2012 RT-Ltd Rear Shock

[41canine]

Hello from a noob with a 2012 RT-Ltd. I am confused about the rear suspension adjustment. I 've got the rocker switch on the dash, but just found a Schrader valve under the seat. Am I supposed to air it up through yhe valve too, or are they two different things?
Thanks in advance for any help I may get with this.

[Peter Aawen]

It's not really an 'air shock' or even strictly an 'Air Suspension' System that you've got under there, it's more of a 'Ride Height & Assistance' System that uses an air bag which is fitted IN ADDITION to the usual coil-over-shock arrangement that comes standard as a part of your RT Ltd's rear suspension.

With the Air Control System (ACS) that you have (which is the switch on the dash plus the compressor & valving etc that goes along with it) you don't need to use the Schraeder valve under the seat, but you can add/subtract air via that valve if you wish, or if the compressor fails for any reason. There is a Ride Height Monitoring Valve on the LH side Swing arm that tells the ACS to adjust the air pressure in the Air Bag according to any ride height changes that might occur as you accel or brake, hit a bump etc, or as a pillion passenger gets on or off, & the compressor will cycle to provide sufficient pressure to maintain the ride height set via that switch on the dash - so even if you add or adjust the air pressure in the bag via the under-seat valve (that bag can be anywhere between 0psi & 90psi) the ACS may well adjust the pressure you manually set immediately whenever you start the engine & select a gear - btw, the ACS will only operate while the engine is running & the trans is in gear!

Enjoy!

[Set&Drift]

Driving down the road on my 2012 RT Limited, I hit the suspension switch and an orange line came on the dash telling me to adjust "manual" Any ideas why that came on instead of the usual bars indicating position?

I put an pressure indicator on the Schrader valve and it read 20 psi. I used my air hose and brought it up to 50 psi within the limits.

[Peter Aawen]

Manual can appear on that height gauge for a number of reasons - it could be just that your air bag pressure has got so low the compressor needs a hand, so adding air via the valve like you have may have resolved the issue... has it?? Check that the Schraeder valve isn't leaking, & that none of the air lines or joints are leaking, a light spray of slightly soapy water should help with that!

If you still get the 'Manual' warning even tho you've got 50psi in the bag now, it could be that your compressor is no longer working, either a blown fuse (does your horn still work?) or the compressor's blown! The OE Compressors are not all that robust & will burn out readily if the valve blows or there's a leak somewhere & they get asked to operate continuously for mre than a few minutes. A dodgy non-return valve on the top of the air bag or a leak in the bag itself can also cause that warning to pop up, & there's probably a few more possibilities too....

However, your way ahead should start with you first checking that the height switch/measuring device on the LH side front of the swing arm is actually connected top & bottom & that the wires to the switch & compressor are also connected. This will entail you getting down on the ground or lifting the Spyder high enough to get a clear view from below! Fix any disconnections etc you may find there & check to see if the 'Manual' warning has gone. If not, check to make sure the air bag actually HOLDS pressure for a while & doesn't leak down instantly! If it holds air pressure for a few hours, or better yet, overnight, then the next step is to check to see if the compressor is still working. Do that by letting some air out of the bag via the Schraeder valve, say, let it down to 10psi or so, & then start up the engine & put it in gear - the ACS won't work unless the engine is running & a gear selected! Then press UP on the switch - the ACS should try to add air, & the back of the bike shoukd visibly rise... if not, & you can't hear/feel the compressor, chances are it's dead!!

If the air bag doesn't hold air, then that has probably caused the compressor to burn out, but that's not necessarily the ONLY way they die, whatever caused it, once the compressor is dead it means you'll need to replace it - you can get OE replacements under warrant, but if it's no longer under warranty, the VIAIR 95 compressor is a much sturdier replacement which is ALMOST a 'Form, Fit, & Function' replacement, altho it will need a couple of longer screws for the bracket (cos its body is a round tube not a flattened tube like the OE unit) & you'll need to 'clock' the pump head to point the non-return valve in the right direction, & probably swap or mix'n match with the OE & VIAIR NR valves to make one that fits without sticking out too far thst it hoits something as the suspension articulates... Anyhow, make sure you've got no air system leaks before turning a new compressor on, & keep an eye on your pressure for a day or six after doing any work down there, just to make sure you haven't got another leak & might already be working towards the next cooked compressor!

Hope that lot helped some... sorry about the length!