the side gate - no box. Went one street over - thar she be, leaning up against the front door of somebody else's house. Checked the shipping label to make sure somebody else didn't order the exact same fork as me, but 'twas mine.
> 
> Should be able to install this afternoon. Any pitfalls I should be looking to avoid whilst installing this magic boinger?


crazy......


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Should be able to install this afternoon. Any pitfalls I should be looking to avoid whilst installing this magic boinger?


Tapered steer tube=RETARDED that's about it.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

CK i7 headset...


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Installation was a breeze. My Aurum has a tapered HT, but came with a spacer-thingy to work with the straight steerer on the stock boxxer. Dumped the spacer, dug out an old Cane Creek crown race, works fine with the FSA headset. 20mm spacers above and below the crown so I have room to raise/drop the bar if I want, but currently at stock height. Obligatory phone pic:









Can't wait to get it out on the trails, which are presently soupy mud after three days of rain. Next week...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Right, so first day on a '14 Jedi w/ an Emerald. I cannot even begin to describe how well this fork performed! I'm 197 kitted up and I've got 23% sag at 70 psi. I used an everything wide open base tune (manual called for no HSC or LSC as a starting point, and the rebound felt like there was really good control wide open also) paired to the Jedi's CCDB base tune. UNreal! The only time I managed to come to near bottoming was a front wheel landing off an ~8ft drop! If the fork had flex/twist, or the additional heft of the extra pound, I didn't notice it. It felt very balanced on the Jedi.

Prob a saying that's been beaten to death, but the fork tracks like it's on rails! And SUPPLE! Once it bedded in...after the 2nd run...it feels better than a Pike! Never had a Shiver...my exp w/ USD forks has been a Hanebrick LT8 and a Mr Dirt Fat fork...but I wouldn't listen to the naysayers about the drawbacks of USD forks w/ this one.

Get one! You'll have kittens how well it performs!

Disclaimer: I'm not in any way tied to DVO. Oh, BTW, their customer service is spectacular! Thanks John Pelino for all your help!


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

sweet ride Paully !!!!....it is crazy what an amazing fork the Emerald is...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Rate my Emerald tune:
weight - 180 + gear
skill - total hack
i only ride - park [plus a little bit of gnar]
am flustered by - drops, braking bumps
air - 75 psi
OTT - 6 turns
rebound - 4 clicks
HSC - 17 clicks
LSC - 12 clicks


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Rate my Emerald tune:
> weight - 180 + gear
> skill - total hack
> i only ride - park [plus a little bit of gnar]
> ...


pinkrobe,
Are you counting your clicks from open (maxed out CCW) or closed (maxed out CW)...?

So, for Trestle which is mostly jumpy high speed flow trails:
197 kitted up
70psi = ~24% sag
almost no OTT
rebound - wide open, CCW maxed out
HSC - 2 or 3 clicks in from wide open
LSC - wide open (will add two clicks in for old skool DH chunder plowing)

BUT, I'm on a Jedi and kinda ride a bit rear wheel biased on the jump trails.

I'd like to change up the oil viscosity a bit to see if I can shift my settings to the middle of the dial detentes some...the fork feels juuuuuuust a touch overdamped for my hack-tacular skillz


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Rate my Emerald tune:
> weight - 180 + gear
> skill - total hack
> i only ride - park [plus a little bit of gnar]
> ...


I like soft
73 psi
HS and Low speed compression...all the way open
OTT 9 turns
rebound 4 clicks

really eats up the brake bumps and chop


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Holy crap, looks like wide open is the new black!

All my settings are from wide open. Looks like I should back off on the compression... I'm heading to Silver Star soon [mostly flow + jumps with lots of bumps]. I'll be there with my wife, so I should have a little time to mess with the settings at the end of each run.

Thanks!


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Holy crap, looks like wide open is the new black!
> 
> All my settings are from wide open. Looks like I should back off on the compression... I'm heading to Silver Star soon [mostly flow + jumps with lots of bumps]. I'll be there with my wife, so I should have a little time to mess with the settings at the end of each run.
> 
> Thanks!


Have to correct my previous post. I had it at:

HSC: 4
LSC: 0
LSR: 1
OTT: 45/90 clicks
75 PSI @ ~21% sag

I was a touch divey when I was running old skool chunder DH. I'm gonna try to bump up my compressions a bit, and back off the OTT a hair.

HSC: 5
LSC: 5
LSR: 1
OTT: 35/90 clicks

Still quite open...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

I change back to dorado, the dvo is to heavy for quick move or manuals and to much compression, even the HS -LS knobs are FULL OPEN...


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

Stock tunes are TERRIBLE on the DVO. Way too harsh. It's an easy fix though. Additionally the reduced offset on the DVO makes it significantly better for "quick moves" and turning, not harder. Sounds like you need to hit the gym if the fork is too heavy for you.



8664 said:


> I change back to dorado, the dvo is to heavy for quick move or manuals and to much compression, even the HS -LS knobs are FULL OPEN...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> I change back to dorado, the dvo is to heavy for quick move or manuals a...





Gemini2k05 said:


> . Sounds like you need to hit the gym if the fork is too heavy for you.


