My 2022 Spyder F3T missing air suspension...

[Athorn1991]

Hi. I purchased a 2022 Spyder F3T from Fort Worth Motorsports out here in Texas back on Aug 22. I have about 700miles and so far I been enjoying it. I noticed when I try riding with a passenger, the suspension would bottom out even with the slightest of bumps. I read through the owner manual and vehicle specifications and learned that this Spyder should have a manual rear air suspension.

I asked my dealership about how to add air into it but they first tried telling me that it's an automatic system. When I told them that it's a manual air suspension based on manual, they told me to check under the seat.

Well I checked it last night and I see that there's no valve to put air in it. I have a strong belief that this dealership may have not installed the bike correctly. On the ignition, I have the wrong icons where they used the RT part for the F3.

Since this is my first time buying a CanAm, or any motorcycle, what's the process on getting this fixed?

[seagravesg]

My 2020 F3T has a Schrader valve under the passenger seat to manually adjust the rear suspension.

[Athorn1991]

Yea, I'm thinking it's the dealership that didn't install it correctly. There's no Schrader valve under mines. I also been having other smaller issues like a squeaking sound when I ride very slowly and vibration when riding around 75-80ish. I'll try to take it to dealership one more time to have them look into it. If they still say it's not a problem, then I may take it to another dealership to get a quote of having it added

[blacklightning]

Yea, I'm thinking it's the dealership that didn't install it correctly. There's no Schrader valve under mines. I also been having other smaller issues like a squeaking sound when I ride very slowly and vibration when riding around 75-80ish. I'll try to take it to dealership one more time to have them look into it. If they still say it's not a problem, then I may take it to another dealership to get a quote of having it added

You should not have to pay for having it added. If the first dealership says that there isn't one, then I would not even deal with them anymore. There is definitely a chrome valve stem cover over the place where you would add air. Not an addition, but something that should be factory/dealer installed at no charge.

[Athorn1991]

Here's a photo under my seat and of my ignition switch. Would I be able to take it to other dealerships at no cost? PXL_20220910_151100170.jpg
PXL_20220910_151026251.jpg

[Bfromla]

You should not have to pay for having it added. If the first dealership says that there isn't one, then I would not even deal with them anymore. There is definitely a chrome valve stem cover over the place where you would add air. Not an addition, but something that should be factory/dealer installed at no charge.

another dealer not same if part of a chain. & getting BRP cares involved; something fishy at that dealer

[BertRemington]

Athorn1991 -- BRP shows manual fill air suspension for 2022 F3T https://can-am-shop.brp.com/on-road/...245/26YB005a/y

[Athorn1991]

Athorn1991 -- BRP shows manual fill air suspension for 2022 F3T https://can-am-shop.brp.com/on-road/...245/26YB005a/y

Thank you everyone for being so helpful. I called another dealership that'll be pulling up my VIN and said they can submit a claim if I'm missing parts. Like you all said, I'm very skeptical of Ft Worth Motorsports and would like to work with a different dealership if possible

[DGoebel]

It's also possible the airbag is in position, you should be able to see it, but was never filled if it were missing the hoses and schrader (fill) valve which the diagram indicates it's pointing aft.

[cptjam]

Take the side covers off and look. Find the airbag at the shock, look for hoses. Under the seat, on the right side, you will find a hole. The Schrader valve should be there. Call me if you need help. Joe

[Mikey]

Look at the bag and find the hose coming out of it and fallow it up I would bet you'll find a schrader valve that's not where it's supposed to be!!

[Texas Al]

Athorn1991 Try Freedom powersports or Cowtown Powersports they are both good dealer to work with.

[pauly1]

Here's a photo of my 2018 F3T with the valve location marked, where it is absent in your photo. The Shrader valve is held in by a E-clip around the valve body. Perhaps the clip came off or wasn't installed and the valve is on the bike but has dropped out of its mounting hole. I live in Weatherford and would be willing to meet up someplace to look at it.

[RazzleH]

My 2020 F3Ltd doesn't have that valve either. However, I can hear the rear suspension self adjust from time to time, depending on weight on and off the rear seat.

[Peteoz]

My 2020 F3Ltd doesn't have that valve either. However, I can hear the rear suspension self adjust from time to time, depending on weight on and off the rear seat.

Your Limited doesn’t have the valve, Razzle? But your air bag is adjusting itself? I wonder how they have sealed the bag if they haven’t installed the Shrader valve?

