Dirty Air Rear Air Ride

[sub_squoch]

Anybody have rear air ride by Dirty Air? I recently did their rear kit in my 2015 SGS (i didnt pay the extra for the aluminum shocks) with a gauge. The gauge doesn't seem to function right IMO. I know a non-digital air ride gauge is a pretty basic piece of equipment, and this is the first air ride system ive had, but it just doesnt seem to be working right: when off the bike, airing up the system, the gauge rises smoothly until it hits 40psi, then it bounces like crazy. The bike starts to lift when the gauge reads apx 80psi (dirty air told me it should rise at apx 60psi). If i keep airing up the system, the gauge gets to apx 100psi, then it seems to start rising much slower. Once it gets to apx 105psi the gauge seems to stop moving but the shocks are not fully extended - and if i extend them further the gauge doesnt move from apx 105psi. I should note that this is the 2nd gauge dirty air has sent me, with the first one doing something similar. Is it possible that i got two bad gauges (seems unlikely)? Anybody else have this issue?

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[EvilTwin]

I don't use the gauge . I usually count as I start. at 8 count it starts moving at 12-15 I am where I want to ride solo and I just go by feel with a passenger. I adjusted my solo height buy clearance,foot position and then adjusted the belt to the ride height with me on it.

 

[sub_squoch]

I don't use the gauge . I usually count as I start. at 8 count it starts moving at 12-15 I am where I want to ride solo and I just go by feel with a passenger. I adjusted my solo height buy clearance,foot position and then adjusted the belt to the ride height with me on it.

So do you have a gauge though, or no? And thanks for the reply!

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[EvilTwin]

nope I don't have a gauge .

So do you have a gauge though, or no? And thanks for the reply!

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[sub_squoch]

Ok thanks. I will see how your counts work for me! I am just wondering if the bouncing needle, and the way the gauge rises slow after a certain psi, is normal. I plan on doing digital gauges in the future so i guess i will have to use feel more than the gauge for now!

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[sub_squoch]

So i know this is an old thread but i am looking for some more input: as stated, i have the dirty air rear air ride kit, tankless, on my 2015 street glide special. Everyone i talk to says 80psi is a good solo riding pressure but my gauge reads more like 100-110psi. Any less than that and i get a loud noise, and feel like im bottoming out, when i hit any sort of bump - and it doesnt need to be a big one! Anybody else have this issue? I have been searching and searching forums and i am reading a lot about the swing arm hitting the trans, or the belt housing hitting something (primary?). Just wondering if anyone else is having this issue and what the resolution is. Thanks!

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[Ahamay17]

Anybody have rear air ride by Dirty Air? I recently did their rear kit in my 2015 SGS (i didnt pay the extra for the aluminum shocks) with a gauge. The gauge doesn't seem to function right IMO. I know a non-digital air ride gauge is a pretty basic piece of equipment, and this is the first air ride system ive had, but it just doesnt seem to be working right: when off the bike, airing up the system, the gauge rises smoothly until it hits 40psi, then it bounces like crazy. The bike starts to lift when the gauge reads apx 80psi (dirty air told me it should rise at apx 60psi). If i keep airing up the system, the gauge gets to apx 100psi, then it seems to start rising much slower. Once it gets to apx 105psi the gauge seems to stop moving but the shocks are not fully extended - and if i extend them further the gauge doesnt move from apx 105psi. I should note that this is the 2nd gauge dirty air has sent me, with the first one doing something similar. Is it possible that i got two bad gauges (seems unlikely)? Anybody else have this issue?

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A couple of things, first that bounce you are seeing is normal for a compressor only system, it is displaying the pulse of the air as it is being forced into the system.

Second, it sounds like you have Gabriel type shocks which require more pressure to support the same weight as the Monroe type shocks...if that is the case, and everyone you are talking to has Monroes, you are not getting accurate information that pertains to your setup.

Third, what the gauge says is for reference only, don't get hung up on its accuracy or lack of, or even what it is supposed to say. What you are hoping to accomplish is to match the sweet spot each time you ride, and if the gauge says 120 psi when you are solo at the sweet spot, there you go, you have your reference point...of course you will have a different value for all your weight variations...

