Topeak Road Morph maintenance
 

I've had this pump for about a year now and recently it is starting to act up on me. When I pump up a tire, the pump body gets really warm to the touch. Occasionally it gets really difficult to pump, or sometimes instead of getting difficult to pump, it will occasionally just pump too easily but not produce any results (no pressure builds up). Are pumps supposed to be oiled or have some other maintenance done to it every now and then or is it just time for a new pump? If I remember correctly, this was a sort of expensive pump. I'd like to think that I should get more than one year use out of it. I have been using it for two bikes as a travel pump as well as a home pump.

take it apart (unscrew the handle/plunger assembly from the body) and grease the plunger O ring before its too late. heavy grease.

pick up a spare O-ring and head gasket....a well outfitted bike shop will have replacement O rings and gaskets in a Topeak spare parts kit.

i don't think this pump is user servicable. i couldnt even open mine.

yes, it sounds like the seal has become unseated and is binding.

fortunately these pumps are inexpensive.

The black plastic piece on top of the barrel unscrews. Gives you access to the guts.

jcwitte: Heating of the barrel is normal. You get that anytime you compress air. The other problems are unrelated to it. You probably need a new o-ring like Bekologist says.

I took it apart last night to look at it and figured it had to do with a bad o-ring. I added some chain lube and it seems okay now. I'll add some heavy grease and see about getting a new o-ring. I think I'm also going to pick up a floor pump. Thanks.

Stuart,

I know this is an old post but I came across it in a search. How do you unscrew the top part? The clip which holds the hose just keeps rotation, and I cant get the top to open.

Would appreciatte any help.

Thanks.

There's a collar with threads just above the clip.

http://www.borealphoto.com/photos/753775664_VP5Kx-M.jpg

Thanks, I realize that but am flummoxed as to how to unscrew it. Currently, I just injected some oil thru the holes at the top and it seems to have worked. Still would love to open and lube it correctly.

I always just grabbed the part that unscrews and unscrewed it with my fingers. If that doesn't work use some type of plier. A rebuild kit is readily available from Topeak, if you contact them via email they will more likely than not send one gratis,

After reading all the post, I figured I should try doing that just in case. No luck at all with fingers or pliers. The cap ring is very thin on mine and the head clip is not the same as in the picture . Maybe they used different caps on some. There are two small depressions in the top of the cap that look like they may take a spring type lock ring tool that might unscrew the cap. IDK.. I am gonna call them Monday and ask some questions. The O ring should be easily serviceable. No service manual available on line.

1-800-250-3068 Topeak #?

800-213-4561 Todson # Their service company.

Once you reach someone, they get good reviews for assistance and even free parts. I had good luck a year ago getting a new cap for the business end of the pump, but after the $5 shipping charge for a 50 cent part, it wasn't exactly free. Maybe the O ring is available locally.

I have a Road Morph G model I've used for years, it's a really good frame-mountable pump.

Based on the recommendation of a BF member in Commuting, I recently I bought a Lezyne Micro pump without the gauge (inline gauges are inaccurate on every pump I've tried).

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Le...mp/5360040907/

It's a really nice pump, with a foot anchor and long hose so that it functions just like a RM. It's smaller than the RM and takes more strokes for the same volume/pressure. It weighs less and has a much neater/higher quality feel to it. I think it would look better to the traditionalists out there, since it almost completely lacks graphics - just bright polished aluminum.

The Lezyne valve fitting screws onto presta valve and is easier, more secure and leaks less air on removal than the RM's cam clamping chuck. I've learned that the actual attachment to the valve can really make or break a pump.

I'd pick it over the RM today.

In case you're still flummoxed, the collar screws in the metal tube. The part with the clip has no thread.

Thanks for expanding my English vocabulary. :D

After a call to Topeak's service company, Judson, they confirmed that the thin edged cap just above the hose hook, will indeed unscrew. If you don't have a pair of pliers with you, the locking protrusions on the base of the handle can be finessed to do the job.