Pete

[RazzleH]

No idea Pete. It all works so I have never questioned it until reading this post. Yes, I went out and removed the rear seat. There is a bracket with a hole (as in the photo somebody else has posted) that I'm guessing would be for the valve. I've experienced no bottoming out and sometimes hear the 'adjuster' working, particularly if I have leaned back or sat back over the rear seat when relaxing or leg stretching.

[MrSchaefer]

Yeah.. your valve should be in that hole in the lower-right corner of your Spyder. That's where it is on my 2021 F3T

The Limited has an automatic system that adjusts the pressure (so no valve) - the Touring model requires manual adjusting of the rear bag with a simple shrader valve with a screw on cap.. and I can tell you from experience that if that thing is fully underinflated you can easily bottom out the rear shock with a passenger.

I will also warn you that that valve tends to stick a bit which can cause it to leak air. Simple to maintain but worth noting.

no valve.jpg

[MrSchaefer]

This is from my 2021 F3T (which is currently rather dirty)
92203FB0-19DE-4925-886C-156FBD3617B3.jpg

[MrSchaefer]

I also been having other smaller issues like a squeaking sound when I ride very slowly

Is the squeaking sound coming from the front? Mine did the same thing because the dash bezel wasn't fully snapped in which caused the plastics to rub against each other and make a high pitched squeak that you could hear at low speeds - press along the plastic that runs around the dash, speakers, etc - top sides and bottom. Mine wasn't fully seated on the bottom and made a little click when I pushed along the bottom under the right speakers. Took away the squeaking sound. If not that I would check any of the other pieces held by pressure clips for one that isn't fully seated - mirror covers can also cause that but less likely than the dash trim in my experience

[spyder17f3t]

Hey there pauly 1. I just picked up a 2017 F3-T and upon reading this thread just went out to pop my seat off and found the schrader valve that you're speaking of. How do I adjust it and how do I know how much to adjust it? If it's based on rider weight I'm 5'7 195 lbs and when I ride 2 up with my girlfriend that puts us at a total of 380 lbs. Thanks for your help.

[MrSchaefer]

Hey there pauly 1. I just picked up a 2017 F3-T and upon reading this thread just went out to pop my seat off and found the schrader valve that you're speaking of. How do I adjust it and how do I know how much to adjust it? If it's based on rider weight I'm 5'7 195 lbs and when I ride 2 up with my girlfriend that puts us at a total of 380 lbs. Thanks for your help.

There’s a table on a sticker under the rear seat that gives recommended pressure based on rider and passenger/gear weights

[Peter Aawen]

Hey there pauly 1. I just picked up a 2017 F3-T and upon reading this thread just went out to pop my seat off and found the schrader valve that you're speaking of. How do I adjust it and how do I know how much to adjust it? If it's based on rider weight I'm 5'7 195 lbs and when I ride 2 up with my girlfriend that puts us at a total of 380 lbs. Thanks for your help.

There’s a table on a sticker under the rear seat that gives recommended pressure based on rider and passenger/gear weights

Just remember that if your Spyder's got the Auto version of the ACS, it doesn't really matter how much air YOU put into the air bag, the ACS will automatically re-adjust the air bag pressure to maintain the preset ride height iaw the parameters recorded in the on-board computer!! . If you've got the Manual version, ie. the type that doesn't have an on-board compressor at all, then changing the air bag pressure will vary the ride height & to a lesser extent, the 'feel' of your ride; so you can play with/vary the air bag pressure to your heart's content via the Schraeder valve!! .

But when your Spyder's got the Auto version AND it's working as it should (yeah, good luck with that! ) as soon as you start to ride, it'll reset the air bag's pressure to meet the preset ride height parameters and you're just gonna get what you gets iaw the on-board computer's height settings regardless of whatever you might try to do to the air bag pressure! And IIRC, it was about 2017-2018 that BRP started to remove the Schraeder valve & therefore the rider's ability to ever adjust that air bag pressure manually on those Spyders that came out with the ACS - so there were some Spyders with NO Schraeder valves under the seat, but they were meant to have the Auto ACS; and there were other Spyders that had JUST the Schraeder valve under the seat & no compressor; BUT despite telling us that they were changing to this Auto ONLY or Manual ONLY air bag suspension system dependent upon the Spyder model, they still continued to send out Spyders with BOTH a compressor, all the Auto ride height sensor/setting stuff, AND the manual Schraeder valve under the seat - so who really knows which bike is meant to have what, cos it seems that BRP didn't have any consistently applied plan?!?

