Ok so i know that there are a million threads about air ride but i wasnt able to find an answer to my question.

I installed the gabriel air shocks in my DIY set up and it rides like ***....when im solo its kinda ok if i run at high PSI 95+ but when i have the old lady on the back (103lbs) it seems to bottom out very easy. I finally got around to pulling the shock off and i was gonna test to see if maybe only one shock was infact holding air. I isolated the shock and pumped it up, then i put one part on my leg and was able to with one had, fully compress the shock?? Thinking i had a leak in the fitting i took it all the way down to the shock only and extended it by hand and was able to feel negative pressure sucking air in. But with my finger over the hole i was again able to fully compress the shock without blowing my finger off the hole??

Next thought was maybe the internal bag was shot, so i pull the other shock off and i was able to do the same thing to it. Now my question is, and forgive my ignorance....shouldn't the shock maintain pressure while my finger is covering the hole?? Do i have 2 bad shocks at the same time??

Im not opposed to buying new shocks (im surprised they are both bad) but maybe the monroes are better option?? Or is this normal behavior??

 

I have the gab shocks, my wife & I are close to 500# & might have bottomed out once (it was a big bump). As for holding your finger over to see if it would hold or create suction, you might have less than a # of psi, hard to feel. If you pump them up & they hold air, the bags are not blown. Try bumping the pressure up a little more & see if that helps.

Toby