I challenge anybody to feel the difference of a 3/4 of a pound when riding....seriosly it is all mental....you weigh on a scale and see difference but you can't tell on the trail at all....

mental


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

Yes, but hate gyms"..... No, its a good fork but there are also more playful forks out.. I test the dvo now with 80psi hsc1 lsc1 ott 10 turns... I am 210lb hope it works.. The rigid of the dvo is unbeatable !


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

8664 said:


> Yes, but hate gyms"..... No, its a good fork but there are also more playful forks out.. I test the dvo now with 80psi hsc1 lsc1 ott 10 turns... I am 210lb hope it works.. The rigid of the dvo is unbeatable !


start with a little lower air pressure (70 to 75)...believe me that is the rick to get this fork to come alive...I weigh 210 also and wear full armour and huge back pack...probably in the 225 range and I run 73psi...believe me it is awesome

hate the gym ??? ...me too...but I wish I would have started doing it earlier in my life....it really helps with bike riding and keeps you strong thoughout the day. You don't have to even lift that much...I workout and bench 125...that is it ...just trying to stay fit....I work on back, legs, chest, arms and grip...(grip is mostly looking at porn at night and etc)


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

Yeah, you just needed a retune. The mid stroke support of the Dorado is a significant shortcoming for guys our size.



8664 said:


> Yes, but hate gyms"..... No, its a good fork but there are also more playful forks out.. I test the dvo now with 80psi hsc1 lsc1 ott 10 turns... I am 210lb hope it works.. The rigid of the dvo is unbeatable !


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> ...I work on back, legs, chest, arms and grip...(grip is mostly looking at porn at night and etc)


Dammit! How do you spread rep with Tapatalk!?


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

70 psi was the ticket today, but it might go a little lower. I'll be looking into a custom tune or something to get plusher.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> 70 psi was the ticket today, but it might go a little lower. I'll be looking into a custom tune or something to get plusher.


How much OTT are you running? I didn't realize I had as much in as I did...damn near 50%! I back it off a bit more to 35/90 clicks...just enough so after I bounce on the front, the front wheel doesn't "drop" when I pick up the front end.


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## meSSican (Aug 8, 2010)

I am running about 15psi lower than the recommend for my weight and still a bit harsh. Going to open the compression several clicks. Not a big knob turner so its new to me.


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

The recommended settings for spring rate are way off in the manual. You have to go about 8-15 psi lower. Also, the OTT settings are VERY important. You essentially have 2 springs you have to tune to get the proper feel. My strategy is as follows. Set the main spring air pressure to control bottom out resistance and more importantly mid stroke support. Then set the OTT to control sag and initial feel. The OTT negative spring only affects the spring rate for the first 2 inches I believe (can't remember off the top of my head). You can end up going stiffer on the main spring than you normally would (because you can), so compression and rebound settings will be a bit different than "normal". I think their stock compression settings are way off. Way too much HSC. The stock rebound valving is also way too slow for normal sized riders it seems. They are helpful and good with the retunes.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

Okay wil try this setings... I do power walking since 7yaers


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Pau11y said:


> How much OTT are you running? I didn't realize I had as much in as I did...damn near 50%! I back it off a bit more to 35/90 clicks...just enough so after I bounce on the front, the front wheel doesn't "drop" when I pick up the front end.


I have a fair bit of OTT, like 6 or 7 full turns.


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

Pau11y said:


> How much OTT are you running? I didn't realize I had as much in as I did...damn near 50%! I back it off a bit more to 35/90 clicks...just enough so after I bounce on the front, the front wheel doesn't "drop" when I pick up the front end.


I'm almost all the way in. Depends on how much air pressure you're running. IF you're at like 90-95 psi you should probably be full in. 70 psi maybe half way in.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

I dropped to 65psi and it started to feel better. Overall, kind of a harsh ride, but I'm hoping DVO can help me get it to where it needs to be.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Gemini2k05 said:


> I'm almost all the way in. Depends on how much air pressure you're running. IF you're at like 90-95 psi you should probably be full in. 70 psi maybe half way in.


I'm at ~73psi today.
I backed the OTT off to about 35/90 clicks today at Trestle and it did just fine. I may try 30 or 25 when I go back to Trestle on Monday. Seems, the more OTT I crank in (CW), the more "drop" of the front wheel I get when I pull up on the bar. Because of this, I don't I'd want to crank in too much OTT, so things get vague on the first 2 inches of travel. I set my sag to ~2" and I want the fork to extend to full 8" w/ some vigor so as to track the ground better. I've got 800mm CF bar and that kinda cuts out the high freq chatter enough where I can go a bit harsher w/ the OTT.


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> I dropped to 65psi and it started to feel better. Overall, kind of a harsh ride, but I'm hoping DVO can help me get it to where it needs to be.


call Ronnie...he will set you up exactly how you want it


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

cool vid


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

While I'm waiting to hear from Ronnie, has anyone pulled apart the rebound damper or changed the oil viscosity to get faster rebound? If so, got instructions or pics? Links to tech docs (apparently, the ones from DVO are "coming soon")?


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> While I'm waiting to hear from Ronnie, has anyone pulled apart the rebound damper or changed the oil viscosity to get faster rebound? If so, got instructions or pics? Links to tech docs (apparently, the ones from DVO are "coming soon")?