They need a minor redesign of this cap, thicker with a serrated edge, to make it easier to loosen. Or redesign the base of the handle so it can be used to unscrew the cap.

OT a little, but anyone tried the Lezyne mini floor pump? So far my road morph is just fine...

http://spicercycles.com/product/lezy...u4215-qc37.htm

no, never.....

I'm getting a Lezyne maybe today. Loved the look of it on a friends bike, and he loves the pump too. Ordered for my retro touring bike. Should go well with it and hoipe it performs as well as it looks.

You can do this -- that's precisely how I took my Road Morph apart today. What you do is insert the handle partway so that the little protrusion normally keeps the handle from popping up when the pump is stowed contacts the part that holds it in place.

Another way you could possibly unscrew the top if you couldn't grab the edge with pliers (not clear on why this wouldn't be easy with medium vice grips) is to put two small nails in the holes and grab those. Pliers sounds like the easy way.

When I disassembled mine, I found that the O ring was garbage from having lots of crap wash down into the tube. I got a new O ring from the LBS, put a teeny bit of pro link in the tube since it was a little rough, and had no trouble pumping my tires up past 100psi. BTW, shooting a tiny bit of thin lube down the holes would enable you to lube it. But if you're having trouble, you should really get the crap out of the tube and replace the ring.

Disassembling these things is easy -- there is no reason to pitch one just because they misbehave.

Buy a Topeak Joe Blow or similar for at home.... You'll thank me later. Save the mini pumps for the road.

I just took mine apart. The top part that some people are having problems with can be loosened with a pair of needle nose pliers. Mine happen to have a 45 degree bend at the nose which made it doublely easier to take apart. My pump was just getting pretty groady on the outside and I was thinking maybe crap was getting inside of it.

I guess there's no pdf on how all the parts come together? Good thing I took some pics of this thing while I was taking it apart.

Oh yeah, this pump has been one of the best things I ever bought for my bike. Love this thing (road morph). I don't think there's another frame pump that can pump a tire up to 120 pounds, is there? Also from my experience the gauge is not bad, but I don't even use it. Just pump it up to as far as I can.

I have a Lezyne Pressure Drive mini-pump and it will get to 100lbs pretty easily. I haven't tried to go any higher, though I suspect it would be possible. Unfortunately, the Lezyne is just a bit more fiddly than the Road Morph and having to pay an extra $20 for a pressure gauge irks me; I'll stick with the Road Morph...

A regular long skinny frame pump like a Zefal or Topeak will pump to 120 psi. I almost blew a tire off a rim with my Zefal when I was chatting one day. Had to let some air out.

I've used a Topeak Road Morph as my only pump for 12 years now. The first decade of service was problem free, but I've had to start babying it these last few years. Thankfully the pump is fully serviceable. My new replacement Road Morph has a different style but seems just as nice.

This resurrected thread reminded me to check the O ring in my Road Morph. I've done that before. For the life of me, I could not unscrew the securing ring where the handle fits. Almost as if Topeak hopes you won't be able too service the thing. So, I just squirted some chain lube thru the air holes, worked it a few times. Seems just fine.

A very simple redesign of the offending part would solve the problem. They know this.

After using both, I have to say while the Lezyne wins in the 'cool' division, I much prefer the Road Morph. Easy to use unlike the stupid screw on of the Lezyne.

i'm on the Turbo Morph G - it's one of the best constructed floor-pump-like pumps i've ever used, and is indispensable on a tour especially when the bike's loaded... smaller pumps would require a dismount of all panniers before pumping. the little hose makes is a lifesaver.

remember this. all extruded aluminum parts for simple products are of the same shape through the length of the extrude. which means all those black plastic parts WILL come off assuming you give it a good thought. it's usually hand-serviceable, need no tools. use a little observation, it'd go a long way.

cheers!