warriorhoneybee Posted May 31, 2011 #1 Posted May 31, 2011 i guess i'm doing something wrong or not understanding something.i just checked the air in the forks i think(pictures below)and the right one read 40 psi and the left one read 16psi, i thought it was only 7 psi max.what the h_l_ am i thinking or doing. HELP!!!! P.S. i ride a 06 second gen.
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted May 31, 2011 #2 Posted May 31, 2011 Not exactly sure of the 2nd gen pressure but I believe 1st gen was about 12 psi so you must be very close. The 1st gens had a x-over to ballance the air equally... the second gen did not...... so yes they can be un even. Yours is kinda extreem but if someone that was unaware of the maximum hit that little shrader with an air line at the local gas bar yup 40 psi is there so fast you barely knew you touched it. As I understand it the best way to deal with them is to buy a small hand pump from a hardware or bicycle shop and hand pump them...... as close to even as you can. You may wish to "play" with presures to see how you like the feel of them. I don't know for sure but I imagine that the "progressive springs" are out there for the 2nd gens also... I put them in my 1st gen and love them.... and no more air.
warriorhoneybee Posted May 31, 2011 Author #3 Posted May 31, 2011 thanks, i guess i need to lower them to 7 psi. i just rode it for about an hour,maybe i need to check them cool. just dont want to hurt them but i guess i've had it a year and no harm so who knows.
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted May 31, 2011 #4 Posted May 31, 2011 Yes you should always check them "cold".... it was close to 100 degrees there on the weekend so you bet the pressure will change if you have the bike out in the sun too.
V7Goose Posted May 31, 2011 #6 Posted May 31, 2011 Yes, 7 lbs is MAX on the front forks. If you do not have a small hand pump for suspension with a zero-loss chuck to check/set the pressure, then you need to just let all the air out until you get one. Goose
warriorhoneybee Posted May 31, 2011 Author #7 Posted May 31, 2011 thanks v7goose,i will do that right now.hope i didn't hurt anything in the forks. guess thats what i get for being a slacker.checked with my tire gauge but will go get one of those pumps today or tomorrow.which kind is perferred,i know harley has one of just get a bicycle one?
V7Goose Posted May 31, 2011 #8 Posted May 31, 2011 You cannot accurately check the forks unless you have a gauge with a zero-loss chuck. For proper handling, it is critical that the forks be EXACTLY the same - even 1/2 lb difference makes a noticeable change in handling. 0 lbs works perfect for most riders, but spirited cornering or max load will benefit from 5 - 7 lbs. The HD pump is just the Progressive pump with their logo - that is the most common one we use.
Galapagos Posted May 31, 2011 #9 Posted May 31, 2011 Not exactly sure of the 2nd gen pressure but I believe 1st gen was about 12 psi so you must be very close. The 1st gens had a x-over to ballance the air equally... the second gen did not...... so yes they can be un even. Yours is kinda extreem but if someone that was unaware of the maximum hit that little shrader with an air line at the local gas bar yup 40 psi is there so fast you barely knew you touched it. As I understand it the best way to deal with them is to buy a small hand pump from a hardware or bicycle shop and hand pump them...... as close to even as you can. You may wish to "play" with presures to see how you like the feel of them. I don't know for sure but I imagine that the "progressive springs" are out there for the 2nd gens also... I put them in my 1st gen and love them.... and no more air. Would I be able to convert the crossover from a first gen to my 2006 RSTD? There used to be a kit available but they quit selling it.
Seaking Posted May 31, 2011 #11 Posted May 31, 2011 As everyone was saying, 7 lbs MAX is all you want to put in there lest you start blowing seals and such.. man if you had 40 psi in one and 16 in the other, that must have been a wobbly bike in the turns or hard impacting bumps on the forks.. ouch. I'm hunting for one of those small progressive zero loss air chuck pumps.. I have a 0 to 60 psi pump and all you can do with that is bring the needle up to one of the lines, but its small increments.. If someone knows where to get a 0-10 same time pump, please DO let me know.. I've not been able to find one.. My bike handles super well with the progressive springs and some air.. currently 5 lbs but I can tell one is off a tad.. but it's the best I can do with the pump I have.. Cheers M8
etcswjoe Posted May 31, 2011 #12 Posted May 31, 2011 If you were sitting on the bike when you measured it you will get a higher reading also, don't know if it would be as high as yours.
