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[smenard415]

Greetings,

Now I'm not the brightest bulb in the pack however I do have a simple, seemingly, question.  How in the hell do you keep all the air you just pumped into the shocks from coming back out??   I am a big fellow so when I pump my S/E up to the 45 - 50 pounds indicated I end up with 30 or less by the time I get the darn thing unscrewed.

Am I missing something.   I do not recall having this problem with my 03 Road Glide.

Steve M

[Boatman]

Steve-

Are you using the HD shock air pump or a bicycle pump??  If  you are using the bicycle pump, that is the problem.  If you are using the HD pump, I would guess the shrader valve could be bad on the bike or pump end.

[UFO_HOG]

Attach the pump to the valve and fill to your desired pressure. Then, while keeping pressure on the hose (Push it in) unscrew the hose from the valve. When you are almost completely undone, pull the hose up. You'll hear a little of the air sneak out, but you won't lose any significant amount of pressure.

[smenard415]

Damn, never thought of that.  I'll give it a shot.  Oh and for the record I am using the old style HD pump that I think was made by progressive suspension.  Thanks for the replies.

Steve M

[Tony Smith]

I am having a similar problem.  I pumped mine up to 45 psi for 2 up touring, but after 320 miles and 2 days I checked it and it was down to 35 psi.  Are the shocks supposed to leak air over time?

[Fired00d]

I am having a similar problem.  I pumped mine up to 45 psi for 2 up touring, but after 320 miles and 2 days I checked it and it was down to 35 psi.  Are the shocks supposed to leak air over time?

Supposed to.. No
Will they... Yes

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[grc]

I am having a similar problem.  I pumped mine up to 45 psi for 2 up touring, but after 320 miles and 2 days I checked it and it was down to 35 psi.  Are the shocks supposed to leak air over time?

They shouldn't leak any significant amount over days or weeks.  I pump mine up to 50 psi when I store the bike for the winter, and they still check at 45 psi or better when I uncover the bike in the spring, approximately 4 to 5 months later.  One easy check folks should make with the hand pumps is to remove the hose from the fill valve and then screw it back on and check the pressure again.  If the "no loss" hose fitting is working properly there should be no loss of pressure from your original reading.  If the fitting isn't working properly, you may see a 5 psi loss just from removing and reinstalling the pump. 

Make sure they aren't leaking at the fill valve (shrader valve tightened properly) and then check all the hose fittings for leaks using soapy water.  The ends of the plastic lines must have perfectly square cuts and no burrs where they fit into the fittings at the fill valve and at the shocks.  If you are steady of eye and hand, you could retrim the hose ends if needed with a brand new single edge razor blade.  If the fill valve and all the lines and fitting check OK, then you may have a leak in the actual air bladder in one or both of the shocks.  Warranty should handle that, unless H-D has come up with a new spec for air leakage to go along with all the other spec changes they've made.

Jerry

[Tony Smith]

Thanks for the detail Jerry, I'll mix up some suds this weekend to check for bubbles.  After I affirm I can actually work the air pump like I"m supposed to.

[Highjagger]

I am having a similar problem.  I pumped mine up to 45 psi for 2 up touring, but after 320 miles and 2 days I checked it and it was down to 35 psi.  Are the shocks supposed to leak air over time?

I have the same problem .
When i only put 40 psi into the shocks for solo-ride then the shocks keep the pressure for long time .
But when i do put in the max.50 psi and ride two-up , then there is only about 30-35 psi after 200 km ride .
When i do not use the bike ( with the 50 psi pressure ) then the 50 psi stay in there for 2 weeks or longer , no problem .
So it seems to me that the shocks are not able to fight against the max.pressure when riding two-up , their max-keeping is about 30-35 psi when two-up riding .
My BSR and me are " only " 140-145 kg together , that should be no problem .
I complained at the dealer and the oil-licking of the shocks too .
 Because there  is no service-possibility and instruction  from HD for the shocks ,
he ordered the shocks 2 monthe ago and received them last week and will change them on warranty next week  .

[Tony Smith]

Thanks Highjagger, will be very interested to see if these new shocks perform like they're supposed to.  Please post a follow up.

[LarryB]

I have the same problem .
When i only put 40 psi into the shocks for solo-ride then the shocks keep the pressure for long time .
But when i do put in the max.50 psi and ride two-up , then there is only about 30-35 psi after 200 km ride .
When i do not use the bike ( with the 50 psi pressure ) then the 50 psi stay in there for 2 weeks or longer , no problem .
So it seems to me that the shocks are not able to fight against the max.pressure when riding two-up , their max-keeping is about 30-35 psi when two-up riding .
My BSR and me are " only " 140-145 kg together , that should be no problem .
I complained at the dealer and the oil-licking of the shocks too .
 Because there  is no service-possibility and instruction  from HD for the shocks ,
he ordered the shocks 2 monthe ago and received them last week and will change them on warranty next week  .

ya but that's metric air. 

[Highjagger]

" metric air " , yes , i guess that could be the problem , would you please send me a little bit inch-air ?

[Georgehjr]

Bought the HD pump today, works great,  makes me wonder..... who made it for Harley

[ragrep]

The HD pump looks suspiciously similar to the progressive suspension pump