Rear Shock Adjustment

[vette8494]

I weigh 175 and my wife weighs 150 (don't tell her I told you). I have never adjusted my rear shocks since I bought my '05 and am wondering where I can find a chart that will tell me how many PSI I should be carrying for that weight.

Can anyone tell me where to find some information.

Le Roy and Gini

[Albino Rhino]

I weigh 175 and my wife weighs 150 (don't tell her I told you). I have never adjusted my rear shocks since I bought my '05 and am wondering where I can find a chart that will tell me how many PSI I should be carrying for that weight.

Can anyone tell me where to find some information.

 

Le Roy and Gini

Back when running the oem shock, I would put about 45 psi in the rear shock when riding two up (and our weights are about the same). I now have the Performance Works shock and don't need air.

[Bummer]

No chart. Add up the weight then move the decimal one place to the left. 32.5 psi or so. A little more if you keep stuff in the bags. That weight counts too.

[SaltyDawg]

I believe the air in the rear shock is more for preload than anything. So depending on how far you want the bike so sit once both of you are on it. I doubt with your combined weights you would need more than 30lbs of air.

[Rick Butler]

Le Roy,

 

Wayne is right when he told you that adding air to the shock is mainly to set the preload of the shock. And changing the shock preload is to set the ride height of the bike. In other words the rear of the bike will sag more with both you and your wife, so you would normally run less air (or preload) when riding solo. Ride height is important to keep the shock from bottoming out, especially when riding double. So when it comes to the amount of air pressure to set the ride height, it depends on the weight being carried. However air does have one other function other than preload. Air in a confined area does act like a progressive spring. The more it compresses, the more it resists.

 

But in your case, I would think that 35-40 lbs should work fine. Most of us carry a hand pump made by Progressive, Inc with a guage reading 60 lbs to faciltate adding air to the shock and forks.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Rick

[Riderduke]

LeRoy,

Here is the pump that rick was talking about. It can also be picked up at a local HD Dealer

http://www.cruisercustomizing.com/detail.cfm?Category_ID=96&manufacturer_ID=39&product_ID=5364&model_ID=0

[vette8494]

Thanks for all of the feed back. It seems like everyone is on the same page. That makes it a lot easier.

Rick, you mentioned about adjusting the front forks as well? I never had a bike that had front adjustable forks. When I adjust the rears should I be adjusting the fronts as well? Does this make a difference in the handling?

[GeorgeS]

Remember, Don't !!! use the Air Hose !!!! Might blow the seals.

 

Get a Hand pump, more then a couple folks have blown the seals useing the

hose at the gas station !!

[vette8494]

If I set my compressor at 32 PSI I should be ok???

[Bodean]

I know you guys done your homework is this the cheapest place to get this pump?

[royalstarjac]

If I set my compressor at 32 PSI I should be ok???

 

Not on the front! The max psi on the front is 7 lbs!

Get the hand pump and use that on the front and back. It's important to get the front the same on both sides.-Jack

[vette8494]

My last question "Do I need to adjust the fronts when I adjust the rears, and will it change the handling?".

[SaltyDawg]

My last question "Do I need to adjust the fronts when I adjust the rears, and will it change the handling?".

 

 

Some people put air in the front shocks, it can help handling some. The problem is getting both shocks to the exact same pressure. There is a kit that combines both together and you only have one valve to adjust both at the same time.

 

I don't run air in my front shock. To answer your question, NO you don't have to put air in the front and rear at the same time.

[vette8494]

Thanks guys. That should do it.

Ride safe,

Le Roy and Gini

[RedRider]

Believe it or not, the cheapest I found the Progressive air pump was at the local HD dealer (when you count shipping, etc.). They were having a sale of 10% off or something and I paid about $40 (might have been $35).

 

It is also a zero let off pump. So when you release the valve, no air is released. This is important on the front forks because a little air will change the pressure a lot.

 

RR

[Smely]

I have read several post stating to apply anywhere from 30 to 50psi in the rear shock. I have a 04 midnight and the owners manual says .5psi max. Am I missing something? I tried to put more in but it will not hold??????

[Murphster]

I had the same questions for my 2009. I looked at this thread for input: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=29503&highlight=shocks

 

I settled on 4 pounds in the front. In the rear, I run 25# if solo, 35# if riding double, and 45# if riding double and carrying full bags, trunk, and trunk bag. For me, these provide good handling in curves and a pleasant ride on the straights. Just got back from two weeks in Colorado with wife and everything we could stuff in/on the bike. The 45# worked great for us.

[Smely]

My problem is that it will not hold. I'm wondering if the shock is blown.?. I checked the shock and not seeing an oil leak out of it though. I'm going to take a better look at the valve stem this week.

 

Even though the owners manual says .5psi max is it ok to run higher pressures?

[Wrongway]

My problem is that it will not hold. I'm wondering if the shock is blown.?. I checked the shock and not seeing an oil leak out of it though. I'm going to take a better look at the valve stem this week.

 

Even though the owners manual says .5psi max is it ok to run higher pressures?

 

Don't mean to question you, but are you sure that is in reference to the rear shock ? 0.5psi is ...uh...nothing more or less. I run 50-52 psi when 2 up and loaded but both of us are healthy mid westerners . I would hate to try and get 0.5 psi accurately into the shock. Check page 3-18 of the owners manual; soft=0 psi, maximum=57 psi.

[N3FOL]

I've been experimenting on how the ride feels on different psi settings. When I just got my bike, I stayed on 25 psi and that was ok and soft. After a couple of months, I went up to 35 psi. At this setting, I think it is the best so far riding solo. Yesterday, I am at 40 psi and it felt just right riding this morning to work. I may keep 40 psi for awhile, so I don't have to add air if I have an unexpected passenger and no air pump on hand.

[davecb]

I run 40 psi in the rear and 0 im the front. Two up or solo. It definately makes a difference in slow handling...

[Old Miner]

I ride mostly solo and have been used to 0psi front and rear as per the manual without any problems.

 

Recently the wife and I did a few hundred miles around our picturesque county of Derbyshire whose roads have been in a poor state of repair for many years now and suffer from holes caused by neglect and mining subsidence.

 

Point is the suspension bottomed out easily many times on the journey when two up. I added 35 psi by hand with a foot pump to the rear and this has cured the problem, the suspension works better and does not bottom out.

 

I have used a foot pump operated by hand for many years on several bike air suspension units without any problems with the seals as you can be as gentle as you like with the compression of the pump.

 

Best wishes.

Old Miner.

[Smely]

Hey WrongWay,

 

Thanks for being kind on your response. I must have been on the hooch when I read the manual the first time. It was actually the front shock spec that I was reading and in kgf.. Bobby G fixed me up this weekend and we ran about 30psi in the rear shock and OMG what a difference. No more bottom out while riding 2 up and she ran the twisties real nice (until my back brake went out - but that's another thread, another time). I think I'm going to try around 35-40psi and see how that works. Why it would not hold the first time, I can only blame it on the hooch again, iiiiiii dono?

[Wrongway]

No problem brother. I've been known to be off on a few things myself, hence the name. It doesn't just apply to directions . I like the ride with the rear shock set high. Just feels better to me, front about 5. YMMV . Happy riding!