I got this reply from Ronnie, asking about speeding up the rebound:

You might like the fork better with a faster tune on the rebound stack. Are you comfortable getting into your fork? Also try using full rotations of OTT adjustment to make a noticeable change in performance. Right now you are almost using 6 full rotations of OTT, you should be closer to 9 full rotations.

If you get into your system and remove a shim from the stack it will speed things up for and make the fork handle better in rough or fast section.

Stock Rebound Stack

2 - 21x.15

1 - 20x.15

2 - 16x.15

If you remove one of the 21x.15 shims it should be faster. If you want it even faster you can remove the 20x.15 and then replace the 16x.15 with a 18x.15

It would be

fast

1-21x.15

1-20x.15

1-16x.15

Or faster

1-21x.15

1-18.15

Oil is 7.5 and uses 330cc of fluid in the damper.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Pau11y said:


> I got this reply from Ronnie, asking about speeding up the rebound:
> 
> You might like the fork better with a faster tune on the rebound stack. Are you comfortable getting into your fork? Also try using full rotations of OTT adjustment to make a noticeable change in performance. Right now you are almost using 6 full rotations of OTT, you should be closer to 9 full rotations.
> 
> ...


This was what Ronnie answered:

Hey Ronnie,

For background reference, my Emerald is mounted on a lrg Canfield Jedi,
2014 model. FYI, I'm using the base tune published by Cane Creek for the
Double Barrel, except a +1/4 turn on the HSR damping. 400lbs Ti spring w/
5.5 turns of preload, needle bearing bushing on the rear eye, and a thrust
bearing spring seat.

Here are the vitals regarding my fork:

195lbs fully kitted up.

Tune:
73 psi to get 21 to 24% sag
HSC: 4 in from full open
LSC: wide open, sometimes 2 in from full open for steeper chunder plowing
LSR: wide open all the time
OTT: 35 clicks in from fully backed out (CCW)...out of 90 clicks, if I had
counted correctly. Just enough so when I pick up the front end of the bike,
the front wheel doesn't drop appreciably. The thinking is I want the front
wheel to extend w/ a bit of authority so as to be able to track the ground
and maintain traction better.

Don't get me wrong, the fork IS performing. I'm getting ~full travel except
the last 1/4". BTW, does the Emerald have an anti-bottoming cone like
Avalanche Downhill Racing cartridge does? Anyway, just wish I had a bit
faster rebound and slightly lighter H and L speed compressions.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

That kicks all kinds of ass! I assume there's a separate rebound shim stack at the top of the damper side?


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Pau11y said:


> This was what Ronnie answered:
> 
> Hey Ronnie,
> 
> ...


And this was his final comment about what the oil is and oil change vs shim stack change:

The fluid we use is actually a Japanese fluid from a company called Sumico. It is a 125/150 just like the Golden Spectro fluid. Changing the shims is going to work way better and it is actually just as painful as changing your fluid. To do a full fluid change you have to yank that beast apart to give it a good rinse with some suspension clean or even some really good brake cleaner. You can call me and I will walk you through the entire process while you perform the procedure.

FYI, that 125/150 is ~ 5.36 (Maxima) and 5.25 (Spectro). Avalanche specs 85/150 which works out to ~ 3.51 (Maxima) and 3.82 (Spectro). I used Showa SS7 in my old 888 w/ an Avy cart, 3.77.

I'm thinking unless the oil is contaminated, a thorough clean won't be necessary...just a full drain (and you'll be able to see if there's any crap in it) then replace w/ lighter.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> That kicks all kinds of ass! I assume there's a separate rebound shim stack at the top of the damper side?


I haven't opened mine up yet, but I can't imagine that it's too different from an Avy cart. And, I think it (the rebound stack) might be on the bottom of the main piston as the main piston rod, I believe, is mounted to the upper plug and the base value is at the bottom of the leg/stanchion.

Edit: 
Just emailed him looking for a general sequence of dis-assembly steps, and where they used red Loctite so I know where to apply heat. But I can see a quick oil change can be done by removing the base valve, dump the old oil out, and cycling the leg a few times. Shouldn't require rocket surgery...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

changing shims and oil is very easy turn bike upside down....unscrew shim side...replace/do whatever to shims....tip fork over...(not the way of brake rotor-because you don't have to take off wheel.....back to upside down...fill with oil....screw back together...should take 5 to 10 minutes when you have it wired....sucking a brew and going slow 15 to 20



Pau11y said:


> And this was his final comment about what the oil is and oil change vs shim stack change:
> 
> The fluid we use is actually a Japanese fluid from a company called Sumico. It is a 125/150 just like the Golden Spectro fluid. Changing the shims is going to work way better and it is actually just as painful as changing your fluid. To do a full fluid change you have to yank that beast apart to give it a good rinse with some suspension clean or even some really good brake cleaner. You can call me and I will walk you through the entire process while you perform the procedure.
> 
> ...


