compressor?

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10-02-2014, 10:04 AM
muonwhiz

compressor?

Have any of you had a similar experience?

Took my 2012 RT in to have rear shock replaced (it went out on the final leg of a journey home) and brought an ELKA shock to dealer to replace it with. I already have ELKAs on the front. So then they tell me that the compressor that operates the air pillow (that is what is controlled on the dash switch, not the actual rear shock adjustment) was burned out & needed to be replaced. They said it had burned out while that air pillow system was trying to compensate for the rear shock after it went kaput. (BTW- I knew the shock was bad but was about 150 miles from home on a Sunday and had to get back somehow. Bike was garaged until new shock arrived.) The air pillow itself was intact and would hold air without leaking.

Anyway, I thought that the rear shock and the air pillow system were 2 separate and independent systems. Does this make sense to you? Bike is now in the dealer's garage waiting for another part & I'm not getting any wind therapy. Imaygocrazy! Comments please!
10-02-2014, 10:14 AM
Chupaca

As I see it..!!

the compressor feeds the air bag to maintain the level of the rear. If you replace it with the elka shock and it does not operate with a onboard compressor you don't need to replace it. Not that familiar with the elka line but don't remember one that works with air bag. I would think you would have to eliminate the whole thing and ryde with the elka. :dontknow:
10-02-2014, 10:17 AM
Bob Denman

Contact "Trooper"; he'll give you the straight answer! :thumbup:
10-03-2014, 07:24 AM
redflasher

My dealer ordered JUST the air bag(bladder) for me last week. We looked at the parts breakdown on the computer and it sure looks like a separate unit to me.
10-04-2014, 09:52 AM
finless

Quote:

Originally Posted by redflasher

My dealer ordered JUST the air bag(bladder) for me last week. We looked at the parts breakdown on the computer and it sure looks like a separate unit to me.

You are correct it is separate from the shock!

Bob
10-05-2014, 08:39 AM
ahh-cool

Went to ride yesterday and when I got on the bike I heard a big clunk from the back. looked around and saw nothing.
I went to start it and the battery was dead, so I figured maybe the clunk was the bike bottoming out since the compressor could not work without power.
got back from my ride and I heard the compressor cycling. Went out later that night and it was cycling again.
I removed the suspension relay so I would not burn up the compressor.
long story short, where do I start looking for the problem? anybody else have or had this problem?
I'm assuming it's a leak or the sensor based on an earlier thread of mine.
Stefan
10-05-2014, 10:30 AM
finless

First thing is under the seat check the manual fill valve (like a bicycle tire valve) that it is not loose or sticking open.
Put some spit in the valve and see if it bubbles. Lots of reports of that valve leaking.

Bob
10-05-2014, 05:44 PM
ahh-cool

put my air gauge on the shrader valve and it reads 27 PSI I had the compressor off since last night. I never heard the compressor before.
How often should it come on, especially when you're not moving?
what should the pressure be?
10-06-2014, 11:15 AM
finless

27 is too low. It should be like 90 as I recall. (search here and youi can find what the prssure should be as I am not 100% sure).
The compressor is not running with the key off is it? It should only run when the engine is running.

So you either have a messed up position sensor, leaking bladder or hoses.

You can manually put air in the bag via the shrader and see if it holds air (without turning the bike on). If it does then it's not a leak problem but another issue like with the position sensor.

Bob
10-06-2014, 11:24 AM
2Paw

Why

are we talking about the airbag? The OP said their dealer told them the compressor was bad, not the air bag. I don't have any answers for them but am interested in the answers.
10-06-2014, 04:42 PM
Trooper

The rear shock and air bag are indeed two completely separate units.

The role of the airbag is to maintain the proper geometry of the Spyder when adding rear weight. The role of the shock absorber is to....well....absorb bumps along the road.

It sounds like that the only thing that needs to be changed is the actual air compressor....and the rear shock of course considering it has blown out.
10-07-2014, 08:55 AM
ahh-cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Paw

are we talking about the airbag? The OP said their dealer told them the compressor was bad, not the air bag. I don't have any answers for them but am interested in the answers.

sorry but I hijacked this thread
10-07-2014, 08:58 AM
ahh-cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by finless

27 is too low. It should be like 90 as I recall. (search here and youi can find what the prssure should be as I am not 100% sure).
The compressor is not running with the key off is it? It should only run when the engine is running.

So you either have a messed up position sensor, leaking bladder or hoses.

You can manually put air in the bag via the shrader and see if it holds air (without turning the bike on). If it does then it's not a leak problem but another issue like with the position sensor.

Bob

I'm not sure if 27 is to low only because no one is on it at that point. I would assume that it would be higer with my fat ass and my wife's smaller ass on it.
I would also assume that if it was leaking then there would be no pressure
Stefan
10-07-2014, 09:01 AM
ahh-cool

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trooper

The rear shock and air bag are indeed two completely separate units.

The role of the airbag is to maintain the proper geometry of the Spyder when adding rear weight. The role of the shock absorber is to....well....absorb bumps along the road.

It sounds like that the only thing that needs to be changed is the actual air compressor....and the rear shock of course considering it has blown out.

I understand that they are 2 systems.
I would think that if the shock was working you would not need the airbag at all, however,
If the shock is flat, then the airbag would try to compensate because the bike would be bouncing and the sensor would keep moving
Just my thoughts
Stefan
10-07-2014, 09:37 AM
Marker

The same thing happened to my 2010spyder too. When the rear shock broke on my spyder the air compressor burnt out and the shock and compressor were replaced under warranty.
10-07-2014, 09:53 AM
2Paw

Fuse 8?

When all of this started did you have an issue with fuse 8 blowing? Fuse 8 is for the horn, heated grips, and the compressor.
10-07-2014, 10:13 AM
Marker

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2Paw

When all of this started did you have an issue with fuse 8 blowing? Fuse 8 is for the horn, heated grips, and the compressor.

No, The compressor just quit. I first knew something was wrong when the rear end started bouncing around like a basketball and then the ride got real hard when I let the air out of the bag and it would not refill.
10-07-2014, 08:01 PM
spacetiger

Having played with the rear shock, I can say the rear spring is totally inadequate to do the job. The bike easily bottoms out in front and rear.

I have a hard time understanding how the rear shock fails... until I think about how inadequate the spring is on the rear shock. Then I can envision how the shock takes a pounding every time it bottoms out. The air bag is not sized to be a critical component in the suspension to the point it has to constantly compensate for the inadequate spring (that is the component that has to hold the bike up).

I believe if you get the right rated spring in the rear, it will hold the bike and keep it from bottoming out. Yo will not need the air bag.

Jerry