06 bagger air shock tech

[texasjohn]

I put a set of late model bagger air shocks on my 77 fxs and they dont want to work. WHY? They travel top to bottom w/ little resistance even when pumped to 45 lbs. They have fluid, they dont leak, i just took them off a bike where they were working. Now i can move them with my hand?
they layed horizontally for a few hours but that shouldnt matter because there shipped that way from harley. The fxs is lighter than my flhx. Im confused.
John
John@8thdaycycles.com www.8thdaycycles.com

[Hawkmann]

Quite often when the air shocks are removed from the bike and stored lying on their side without the air line plugged, the oil leaks out and the shocks become useless.

The rear air shocks have 5 wt oil in them and each one holds 328 cc or 11.09 ounces.

To get it in there takes a bit of work but make sure that there is no oil left in there first.
Get a helper and compress the shocks in an inverted position to make sure they are empty.
After this, use a syringe and pick up the pre measured oil and you will find that it will only accept the oil after the shock is first compressed completely and then inject the oil as the shock is extended. Naturally, you must inject the oil with the shock in the upright position to be effective.

[texasjohn]

Thanks for the info Hawk, But I was extremly carefull not to spill any oil. Went from one bike to the van to the next bike without loosing a drop. I have changed alot of the schocks either doing frame swaps on wrecked bikes or adding shorter shocks to putting strutts on and off my flhx 20 times and have never had this happen. I took my air supply hoses and schrader valves of my flhx and tried to pump them up but still w/ 45 lbs nothing happens. the schocks move up and dwn but there is no stiffness.????? If you were to callapse the schocks, believing that there was oil in them, would the oil be at the top of the shock and possibly be visable in the air port?

[texasjohn]

ok. now i reinstalled the schocks back on the original bike and theywork fine ???? The mounting point on the original bike is at the axle and on the project bike its about 5.5" foward, is the leverage causing the problem?

[88b]

Originally Posted by texasjohn

ok. now i reinstalled the schocks back on the original bike and theywork fine ???? The mounting point on the original bike is at the axle and on the project bike its about 5.5" foward, is the leverage causing the problem?

I'd say yes, think about it pivot point is the swing arm pivot with leverage at the axle. I doubt the distance is 20" and you just moved it forward 5 1/2"

[DJH1960]

Also check the depth of the shoulder on the new mounting bolts. If they are shorter than the originals then the nut and washer will bind the action of the shock. If the mounting location is locked down by either fastener the shock won't work.

[texasjohn]

the shock works but it dosnt have any stiffness

[jaceddie]

Originally Posted by Hawkmann

Quite often when the air shocks are removed from the bike and stored lying on their side without the air line plugged, the oil leaks out and the shocks become useless.

The rear air shocks have 5 wt oil in them and each one holds 328 cc or 11.09 ounces.

To get it in there takes a bit of work but make sure that there is no oil left in there first.
Get a helper and compress the shocks in an inverted position to make sure they are empty.
After this, use a syringe and pick up the pre measured oil and you will find that it will only accept the oil after the shock is first compressed completely and then inject the oil as the shock is extended. Naturally, you must inject the oil with the shock in the upright position to be effective.

You wouldn't happen to kown how much oil goes in a 12 inch shock do you?