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Ryde FX AIR 2.0 Scrader valve install

donbrown

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Finally received Ryde valved kit with hand pump from Polaris.

Do you know where to find an installation preceedure ??

Ryde says it is a Polaris product. Polaris says it is a Ryde product .

So no one showing the proceedure.

Oops spelled SCHRADER .
 

donbrown

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You can download the entire service manual for these shocks from here:
http://www.rydefxair2.com/

Select the "technology" tab, and then the "service manual" button. Everything you need to know is right there.

Thank you ... found the "very simple" proceedure.

Do you know what weight of oil is used in these shocks?

What PSI do you run on the 1st stage? What is the appropriate pressure to start at?
 
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C
Feb 28, 2008
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I kinda like 75 in the big chamber, 175 in the small. Just experiment and find what you like.

I have no idea what kind of oil they take, never rebuilt myself.
 

donbrown

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I kinda like 75 in the big chamber, 175 in the small. Just experiment and find what you like.

I have no idea what kind of oil they take, never rebuilt myself.

Talked / emailed tech support and oil is 5wt.

Told me big chamber max is 100 psi and decrease by 5 psi to find best results.

Second / internal is factory set at 160psi and should not be changed.
 
C
Feb 28, 2008
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Regarding them telling you "160 and shouldn't be changed"...it sounds like whoever you talked with at tech support does not agree with their own advertising, which says the small chamber can be run anywhere between 120 and 220. I pulled this right off the Ryde FX website:

"47 mm aluminum cylinder IFP gas chamber: Can be set in a range of approximately 50 -100 psi to allow for an initial lower “spring” rate of approximately 1 – 1.5” of shock stroke.

37mm rod cylinder IFS gas chamber: Can be set in a range of approximately 120-220 psi to allow for a stiffer “spring” rate that controls the remaining travel in shock stroke along with acting as an anti bottoming mechanism as gas pressure significantly ramps up towards end of shock stroke."

That said, you may have been talking with him about your accessory air pump...which I don't have. So he may have just been telling you that if you're using the schrader valve/air pump kit instead of nitrogen, you should put the valves only on the big chamber and leave the small chamber alone, which is why they only gave you 2 valves instead of 4. But that doesn't change the fact that there are 4 places to adjust pressure on these shocks, even if the air pump kit only gives you access to 2 of the 4 adjustments. Just be aware that your pump kit will allow you to adjust the first 1 to 1.5 inches of travel. This helps with smoothing stutter bumps on trails, but does absolutely nothing for absorbing big hits and jumps. The remaining 4 inches of travel in thes shocks are all controlled by the pressure in the small chambers, which you cannot adjust with your pump...you need a nitrogen tank and needle kit.

For this reason I didn't buy the pump kit, I just experimented a bit with my dealer's needle/nitrogen tank setup with different nitrogen pressures in both chambers, as he adjusts them for free whenever I want a change as long as I carry the shocks in. And that's where my 75/175 preferred setting came from. But like I said, everyone's different.

Incidentally, the small chambers in both my shocks were only at about 130 to 140 when I first got my sled. And many other Dragon owners reported the same. This resulted in low front end ride height and bottoming, not to mention screwing with the geometry of how the rear suspension was supposed to work, which was the catalyst for me to start my pressure experimentation thru my dealer's nitrogen tank. So if you have never had the nitrogen pressure checked in your small chambers I'd recommend taking the shocks somewhere and getting that done. Very few I know of have had a true 160 in the chambers, which is where they were supposedly factory set. Betcha yours are a little undercharged too...especially if they're OEM Dragon shocks.
 
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donbrown

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Nov 26, 2007
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Regarding them telling you "160 and shouldn't be changed"...it sounds like whoever you talked with at tech support does not agree with their own advertising, which says the small chamber can be run anywhere between 120 and 220. I pulled this right off the Ryde FX website:

"47 mm aluminum cylinder IFP gas chamber: Can be set in a range of approximately 50 -100 psi to allow for an initial lower “spring” rate of approximately 1 – 1.5” of shock stroke.

37mm rod cylinder IFS gas chamber: Can be set in a range of approximately 120-220 psi to allow for a stiffer “spring” rate that controls the remaining travel in shock stroke along with acting as an anti bottoming mechanism as gas pressure significantly ramps up towards end of shock stroke."

That said, you may have been talking with him about your accessory air pump...which I don't have. So he may have just been telling you that if you're using the schrader valve/air pump kit instead of nitrogen, you should put the valves only on the big chamber and leave the small chamber alone, which is why they only gave you 2 valves instead of 4. But that doesn't change the fact that there are 4 places to adjust pressure on these shocks, even if the air pump kit only gives you access to 2 of the 4 adjustments. Just be aware that your pump kit will allow you to adjust the first 1 to 1.5 inches of travel. This helps with smoothing stutter bumps on trails, but does absolutely nothing for absorbing big hits and jumps. The remaining 4 inches of travel in thes shocks are all controlled by the pressure in the small chambers, which you cannot adjust with your pump...you need a nitrogen tank and needle kit.

For this reason I didn't buy the pump kit, I just experimented a bit with my dealer's needle/nitrogen tank setup with different nitrogen pressures in both chambers, as he adjusts them for free whenever I want a change as long as I carry the shocks in. And that's where my 75/175 preferred setting came from. But like I said, everyone's different.

Incidentally, the small chambers in both my shocks were only at about 130 to 140 when I first got my sled. And many other Dragon owners reported the same. This resulted in low front end ride height and bottoming, not to mention screwing with the geometry of how the rear suspension was supposed to work, which was the catalyst for me to start my pressure experimentation thru my dealer's nitrogen tank. So if you have never had the nitrogen pressure checked in your small chambers I'd recommend taking the shocks somewhere and getting that done. Very few I know of have had a true 160 in the chambers, which is where they were supposedly factory set. Betcha yours are a little undercharged too...especially if they're OEM Dragon shocks.

I appreciate your post. I have no local dealer so I went with the schrader kit.
Maybe a motorcycle/atv dealer has a needle and nitrogen set up?
 
C
Feb 28, 2008
93
1
8
I dunno, it's worth calling around though.

Any shock rebuilder will certainly have the necessary tools to check the nitrogen charge if you can find one near you. Whoever you find be aware that they shouldn't charge you much to do this (if you remove the shocks yourself) as it only takes about 3 minutes on a workbench and nitrogen is cheap. Anything more than about $10 would be a ripoff IMO...especially since full shock rebuilds get done all day in the $35 to $45 range.

Hopefully you can find someone to verify your charge in those small chambers and at least make sure it's set at 160. Makes all the difference in the world on handling. IMO it might even be worth it if you need to pay 2 way shipping to a rebuilder before the season starts.
 
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S

schmitt

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How much is the schrader kit? Any Pics? I was going to buy new shock's but if you can upgrade these and they work good i'd give it a shot. Mine as of now have no adjustments to be made.??
Thanks
 

donbrown

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How much is the schrader kit? Any Pics? I was going to buy new shock's but if you can upgrade these and they work good i'd give it a shot. Mine as of now have no adjustments to be made.??
Thanks

Here is the manual


http://www.rydefx2.com/serviceprocedures/snow/Air_2.0_Service_Manual_English.pdf

The air pump schrader valve kit can is a Polaris part ... hence only a Polaris dealer can buy it from Polaris.

MSRP is ... $ 99.99


Part number polaris 2877143 noun name PUMP PACKAGE

can't find it on Polaris website
 
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