Dispute over Magura fork damage

[Caerus]

True , but we will only ever hear two , we wont get the third 100% correct .

True, Unless we all walk around with a GoPro on our heads.

 

The one thing I'm confused about regarding this, is that the OP says the fork was within warrenty when the problem first arose?

[Iron]

True, Unless we all walk around with a GoPro on our heads.

 

The one thing I'm confused about regarding this, is that the OP says the fork was within warrenty when the problem first arose?

 

Then he should have taken to Magura agents first , but never so its called "skool geld "

[Caerus]

Then he should have taken to Magura agents first , but never so its called "skool geld "

Fair enough. It makes me wonder how many people actually find out if a workshop or LBS is an agent before letting them work on the fork. There is only one I can think of for Fox in Durban, for while its still under warrenty.

[Tumbleweed]

How long is a Magura fork warranty?

[Grebel]

Fair enough. It makes me wonder how many people actually find out if a workshop or LBS is an agent before letting them work on the fork. There is only one I can think of for Fox in Durban, for while its still under warrenty.

 

One would assume that if a LBS is an agent for a brand of bike, then their staff would be trained to work on equipment spec'd for that bike. If not, one would hope that they would have the presence of mind to send any warranty claims to someone who is trained and accredited. Pick your LBS VERY carefully!

[madmarc]

Thanks to R who alerted me to this.

 

To the owner of this thread, Grant, lets look a the facts. It took me a while to piece this together since yo do have the habit of coming back three months after having a job done, then claiming you've done no riding and thus the problem was never gone. That may be so. But at least give me the courtesy of responding quicker so that the issue is still fresh in my mind.

 

Lets refer to the report from the Magura agent.

 

1) They noticed (just as one does in passing), that the wrong oil was used on a completely clean and disassembled fork. This is a pretty remarkable power of observation and would require access to a tribology laboratory, enough residual oil on the parts and of course direct evidence of oil damage. Oil doesn't damage parts in the way they suggest. Most unprofessional and a cheap shot. I suggest they tell us what oil was used in their opinion.

2) I agree that the damper should be replace and I'll get to that reason in due course.

3) In my opinion, the bushings are not worn. They are stained, as this type of nylon does, but not worn. Actually, it isn't my opinion. I micc'd them in the fore-aft and laeral positions and the difference is absolutely minimal. I'd like to compare my measurements with theirs. I thus dismiss this as a cheap shot with no apparent purpose.

 

My response to Grant was that the report was absolute rubbish and I think it should be clear why I say that.

 

Back to the fork. Grant's original damper broke. The folowing two pictures the break.

 

 

Here I've separated the top part of the damper. What you see there is a neat, precision break at the crimping. The damper is manufacturered by inserting a machined piece into an aluminium tube and then crimped. The crimping is a weak point since the damper, under lockout resists force in the direction of the black part. Repeated strain fatigued the paper-thin crimp and it separated.

 

Have another look.

 

The break is so neat that you won't believe it should be one part but the two grey parts should be joined.

 

I replaced his damper with a scrap one. Not optimal, due to the scratches and dents.

 

As can be seen in this photo.

And this one

 

However, it was an attempt to help Grant.

 

The fix worked for a while but eventually enough oil leaked past the dents in the alu to prevent the damper from working properly. Eventually, all the oil settled in the bottom of the fork and pops the seals. I showed Grant this but sometimes it is better not to explain things to some people. They think just because something was "serviced" it is now immune to all ills.

 

A note on Magura forks.

 

All forks, and I suppose, everything in life, as drawbacks.The magura's aluminium compression ring is follly. It isn't good practice to allow a sliding element like this to be made from aluminium. There's good reason why every single, (read all others) fork companies make their compression rids from hard-chromed steel. Secondly, that crimping proces is dodgy. They should consider epoxy, which will not weaken the structure that much.

 

I can only do so much for someone. If they don't want to report problems promptly, they don't do anyone any favours. Gant failed to mention that I dropped everything else I'm doing and helped him immediately - each time. No que, no wait.

 

More I don't want to do.

 

Hahaha...... Be warned when you take on the Boringman on all things technical, you better have all the facts and opinions of the masters at hand or your demise will be swift and painfull.

[ChUkKy]

Last year April I bought myself a Merida 96er

 

Half this okes problem is because he rides a 96er... thats a light years ahead of the 29ers

[Edge_Design]

Would I be correct in thinking the OP was supplied with a faulty part? He may have understood it was second hand, but did he understand it was faulty and a voetstoots transaction? If not then he possibly does have a claim there (even if it was done with the best intentions, it didn't work out the way it was intended unfortunately - nothing personal against the workshop, merely a response to the facts given). If what Johan says is correct then it appears as if you should have gone to your insurer or to Magura for a warranty claim when the faulty/damaged part was originally discovered rather than fitting the dodgy used part. A MTB fork should be designed to take sudden knocks (if it was a rock rather than a pavement then everyone would take it as normal riding rather than an accident, but same principle) as far as I'm concerned and it should have been a warranty claim if the internals failed from that knock...