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

SHIVER ME TIMBERS said:


> changing shims and oil is very easy turn bike upside down....unscrew shim side...replace/do whatever to shims....tip fork over...(not the way of brake rotor-because you don't have to take off wheel.....back to upside down...fill with oil....screw back together...should take 5 to 10 minutes when you have it wired....sucking a brew and going slow 15 to 20


SMT, that would be for the base (compression) shims. Rebound shims should be on the main piston and you "might" be able to get to it w/o dumping the oil if all you're after is changing the shims. I haven't seen an exploded diagram so I'm not sure how it's arranged in there...if there's a cap on top of the stanchions you need to unscrew/remove...etc.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

I'm going to tackle this tonight ["...hold my beer..."], or maybe on the weekend. I did find a partially-exploded diagram:







from Emerald Fork Replacement Parts (100134318) at CambriaBike.com
This is what the rebound cart looks like:








So I guess that would be #2 in the prior image. Bottom Loader is #11, but there does not appear to be a direct connection between the two.

To disassemble, I'm thinking:

let all the air out, maybe turn down the OTT?
flip fork
remove Bottom Loader [25mm socket, right?]
if rebound damper unit is accessible without dumping the oil, undo the nut and have at 'er, otherwise...
flip fork back
drain oil on damper side - cycle a few times
compress fork and strap it down so it stays that way
flip fork upside down again
commence rebound stack fiddling

I assume I'm missing a step or three... Comments?

EDIT: Just realized that it's probably possible to pull the rebound damper out the TOP of the fork by removing the top cap assembly and just pulling it out. Anyone try that?


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> EDIT: Just realized that it's probably possible to pull the rebound damper out the TOP of the fork by removing the top cap assembly and just pulling it out. Anyone try that?


Pinkrobe,
I don't think you'll be able to pull the main piston and rod out the top...see the two threaded plugs...one is the top, and the other looks like it is screwed into the top of the stanchion.

Hey, when you have the fork open, would you mind taking a couple of measurements if I send you a marked up pic of where? What I'm seeing in that main piston/rod pic is DVO might have simplified and reduced cost of the rebound assembly to get the fork out to the market quicker. I think there might be an opportunity to slip in a mid-stroke shim stack, and a more complex dual stage rebound stack. If you're in, can you PM me your email so I can get the pic to you? TIA 

Edit: I have an Avy Woodie getting reworked right now. If the measurements pan out, I'll be able to get some bits from Avy and attempt the mid-stroke and dual stage rebound mod. Here, check out the Avy cartridge's rebound assembly: Cartridge Revalve, MidValve kit and Special Tools
Just for clarification, this main piston/rod assembly pictured in the Avy link is in the fork from the top plug. The Emerald is mounted in the same manner.


----------



## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Pau11y said:


> Pinkrobe,
> I don't think you'll be able to pull the main piston and rod out the top...see the two threaded plugs...one is the top, and the other looks like it is screwed into the top of the stanchion.
> 
> Hey, when you have the fork open, would you mind taking a couple of measurements if I send you a marked up pic of where? What I'm seeing in that main piston/rod pic is DVO might have simplified and reduced cost of the rebound assembly to get the fork out to the market quicker. I think there might be an opportunity to slip in a mid-stroke shim stack, and a more complex dual stage rebound stack. If you're in, can you PM me your email so I can get the pic to you? TIA


PM sent.

The fork oil you were writing about before - was that Golden Spectro 5wt? I notice on the DVO site, it talks about Motul 5wt, but your exchange with Ronnie mentions 125/150, which is 7.5wt? Confusion!


----------



## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> PM sent.
> 
> The fork oil you were writing about before - was that Golden Spectro 5wt? I notice on the DVO site, it talks about Motul 5wt, but your exchange with Ronnie mentions 125/150, which is 7.5wt? Confusion!


I'll take Ronnie's word on the oil weight... 
The Spectro 5wt actually is lighter when tested. Seems everything's about 2wt off (lighter) from label vs tested. But, I also read somewhere that viscosity doesn't have that much of a change to damping...so it might be all for not...

I'l mark up the pic at work tomorrow and email it out. But basically, I just need for you to see about that little black thing on top of the main piston, if that little black thing is removable, if so, what is its diameter and the diameter of the rod under it and if it's the same diameter as where the main piston sits on that shaft. I'll also need a pic of the main piston to see if it is ported so I can mount some shims on the top/rod side of the piston face 

If the Avy mid-valve kit can be dropped right on there...HOLY CRAP would that be a SICK upgrade! Also, I'm eyeballing that rebound stack and it's super simple! If you can put in a 18mm x 0.10mm and a 16 x 0.1 shim between the 21 and 20, you'd get a more open LSR and no real change on the HSR, which is pretty good as is.

And yes, I am that much of a maniac to mess w/ a $2300 fork 

Edit: I take back the quick to market comment. Upon closer inspection, it looks like that black top hat looking thing is not movable and it has a rebound bypass port on the side of it. So, no mid-stroke valve opportunity. But, there seems to be room on the shaft for more shims, so still good for more complex rebound stack.


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## csermonet (Feb 2, 2009)

Pau11y said:


> I'll take Ronnie's word on the oil weight...
> The Spectro 5wt actually is lighter when tested. Seems everything's about 2wt off (lighter) from label vs tested. But, I also read somewhere that viscosity doesn't have that much of a change to damping...so it might be all for not...


