Paioli Fork Oil Levels - Mixed Messages

[seavoyage]

Re: Paioli 38mm RSD forks (GasGas 1995-2001, Beta 2006-2010, Sherco 1997-2009) not Marzocchi 40mm

Jim Snell and Bill de Garis both recommend 280cc 5W on the Right (Rebound) fork leg and 330cc 7.5W on the Left (Spring) fork leg.

On this forum there's an opinion that the damper rod orifice are so large that changing the oil viscosity on the Left leg doesn't make much of a difference in compression dampening, but the air gap does affect the last 1/3 of the stroke. With this observation the opinion is oil in the Left leg at most helps lubricate, but doesn't have much on an impact on dampening.

On another site: The Hell Team recommends

Oil Quantity

Right leg: 370ml 5W (+ or - 5cc)

Left leg: 355ml 5W (+ or - 5cc)

SUSPENSION _ FRONT FORKS.

Here is a translation from the X4 Trials Team (Scorpa Italy) in Europe re front fork adjustment , it was specifically written for Scorpa Paoli Forks, but the concepts can be used across the board.

Standard settings from Scorpa/Paoli for the 2007 Front Forks are:

Left Leg (Pre-load): 4.5 turns

Right Leg (rebound/Compression):

9 Clicks anti-clockwise (31 clicks in total - turn fully clockwise until stopped, then 9 turns back.)

The Splat Shop says Sherco recommends:

Right 5W 55mm air gap

Left 5W 115mm air gap w/ springs in

What are your recommendations for a 150 lbs. rider?

Edited March 27, 2013 by seavoyage

[axulsuv]

Would these be the same Paoli 38 mm forks that are on my 97 fantic section ?

Glenn

[lineaway]

You have lumped all those forks together. They were not the same between brands and changed through the years! I`d go with Snells notes.

[seavoyage]

You have lumped all those forks together. They were not the same between brands and changed through the years! I`d go with Snells notes.

it seems that the internals and fork tube dimensions were the same in this Paioli model over the years. Paioli supplied the fork to GasGas, Beta, and Sherco. The evolutionary changes over the 2-decades were: the finish on the fork tube, design changes on the cross-brace/fender mounting bracket, the top of the slider was either fixed or in GasGas 1996- rotated off, and the adjustment knobs on top of the forks changed.

I experimented with 5W and 7.5W at 330 cc on the Left (Spring/Preload) leg and could not tell a difference in compression dempening.The information I found on this forum argues that the passage orifices and end cone are so large that they don't offer much restriction in fluid flow between 5W and 10W fluid. I took 50cc out of the Left leg and could tell the difference (softeat bottom of the stroke) with the larger air gap. On the Right Leg with the Rebound cartridge, I could definitely tell thye difference between 5W and 7.5W suspension fuid. There was a diifference in end-stroke stiffness between the 280cc and 330cc.in the Right Fork leg.

Edited March 27, 2013 by seavoyage

[lineaway]

Beta Techno`s also ran the Paoli`s from `96-`99. Straight out of the Paoli service manual. 360cc per leg, both 5wt. Tat is with a complete rebuild.(dry) Measurements were with the forks collapsed no spring. 125mm and 70mm.

[tlrmark]

Beta Techno`s also ran the Paoli`s from `96-`99. Straight out of the Paoli service manual. 360cc per leg, both 5wt. Tat is with a complete rebuild.(dry) Measurements were with the forks collapsed no spring. 125mm and 70mm.

Montesa 315 1997-1999 also used the 38 mm Paoli fork. Oil quantity specified in factory manual 360cc per side, no difference in quantity between rebound side and compression side. I tried many combinations of viscosity and oil quantity and always went back to stock specified oil quantity and 7 weight oil. (5 weight specified) I am 150 lbs.