 

Seems like a pity, but it probably is the incorrect time now to start trying to claim from anyone after you have accepted a unsuitable repair job to the fork as that could have created further damage and made it impossible for anyone to properly assess the situation now (you are after all asking them to part with their own money here which no-one really wants to do!).

[Tumbleweed]

Half this okes problem is because he rides a 96er... thats a light years ahead of the 29ers

 

Then the warranty should cover him for at least 10 trillion kilometres of riding.

 

Been trying to find the Magura warranty on the net, and most peg it at 2 years.

[ThePubSA]

I thought it was three, your side, my side and then the truth?

True, Unless we all walk around with a GoPro on our heads.

 

The one thing I'm confused about regarding this, is that the OP says the fork was within warrenty when the problem first arose?

100%,need a fly on the wall go-pro

[Cassie]

For this one...and also based on Yellow Saddle's response...I'll put my vote with JB.

 

He will NOT let inferior products leave his workshop...he is far too profesional for that. (so, even if he replaced with a previously used part...he would have made sure that it is as good as new for that spesific purpose)...

 

In all my dealing so far with JB...I can say that I'll trust him and his proffessional opinion without a doubt! The man is a perfectionist...end of story!!

 

Note to all future insurance claims...MAKE BLOODY WELL SURE THE ITEM IS GOOD AND BROKEN!!! Drive over it with you car if need be...then you'r claim might be succesful!! ha ha ha...

[TiBones]

For this one...and also based on Yellow Saddle's response...I'll put my vote with JB.

 

He will NOT let inferior products leave his workshop...he is far too profesional for that. (so, even if he replaced with a previously used part...he would have made sure that it is as good as new for that spesific purpose)...

 

In all my dealing so far with JB...I can say that I'll trust him and his proffessional opinion without a doubt! The man is a perfectionist...end of story!!

 

Note to all future insurance claims...MAKE BLOODY WELL SURE THE ITEM IS GOOD AND BROKEN!!! Drive over it with you car if need be...then you'r claim might be succesful!! ha ha ha...

 

+1000 for JB

[Tumbleweed]

Two things still bug me here:

 

The fork is said to be out of warranty, but no one says what the warranty period is.

 

Scrap to me means it can be recycled. That suggests that, apart from cosmetic damage - dents and scratches - it's good to go. Seems that wasn't the case.

[Andymann]

Here's the thing though - Sometimes it pays a Manufacturer (in this case Magura) to make a goodwill call. We used to do it many times at Yamaha, where we knew the customer was stretching the truth, but chose to offer assistance (50% discount on parts, etc, etc)anyway. We actually used to allocate a small part of our margin for goodwill calls. 45 replies to this topic, most discussing the negatives and shortcomings of the Magura fork, and even a few suggestions to change to Fox or Rockshox. For a brand trying to build in SA, the R2500 retail price of the repairs (most likely not more than 100 Euro cost price) would have been money well spent by Magura. Who here in this forum will now baulk at a new bike fitted with a Magura fork or brakes I wonder?

[Skylark]

Here's the thing though - Sometimes it pays a Manufacturer (in this case Magura) to make a goodwill call. We used to do it many times at Yamaha, where we knew the customer was stretching the truth, but chose to offer assistance (50% discount on parts, etc, etc)anyway. We actually used to allocate a small part of our margin for goodwill calls. 45 replies to this topic, most discussing the negatives and shortcomings of the Magura fork, and even a few suggestions to change to Fox or Rockshox. For a brand trying to build in SA, the R2500 retail price of the repairs (most likely not more than 100 Euro cost price) would have been money well spent by Magura. Who here in this forum will now baulk at a new bike fitted with a Magura fork or brakes I wonder?

 

Not a chance in hell I'm buying a Magura Fork after seeing the shortcomings of this fork.... I have heard a few dodgy things about their fork designs and corresponding poor reliability before.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

Here's the thing though - Sometimes it pays a Manufacturer (in this case Magura) to make a goodwill call. We used to do it many times at Yamaha, where we knew the customer was stretching the truth, but chose to offer assistance (50% discount on parts, etc, etc)anyway. We actually used to allocate a small part of our margin for goodwill calls. 45 replies to this topic, most discussing the negatives and shortcomings of the Magura fork, and even a few suggestions to change to Fox or Rockshox. For a brand trying to build in SA, the R2500 retail price of the repairs (most likely not more than 100 Euro cost price) would have been money well spent by Magura. Who here in this forum will now baulk at a new bike fitted with a Magura fork or brakes I wonder?

 

Agree, I dont know a thing about bikes or shocks but I know a lot about business and in my opinion PR wise, I think, they (the agents) made a poor call.

Edited September 4, 2012 by GrumpyOldGuy