The labeled "WT" on the front of the bottle is virtually useless. You should know this before starting to mess with shim arrangements in your fork. You need to be looking at the centistoke value for the particular oil in question, as well as viscosity index. There are many instances of brands relabeling oil with different WT values. For instance, Rockshox may take a Maxima 5wt oil and rebottle it in Rockshox packaging and have it labeled at 10WT. alas, useless. When looking for a substitute for suspension fluid, DO NOT use the WT labeled on the bottle as reference.

DO NOT GO BY LABLED OIL WEIGHT! Not only is this a poor way to decide which oil to use, but each manufacturer seems to be on a different scale. For example Maxima RSF 7wt is actually lighter than Spectro 5wt and Silkolene Pro RSF 7.5wt is actually heavier than Showa SS-8 10wt. This is not a judgment about the quality of these oils, just that the 'weight' label leads to a lot of trouble when trying to tune with suspension oils.

Read: Suspension Fluid - Pvdwiki

Oil Chart: https://www.peterverdone.com/wiki/images/a/a7/PVD-ISO-Viscosity-Data.gif


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

csermonet said:


> The labeled "WT" on the front of the bottle is virtually useless. You should know this before starting to mess with shim arrangements in your fork. You need to be looking at the centistoke value for the particular oil in question, as well as viscosity index. There are many instances of brands relabeling oil with different WT values. For instance, Rockshox may take a Maxima 5wt oil and rebottle it in Rockshox packaging and have it labeled at 10WT. alas, useless. When looking for a substitute for suspension fluid, DO NOT use the WT labeled on the bottle as reference.
> 
> DO NOT GO BY LABLED OIL WEIGHT! Not only is this a poor way to decide which oil to use, but each manufacturer seems to be on a different scale. For example Maxima RSF 7wt is actually lighter than Spectro 5wt and Silkolene Pro RSF 7.5wt is actually heavier than Showa SS-8 10wt. This is not a judgment about the quality of these oils, just that the 'weight' label leads to a lot of trouble when trying to tune with suspension oils.
> 
> ...


You might want to compare the WT values I cited to the brand on this table:

https://www.qemsc.com.au/documents/suspensionoils.pdf


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

sorry but now any body ride 10-20 psi lower than recommend incl. I.. normally that your guys have slow rebound effect!!! when i think to the this video back in time:
you can see in two parts of the ride like the fork works in the middle and the end of the video!!





Dvo-Action from 8664 on Vimeo.

219lb race ready:
90psi 
1lsc
1hsc
8RB
13turns OTT

maybe you not use full travel but i was plusher and faster on the course and less arm bump.

,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

now with
219 race ready
78psi
hsc 1
lsc 1
RB 6
ott39 klicks

it feels plusher but the ride is harder!!!!


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Just talked to Ronnie, and he confirmed everything that Pau11y was saying. However, to access the rebound shim stack, the rod has to be unbolted from the top cap (12mm locknut). I should be able to do this on Friday, and will post pics and guidance.

Edit: shims have 8mm ID.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

*DVO Emerald Rebound Shim Stack Mod*

I asked Ronnie whether I could get away with setting the shim stack for super-fast rebound, and he said yes, just run a 21 and a 16. Running a 21 and an 18 is quieter, but gives approximately the same range of adjustment. Here's what I did:

1. Always start with a clean work surface.









2. Remove fork leg. This was Ronnie's suggestion, and it makes things waaaaay easier, and only takes a few extra minutes. Before you remove the fork leg, loosen the top cap [30mm socket] and the Bottom Loader [25mm socket]. If you can't remove the fork leg [4mm bolts, 3mm bolts], think twice about doing this mod.








I didn't have a 30mm socket, so I used a headset wrench. Remember those?









3. Remove the Bottom Loader.

















4. Dump the oil into a handy receptacle. You'll need to cycle the leg a bit to get it all out, but there will still be some hiding in the leg to drip onto the floor, your work bench, your pants, etc. 









5. Unscrew the top cap from fork leg, back the green locknut off using a 12mm wrench whilst holding the top cap with the 30mm socket/wrench, and then unscrew it from the the rebound rod. You don't need to take off the rebound adjustment knob [I did using a 2mm hex, and it made no difference]. The rod is threaded through the green lock nut and into the top cap. 









It should look like this with the top cap and lock nut removed:









The rod is too slippery to just grip with your hand while you unscrew it from the top cap. Grasp it firmly with something grippy or it will just rotate in your hand. I wrapped it in rubber and held it in place with channel-lock pliers. With the top cap and lock nut off, the rod will literally drop right out of the fork leg, so be prepared to catch it.









6. To remove the nut holding the shim stack in place, use a 13mm wrench on the nut and hold the black part in place with an 8mm wrench. It's on there pretty good, but don't go into beast mode trying to get it off.









7. Remove the clamp shim [the thick washer-type thing].









8. Ease those shims off the threaded part of the damper body. I used the tip of a box cutter. From left to right, we have 21, 21, 20, 16, clamp shim.