Bugsplat Posted May 31, 2011 #13 Posted May 31, 2011 You can purchase a cross-over kit to balance both forks.
kevin-vic-b.c. Posted May 31, 2011 #14 Posted May 31, 2011 A bit of time at a hydrolic line suply shop and you would have everything you would need to make a cross kit. I am not real familiar with the 2nd gen so not sure how to route it to look correct. I make pneumatic suply lines for the heating systems out of 1/8 inch tubing and fittings to hold 20 psi all the time.... should not be difficult to do for a guy that is good with thought and a few tools. This being said I assume the air fittings on the shock towers thread in and out.
warriorhoneybee Posted May 31, 2011 Author #15 Posted May 31, 2011 believe it or not it didnt have a wobble and i know no one will believe it but i couldn't hardly tell any differance at all. i thought it would have road like a different bike,the most i could tell it didn't seem to blow around as bad ont the interstate and the front end didn't seem as light.i droped it to o psi like v7goose suggesest and road down to 1roosters house and used his pump and put 5 pounds in each fork and 33 1/2 in the rear shock.go figure,guess i'm just crazy or to numb to feel the differance.
warriorhoneybee Posted May 31, 2011 Author #16 Posted May 31, 2011 o and by the way sleeperhawk the side wall read 42 psi cold.now i got 40 psi in them and might go to 41 psi in the morning and see how it rides at that pressure.
Galapagos Posted May 31, 2011 #17 Posted May 31, 2011 You can purchase a cross-over kit to balance both forks. Vendor? P/n?
Galapagos Posted May 31, 2011 #18 Posted May 31, 2011 A bit of time at a hydrolic line suply shop and you would have everything you would need to make a cross kit. I am not real familiar with the 2nd gen so not sure how to route it to look correct. I make pneumatic suply lines for the heating systems out of 1/8 inch tubing and fittings to hold 20 psi all the time.... should not be difficult to do for a guy that is good with thought and a few tools. This being said I assume the air fittings on the shock towers thread in and out. The thing I worry about is the metrics. If it was standard USA thread I could make it at the shop. The nipples that you air up at are male thread. They have schreader valves in them like a tire.
warriorhoneybee Posted June 1, 2011 Author #20 Posted June 1, 2011 i had to cancel but i'm sure somebody will,of course i'm having trouble just seting my air in the forks so count me out. P.S. i'm not afraid of work,i can lay right next to it and fall a sleep!!! LOL:bluesbrother:
warriorhoneybee Posted June 1, 2011 Author #21 Posted June 1, 2011 ok,yesterdays ride was one up and 95% of the time i ride two up. so after today ride with momma and raising the front tire air pressure to 41psi rear tire 48psi the rear shock to 33 1/2 psi,the forks to 5psi and a little taller windshield and what a different bike it is today. of course i changed so many things around i don't know which one helped,may all of them put together.
FuzzyRSTD Posted June 1, 2011 #22 Posted June 1, 2011 Very important to always and often check the air pressure in your tires. If you run them to low very long at all, you will be replacing them very quickly. Especially riding two up often. This is very important and could save your lives. I am pretty confident in saying you should also check your air shocks at least three times a season and when packing for a trip. Fuzzy
pickinfred Posted June 2, 2011 #23 Posted June 2, 2011 Vendor? P/n? Man of Steel, If and when you find the "Air Balance Kit" a post of the vendor and P/N would sure be appreciated. I have checked and found the kit listed on a number of motorcycle sites, J P Cycles, Dennis Kirk, Autopartsdealer.com and etc., it seems the kit is discontinued. The kit would make the balance problem "history"
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now