New rear shock
#11
04-02-2023 | 12:57 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 739
From: Young Harris, GA
1st Gear Member
Since I'm not subjecting the shock to race speeds and heat, I just used the air shock pump. The 20% of oxygen in the mix isn't a concern for me.
#12
04-02-2023 | 03:08 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 4,562
From: Delaware, Ohio
1st Gear Member
I would say if a piston rides in the reservoir I'd prefer nitrogen, but if there is a bladder in the reservoir I wouldn't be adverse to running atmospheric air. I've seen aluminum brake calipers damaged by moisture corrosion, so not real big on anything other than a dry inert gas in a reservoir using a piston like a brake caliper does.
I could only find one source, besides forum posts, that gave actual reasons they have for using nitrogen over atmospheric air. Here is the source, a Spanish suspension shop I believe, click here Apparently no other actual known sources have given any reasons, at least that I could find.
And here is what they say:
– Nitrogen doesn’t expand like the air when affected to temperature changes. Your suspension system will not have different behavior depending on the fork temperature. On the long down hills the damping will stay constant from the beginning to the end.
– This is an inert gas. By removing the oxygen and humidity there is no corrosion within the internal components, extending the lifespan.
– Oxygen molecules contained in the air are 4 times smaller than the Nitrogen ones. By using Nitrogen there is less mass loss along the time which translates into keeping the initial preload settings much longer than with air.
I could only find one source, besides forum posts, that gave actual reasons they have for using nitrogen over atmospheric air. Here is the source, a Spanish suspension shop I believe, click here Apparently no other actual known sources have given any reasons, at least that I could find.
And here is what they say:
¿Why do we use Nitrogen instead of air?
27 April, 2015There are several advantages when we set the preload with Nitrogen:– Nitrogen doesn’t expand like the air when affected to temperature changes. Your suspension system will not have different behavior depending on the fork temperature. On the long down hills the damping will stay constant from the beginning to the end.
– This is an inert gas. By removing the oxygen and humidity there is no corrosion within the internal components, extending the lifespan.
– Oxygen molecules contained in the air are 4 times smaller than the Nitrogen ones. By using Nitrogen there is less mass loss along the time which translates into keeping the initial preload settings much longer than with air.
Last edited by klx678; 04-02-2023 at 03:12 PM.
#13
04-02-2023 | 03:25 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 226
1st Gear Member
It's your bike so I don't really care, but as a little experiment, next time you park during/after a decent ride even on the street, touch your rear shock and feel how hot it gets even just from bumps and undulations on the street. Shocks heat up even in usage that doesn't seem severe.
#14
05-03-2023 | 07:29 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 116
1st Gear Member
Cogent and Race Tech do not make a spring for the SF. Disappointing!
Toph
#15
05-29-2023 | 10:51 PM
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 123
From: Vietnam
1st Gear Member
Contact K-100% Auto Racing Suspension on Facebook if you want something new.
I tried Congent and Race Tech but neither seemed interested in dealing with me due to where I live.
Thus, I went for the K100 imported across the border from Thailand, customised to my ride weight (130kg). Transformed the bike instantly and I was getting the klx airborne for the first time in 13k kms.
Price was between 6-700 USD from memory.
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