Ray

 

[sub_squoch]

A couple of things, first that bounce you are seeing is normal for a compressor only system, it is displaying the pulse of the air as it is being forced into the system.

Second, it sounds like you have Gabriel type shocks which require more pressure to support the same weight as the Monroe type shocks...if that is the case, and everyone you are talking to has Monroes, you are not getting accurate information that pertains to your setup.

Third, what the gauge says is for reference only, don't get hung up on its accuracy or lack of, or even what it is supposed to say. What you are hoping to accomplish is to match the sweet spot each time you ride, and if the gauge says 120 psi when you are solo at the sweet spot, there you go, you have your reference point...of course you will have a different value for all your weight variations...

Ray

Thanks for the reply ray. I guess my only concern is how high i hafta ride to get a comfortable ride. I am apx 5'-9" and a built 220 (apx). Having to ride above stock height sucks - makes it hard to touch the ground! I think I will eventually go to an air ride system that also has a rebound control, but for now this will hafta do!!!

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[Ahamay17]

Thanks for the reply ray. I guess my only concern is how high i hafta ride to get a comfortable ride. I am apx 5'-9" and a built 220 (apx). Having to ride above stock height sucks - makes it hard to touch the ground! I think I will eventually go to an air ride system that also has a rebound control, but for now this will hafta do!!!

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Sounds like all you need to do is determine two ride pressures, one higher pressure which is for comfort, and one lower pressure which allows you to be surefooted, then toggle back and forth as needed, taking full advantage of the long travel your shocks offer...the problem with trying to have only sure footing is you will shorten the shock travel, then to keep it from bottoming out you have to stiffen the valving, which in turn takes away from the ride, not like bottoming out does, but will never feel as nice as having plenty of softer travel feels...

I gave up on a gauge, to many variables, now I run the JNR Designed ride height repeater on my setup, it works off of the ride height rather then system pressure, so it goes to the same height every time regardless of how my bike is loaded...meaning I don't have to depend on my memory...lol

Ray

 

[sub_squoch]

Sounds like all you need to do is determine two ride pressures, one higher pressure which is for comfort, and one lower pressure which allows you to be surefooted, then toggle back and forth as needed, taking full advantage of the long travel your shocks offer...the problem with trying to have only sure footing is you will shorten the shock travel, then to keep it from bottoming out you have to stiffen the valving, which in turn takes away from the ride, not like bottoming out does, but will never feel as nice as having plenty of softer travel feels...

I gave up on a gauge, to many variables, now I run the JNR Designed ride height repeater on my setup, it works off of the ride height rather then system pressure, so it goes to the same height every time regardless of how my bike is loaded...meaning I don't have to depend on my memory...lol

Ray

That ride height repeater is a nice feature!! Hmmmm....thx!!

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[irishanimal917]

I'm new to this and have read hundreds of pages of forums on air ride. I have a few questions if somebody can help.

Currently I have a 2006 street glide with a 21 inch front wheel and extended bags. I weigh 240 pounds and the girlfriend weighs approximately 150 pounds.

I'm looking at going with either Dirty air or Skully air. Dirty air offers the fast up tank option as where Skully doesn't which is a feature I want.

Here's a list of my worries if somebody can please help me out.

1. Several people have stated that at full extension the dirty air and skully are both hitting either the axle nut or the mufflers. Are there any fixes for this? One person said they put lowering blocks on it to keep this from happening and haven't had any problems with it. IMO that would eliminate the safety stop feature of bottoming out in a emergency situation if you were to loose all air pressure.

2. A lot of people are saying that you have to ride at a very high air pressure which makes the ride quality very stiff and uncomfortable if riding two up with a lot of weight, is this true? I live in Indianapolis and we do a lot of street riding and touring around our state (the state with the worst and most pot hole filled roads in America) with he occasional yearly trip to the dragon.

Honestly I just want a better ride quality over the blown stock shocks and am looking at these two companies because I can not afford the shotgun system even though I would own it in a heartbeat if I could.

Thank you in advance for the replies and guidance everyone.


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