9. For super-fast rebound, put on one of the 21mm shims, and then the 16mm, leaving the other 21 and the 20 off. All shims are 0.15mm thick and have an inside diameter of 8mm. Apparently, these are pretty common. Note that I have the nut on the wrong way in this photo. See step #5 above for the correct nut setup.









10. To reinstall your modified rebound damper, start at step 7 above and work your way back to the beginning. If your oil was contaminated or you spilled it or something, the fork leg requires 330cc of fork oil. No, you cannot use motor oil. Spectro Golden 7.5wt is what Ronnie uses for rebuilds stateside. I couldn't find that in my hood, so I ended up topping off with Bel-Ray 7wt [similar properties]. The fork didn't burst into flames, so it should be good. When putting the Bottom Loader back in, make sure the fork leg is fully extended. If it's compressed when the top cap and bottom loader are tightened up, you will create a vacuum when the fork is extended, and it will want to shoot back up into the body like a wang in cold water.

11. It's time...


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

awesome


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice thanks, but my rebound is super fast even with 78psi and 219lb rider wight.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

8664 said:


> nice thanks, but my rebound is super fast even with 78psi and 219lb rider wight.


Well, you could always slow down your rebound by adding another 20mm shim and removing the 16...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

no, the dvo stock setup shim are okay... i am 100kg never had a slow rebound..
have you not problems with the 3500gr dvo fork, to make manual, to steer ?


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

8664 said:


> have you not problems with the 3500gr dvo fork, to make manual, to steer ?


Nope


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

the 3500gr is real and its thru ... to lift the front wheel on ride is a pain .. if you before ride a 2650gr fork! i going up to a 2015 boxer team with charger damper..


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

8664 said:


> no, the dvo stock setup shim are okay... i am 100kg never had a slow rebound..
> have you not problems with the 3500gr dvo fork, to make manual, to steer ?


Rebound is in the hand of the bar-holder...
If I can't make manual on my road bike with a 450g fork and 800g wheel+tire, I sure as **** won't be making manual with a 3500g fork and 2000g wheel+tire...
To steer is good. Steer is quick and confident.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

pinkrobe said:


> Rebound is in the hand of the bar-holder...


Wax-poetic on a suspension thread? Brave man!


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Pau11y said:


> Wax-poetic on a suspension thread? Brave man!


Waxing poetic
It's how I roll, my good chum
Channeling the ride


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

whats about the unsuspended bulk on the DVO, 300gr oil in the down leg and 400gr cta mounted on the down leg "wheel"? this is what i mean "lift" the fork under downhill ride is different to other forks like bos rare, boxer. ...


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

Shims and lighter oil arrives today. Kinda lined out a tune to try. Well post the tune and ride impression as I'll be going up to Trestle tomorrow.


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## ianjenn (Aug 1, 2004)

8664 said:


> whats about the unsuspended bulk on the DVO, 300gr oil in the down leg and 400gr cta mounted on the down leg "wheel"? this is what i mean "lift" the fork under downhill ride is different to other forks like bos rare, boxer. ...


I will take the 1 lbs extra for lower service times and having the ability to rebuild fast if needed. Also the fork works well it is very controlled.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

ianjenn said:


> I will take the 1 lbs extra for lower service times and having the ability to rebuild fast if needed. Also the fork works well it is very controlled.


And, that extra pound...I can't feel it when on trail. But then, I'm coming from an Avy cart'd 38mm 888 WC w/ about 330 ml of oil in EACH leg.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

don't start with step #11, but i you do, do it in moderation!


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

*Retuned the shim stacks*

As shipped per Ronnie (all shims are 0.15mm out of the box):
Rebound 
base 
21 
21 
20 
16 
16 
clamp

Compression
base
22
13
20
13
17
14 
clamp 
Oil used by DVO is 125/150 (7.5wt). ~300ml fill.
**This tune is ENTIRELY too slow/overdamped. I pretty much had everything wide open even after break-in. I also notice my hands would get tired pretty quickly.

New tune (everything in red is 0.10mm, else, I reused the 01.5mm):
Rebound 
base 
21
18
15
21 
20 
16 
16 (removed) 
clamp

Compression
base
22
20
18
13
20
19
18
13
17
16 (added) 
14 
clamp
I changed the oil to 85/150 (5wt) Spectro fork cartridge fluid.
Air pressure is 73psi on a Fox digital shock pump. 330ml of oil as per the manual. I may take out ~20ml to get deeper travel. I was using only 7", even dropping a 10 footer to a good tranny.
This brought everything to a more usable range.
Rebound: 10 clicks from full open out of 38, set up pretty fast for jump lines
LSC: 9 clicks from full open out of 26, a compromise for supple and g-outs
HSC: 5 clicks from full open out of 33. This is still pretty open, but that additional 16 shim to the stack offers pretty good high speed support.

The ride, paired to an Avy Woodie that is tuned w/ fastish rebound for the '14 Canfield Jedi, is now MUCH more poppy! Before the tune, I was having issues clearing some tables and getting up on step-ups, unless I was moving at mach-looney. With this tune, I over-shot a couple even while feathering brakes. On the HSC, that step-up I was having issues getting up on went into a pretty tight berm that was almost 180 degrees, then you send it off a ~10 ft drop. The fork was good before, but now, it's like coming down on a memory foam mattress! Next time out I'll take it down some chunder. Trestle Downhill was REALLY busy today w/ a race scheduled on it tomorrow. But, what chunks I did hit, it felt like it had a pretty good bit of suppleness in the start of the fork, and would ramp up very nicely when it got deep. Pretty happy w/ this tweak.

