let me kinda bring you guys up to speed on what I've done here...
I am no means a shock expert but I believe I know what I like in the way of a quaility ride...
1 yr. ago I purchased a set of 12" shocks from a member and when they arrived there was fluid all over the box in which they were shipped in...I seemed to remember somewhere that the fluid could be changed or at least put back in, so a search was on the way to re-confirm this...BINGO, I found what I was hoping to find along with the stock shocks are a POS and just go get a new set of Progressives...
Well as cheap as I am, I wanted to try and re-use the stock set first before I invested in a newer set due to the fact that I liked the idea of having the air to adjust the ride...
So I had the shocks in hand and found some 7.5 wt shock fluid from one of the local indy shops and and began my little adventure...First I had to drain all the old fluid out and this I found to be the most time consumming process out of the entire ordeal...I had to create a rocking motion with the shock to get the fluid out...I removed the fluid and measured it and to my amazement, the amount of fluid that I had measured wasn't the same amount that was called for on the search I did...OK no big deal it was close and there was fluid all over the box so this would account for the absence of fluid in the shock that I picked up for the experiment...
After both shocks were full and I had them on the bike and bolted in I tried to pump some air in them but had a leak so as I was fumbling with them I had some of the fluid running out all over me and the shock...never gave it a bit of thought about this...Just alittle to much...
The 12" were on now and for the last year were working beautifully and buy the way still are...Personally I didn't notice how much better the 12" shocks handled because I never got to ride the stock 12" with the factory fluid...I let my friend Karl (KDietz) ride my bike after I overhauled the front forks with the progressive system, when he returned he was in shock as to how well the bike rode with the 12" shocks on...
Fast forward a week or so he had asked for some help with his front end putting in a Raceteck system so we swapped bikes so I could get started before he arrived the following day...The evenning we swapped he had his lovely wife on the back and when he returned he commented on how much nicer the bike rode over his 13"...My reply is I dont understand Ifigured the stock 13" would out perform the stock 12" alltogether...All I did was change the fluid out to something heavier...
After getting a bit more educated on the loss of travel that 12" over the 13" had I wanted to put the 13" back on, however I didn't want the 13" stock riding height...So I ordered a 1" lowering kit form TJ Products which keep the shock angle the same as stock...I proceeded to install it right before the ride in the Rockies along with the group...I was riding alone and had the bags full and had my leathers in the touring pack and there was many times I was bottoming out...Ok I need more air...so I took it from 16# to 20# then up to 22# and still bottomed out...Now this was with just me on it...I felt like it was the dampening system in the shock that needed to be slowed down and corrected very much like I had done on the 12" unknowingly...
I when I got back I talked with Karl about the experience I had with the 13" shocks and to my surprise he was getting the same results...
Went to the indy shop where I got the 1st -7.5 wt quart and they didn't have any...Called Pipers Performance here locally and found that they had some 7.5/10wt synthetic...SWEET Just what I was looking for...Went and picked his brain on what we were doing and he confirmed that we were on the right path to improvement on the stock shocks...Personally I value what Cliff has to say due to the fact that he was Racetechs #1 shop on the west coast for like 10-12 years straight...I figure that in itself speaks f

 

Texas,

Thanx for that little tip. I may have to do that to mine. I have one bump that makes my shocks bottom out with me on it, but with me and the wife it's another story. This articlae was well done and very informative. Thanx again.



Jeff

 

[sm=dontgetit.gif]You lost me at "let me kinda bring you guys up to speed..." I hate the way my shocks feel with the wife and I on the bike....the forks too for that matter. I think I need to change out my fork fluid. I think I'll send you my shocks and have you do whatever the heck you just said you did and then ship 'em back to me [8D]

 

excellent article! thanks for the write-up! i may do this this weekend....thanks

 

So we are going to try this next on the home-made lowering system on mine to see if it does not bottom out as much. If it does not work, I will fill my stock shocks with the fluid.. I am sure TexasBowhunter will keep everyone updated.....
And yes you can have air on the fly with the DB system and stock shocks, it does work.

 

damn...an i paid 1200 simolians for a shock system [:@]

 

TexasBowhunter, Thanks for a very informative article.My hats off to you for it. What was the recommended and final cc or oz. of fluid in each shock. And if you was to do it again would you use a brake fluid vacuum e bleeder to get the old fluid out?? and a measured sirenge to put it in with?? Also, would you change the weight of the fluid from 7.5 ??? Wife and I bottom out all the time with #35. Thanks again Dan

 

Dang Paul, I didn't know you were a rocket scientist. Good read!

 

Dan,
Oh hell yea Iwould use the vacuum again...
As far as the measured amount I'm not sure it was neccesary as I filled the shocks totally up and then installed them on the bike and captured all the excessive fluid that wasn't neccesary to my needs...
I feel that with the system being topped off and then with the riders weight on the bike while it was upright and level to expell the excessive fluid was the real ticket...I felt this was what fine tunned the shock for me...Now I can add the air to accomidate for the wife and gear...
I can also picture you bottoming out all the time with a load as well but chances are you wont,If you change to a different wt. fluid...And if you do you might try the 10 wt...
7.5 is the next step up from theATF 0/5 wt that harley has asked Showa toput in...I was considering going to 10 wt. but theATF 7.5/10 was a good compromise...
I know from talking to Cliff he stated that if more fork fluid was added then what was ca;lled for that the forks would be firmer, so with this same thought the more fluid there was in the shock the slower the dampening would take place and there for slow the dampening down to the point that theshock will be able to absorb the rode before the rider does...
I measured out the amount that was vaccuumed out and added pretty close to what I had and just a little more to top it off and to allow for the excess I spilled with the turkey baster...
then after I had it full I sat on it which probably in turn countered what over the amount I had added to bring it back to what the mfg. had put in there...

 

Steve,
NO...Just got to much time on my hands...You know what they say about idol hands...