In your case Athorn, it sounds like you're MEANT to have the Auto version of the ACS, only it's either not connected or the height wasn't ever set properly somewhere in the works; the ride height sensor's not connected at all & by chance the ACS thinks it's already at Max height so does nothing (you might want to check that the sensor link IS actually connected to the swing arm & the sensor sector arm - you should be able to find the link on top of the LH Swing Arm somewhere near the rear shock ); or as you already think, someone simply forgot to install some important component &/or all of the important ACS bits entirely so you're left without the air bag &/or some components of the ACS completely! Nett effect, your ACS isn't working nor apparently capable of working at all with the currently installed equipment - and one way or another, you're meant to have SOME form of air bag system and pressure adjusting system, only atm, you have NONE!

Still, regardless of the actual cause/s of your Ride Height/ACS problems, it's a new Spyder & your ACS should work, so this should be fixed under warranty; so find a dealer you feel you can trust and get them to sort it!

The more you play around with things & try to fix this yourself, the more likely you'll touch something important/that you shouldn't touch and the less likely BRP will take responsibility for this issue & fix it under warranty like they should, so get it to a dealer ASAP!! . If you have to, tell the (new) dealer that you don't trust the mob you bought it from (you don't hafta say who it was or why... altho I'm sure the new mob could find out if they wanted! ) so you're looking for a new dealer to do all your servicing/maintenance & sourcefit farkles etc, and that if they can get this ACS cluster f... err schmozzle sorted for you reasonably quickly & painlessly, then they'll be it!! (How much of that you actually give them is a bit of a moot point really, altho if they do a good warranty job on this, I would be inclined to give them whatever work I felt a dealer needed to do... however little or large that amount of work may be. ) After all, dealers don't usually make a heap thru selling Spyders, the bulk of their income/profit usually comes from the servicing & maintenance that generally follows a sale, so if you put all of that (or whatever you're likely to get done by a dealer) up for grabs depending on how well they look after this warranty issue for you now, they might even treat you fairly well.... 'might' being the most important operative word here!

But whatever you do, wherever you take it; this issue sounds very much like a dealer/warranty issue & something yiu really shouldn't risk by playing with yourself!

[pauly1]

Per brp.com, the 2022 F3-T has manual adjust air suspension assist. "Suspension Front: SACHS Big-Bore shocks, Rear: SACHS shock with manual air preload adjustment".

For the F3-L, the air preload adjustment is via an integrated air pump; there is no Shrader valve at least from 2018 to-date. The air preload suspension will adjust after the machine is put into gear and moving. As my wife's F3-L was having issues bottoming out with only her and a small amount of gear on the bike, I found that there is an upper and lower level that can be calibrated via the BUDS2 system and a couple of height blocks.

[RazzleH]

Thanks for the insight Peter and others for both the questions and the extensive answers. I've stopped wondering why our Spyders are assembled 'differently' to each other when ryding conditions, loaded weights, speeds, road bumps etc are pretty similar across the broad range of we the ryders. Yep, ryding more and worrying almost zero as my experience with each 'new' one sinks in. Crikey! I'm ever so pleased when my trycycle gives smart 2 wheelers heaps through the twisties ... lol.

[Athorn1991]

Thank you everyone who's been contributing to this thread. I finally got my 2022 F3T fixed!!

Shortly after receiving @BertRemington link for the parts page, I went back to Ft Worth Motorsports and told them how my schrader valve was missing. They finally "agreed" that my bike should've had the part and raised a warranty claim with BRP.

I didn't hear back from them for over 2 weeks. After calling in a few times, they told me that their Spyder technician left their dealership and I would need to open a claim at another dealership in the meantime.

So I followed @Texas Al advice and took it to Freedom Powersports in Lewisville, TX. I had to go through the same hoops and explain to them that the F3T was not self adjusting and I was missing hose to put air in suspension. After they took bike in for inspection, they agreed that the airbag was completely empty and they raised a claim to confirm with BRP what I needed. **eye roll**

After about another 2 weeks, BRP finally responded that, yes, the F3T is a manual air suspension system so their dealership ordered the hose and other parts for installing it.

Yesterday, all the parts finally arrived and I went to their shop. While taking apart the bike, they were able to find the hose that should of been on bike but the cord appeared sliced. Their technician believes either Can-AM or the other dealership must've cut it putting the bike together and figured to still sell it as it was.

But fortunately, now my bike has the hose and they put air in airbag. Riding on it feels completely different. Now my Spyder feels like it glides over small bumps rather than me feeling every single pebble on the road.

Thank you everyone for responding and helping a fellow SpyderLover