Oh, I also backed off the OTT to a point where when I lifted the front of the bike, I no longer felt the front wheel drop...maybe 25 clicks...?

BTW, I'm 190 kitted up.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

@Pau11y
why you say the dvo is overdamped? do you think dvo engineer sale a $2200 fork overdamped where is two years testet and have such a big internet promotion $$... ?
than they failed full with the emerald product!!


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

8664 said:


> @Pau11y
> why you say the dvo is overdamped? do you think dvo engineer sale a $2200 fork overdamped where is two years testet and have such a big internet promotion $$... ?
> than they failed full with the emerald product!!


Yeah, it is over damped with the stock tune. Especially the rebound and HSC to a lesser extent.


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## GH28 (Jun 16, 2014)

Pau11y said:


> Compression
> base
> 22
> 20
> ...


That 16 in your 3rd stage of the stack is not doing anything noticeable for you, guarantee it. Basically you're expecting the 2nd 18mm to flex up and bend up the 17mm enough for the 16mm to have noticeable support on it?? Doubtful. If it were a single stage, maybe, but your other two stages are allowing plenty of port opening and modulation towards the outside, independent of a 3rd stage intermediate shim.

If you're noticing increased high speed support, that's work being done by the 20/19/18 in the second stage, which is a pretty dense stack, compared to the rest of the valve.

There is only about 15cc of oil going through that valve. If the rod diameter were WAY larger and displacing more oil through it, maybe....but even then, still not likely.


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## GH28 (Jun 16, 2014)

Pau11y said:


> FYI, that 125/150 is ~ 5.36 (Maxima) and 5.25 (Spectro). Avalanche specs 85/150 which works out to ~ 3.51 (Maxima) and 3.82 (Spectro). I used Showa SS7 in my old 888 w/ an Avy cart, 3.77.
> 
> I'm thinking unless the oil is contaminated, a thorough clean won't be necessary...just a full drain (and you'll be able to see if there's any crap in it) then replace w/ lighter.


Also do NOT use the Maxima stuff with the DVO or the Dorado as a general FYI. The BelRay stuff should be fine. Spectro and Motul are both fine too.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

GH28 said:


> That 16 in your 3rd stage of the stack is not doing anything noticeable for you, guarantee it. Basically you're expecting the 2nd 18mm to flex up and bend up the 17mm enough for the 16mm to have noticeable support on it?? Doubtful. If it were a single stage, maybe, but your other two stages are allowing plenty of port opening and modulation towards the outside, independent of a 3rd stage intermediate shim.
> 
> If you're noticing increased high speed support, that's work being done by the 20/19/18 in the second stage, which is a pretty dense stack, compared to the rest of the valve.
> 
> There is only about 15cc of oil going through that valve. If the rod diameter were WAY larger and displacing more oil through it, maybe....but even then, still not likely.


Okay, I'll take your word for what it's worth. If that 16 isn't doing anything, than no harm/no foul. But pulling it out of the rebound stack did do something...something pretty nice IMO...or maybe I'm on glue...who knows. But, the fork is very noticeably more open now. And, for what it's worth, I'm leaving it w/ the posted tune.

BTW, I referred to this site when I decided to break up the 0.15mm thick shim into three...there's an equivalency table above the ordering part, towards the bottom of the page (Avy's moto side, sister page): Revalving Shims

Actually, I need to add in some other bit of info:
The manual called for 330ml of oil and I think this is a bit much. When I cracked open the fork, I drained ~300ml of oil from it. But when I filled it w/ the lighter stuff, I brought it back up to 330. This made the fork ramp up too drasticallly towards the end of stroke, and I wasn't able to get into the last inch of its travel. I think I have it down to ~305ml now, and am able to dip into that last inch off of a 10 ft drop into good transition now. That said, if you're throwing 75/80ft WC level gaps into chunks, it might be okay for you. Me, the biggest I was bootin' was ~60 w/ a good tranny on landing.


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

8664 said:


> @Pau11y
> why you say the dvo is overdamped? do you think dvo engineer sale a $2200 fork overdamped where is two years testet and have such a big internet promotion $$... ?
> than they failed full with the emerald product!!


Dood, their own site has set up a tuning howto...from what I gathered, they expect you to tweak and tinker. THAT is actually an incredibly wise thing for them to do! I don't consider what you seem to suggest...an engineering failure. But, how's about you rethink your own perspective on what they're doing...elevating ppl's tech know how. To me, it's a TOTAL WIN! And oh yeah, they prob had WC racers test their stuff, while a pretty good segment of ppl who buy these forks are NOT at that level.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

Pau11y said:


> Dood, their own site has set up a tuning howto...from what I gathered, they expect you to tweak and tinker. THAT is actually an incredibly wise thing for them to do! I don't consider what you seem to suggest...an engineering failure. But, how's about you rethink your own perspective on what they're doing...elevating ppl's tech know how. To me, it's a TOTAL WIN! And oh yeah, they prob had WC racers test their stuff, while a pretty good segment of ppl who buy these forks are NOT at that level.


and after your tuning the fork is not longer degressive? is it now progressive, soft in the begining and ramp up?


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## GH28 (Jun 16, 2014)

Right. 0.1's are great for forks, especially for LS shims in either direction.

Did you ever try the same comp stack as stock but with 0.1's instead of 0.15's?


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## Pau11y (Oct 15, 2004)

GH28 said:


> Did you ever try the same comp stack as stock but with 0.1's instead of 0.15's?


No, the thinking is it would be WAY too light...seeing as how there are 2, 21 x 0.15, and if that conversion table is correct, that would be 6, 21 x 0.10s.

Why I tapered it was I was trying to not affect the HSC as much, while getting the flex to play more during LSC events. I figured w/ the lighter oil, the HSC would work out correctly (more open) if I didn't mess w/ it much while the LSC would be more open due to the larger shims flexing out of the way easier/faster/more. The 1st stage doesn't have much to go before it bumped into the 2nd stage, where I guessed the mid-stroke would/should kick in. This is where the bulk of my issues were (LSC and, for a lack of a better term, MSC). The high speed did soften up a bit too, but it wasn't so much where I bottomed the fork off of every huck. Actually, I have yet to feel the fork bottom, even w/ the lighter oil and the lighter shims.

For my weight and where/how I ride, it's pretty damn spot-on.


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## pinkrobe (Jan 30, 2004)

Still tinkering with mine. Rocky chunder at medium speed is easily handled, and I'm feeling better about Whizzler braking bumps too. I think I may need to look at compression next...


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## Yvan (Aug 2, 2014)

My little contribution to get consistent results with your OTT adjustments:

*Always start with a fork having the same configuration, with known air pressures in both legs.*

This is the easiest procedure for the Emerald:

-Unscrew the top cap of the damping side (right leg)
-Release the air pressure of the spring side (left leg)
-Compress the fork fully down
-Unscrew the top cap of the spring side to release any negative air pressure
-Close the cap of the spring side with the fork fully compressed down
-Set the required OTT
-Pump the fork to the required air pressure
-Close the cap of the damping side with the fork fully extended

By doing this you always get the same negative air pressure on the upper
part of the spring side and get no negative air pressure on upper part of the damping side.

This procedure also avoids screwing the spring cap with seals and other parts under pressure.

For the next OTT adjustments, just release the air pressure, turn the knob and set the air pressure again.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

nice


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## Yvan (Aug 2, 2014)

*Use oil level instead of volume for the amount of oil you have in the damping side of your Emerald*, measuring the height of the oil in the leg is far more accurate than the volume of oil you actually pour in the leg and the one staying the jar.

How to proceed:
-Unscrew the top cap of the damping side (right leg)
-Release the air pressure of the spring side (left leg)
-Compress the fork fully down
-Unscrew the top cap of the spring side
-Pull the damping rod completely out and measure the distance between the upper part of the tube and the oil level.
-Adjust the oil level according to your needs
-Pump the fork back to the required air pressure
-Close the cap of the damping side with the fork fully extended

This measurement will help you to adjust the air chamber on the top of the damping side of the Emerald (right leg). This air chamber has a strong effect on the last part of the travel of the fork. You paid for 203 mm of travel, why not use it completely?
If your fork is working perfectly on the upper and middle part of the travel, but you're not using the whole travel, you can remove some mm of oil and increase the air chamber. The opposite if you want to be more progressive or avoid bottoming.


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## 8664 (Oct 17, 2005)

best fork ever!!


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## Alexandru Blaj (May 21, 2021)

Hello, I know it's lazy to put this question but what oil do you guys recommend for my emerald?


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

Alexandru Blaj said:


> Hello, I know it's lazy to put this question but what oil do you guys recommend for my emerald?








Emerald | DVO Suspension Tech Website







tech.dvosuspension.com


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## Alexandru Blaj (May 21, 2021)

Hi, my emerald started to make a weird noise that i can also feel, it's like a vibration ( damping side only ) when the fork returns to the initial position after beeing compressed, i also raced in very dry conditions when this happend and i tought it may be the dust so i cleaned everything and changed the oil but nothing happend. Could anyone help me ? I have a video, here is the link


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

Alexandru Blaj said:


> Hi, my emerald started to make a weird noise that i can also feel, it's like a vibration ( damping side only ) when the fork returns to the initial position after beeing compressed, i also raced in very dry conditions when this happend and i tought it may be the dust so i cleaned everything and changed the oil but nothing happend. Could anyone help me ? I have a video, here is the link


 call DVO


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## Gemini2k05 (Apr 19, 2005)

Wow so crazy the fork is 7 years old with no updates.


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## shwinn8 (Feb 25, 2006)

Gemini2k05 said:


> Wow so crazy the fork is 7 years old with no updates.


Its been that good!


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## SHIVER ME TIMBERS (Jan 12, 2004)

shwinn8 said:


> Emerald | DVO Suspension Tech Website
> 
> 
> 
> ...


golden spectra 7.5 weight


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