Adjustable Rear Suspension

[Pirate looks at --]

The other day ryding back from Monterey, CA I went to adjust the suspension to Soft as We were going to be on I5 and no twists and turns in sight so why not. When I hit the switch, instead of the Graphic showing the setting between hard and soft there was in Orange the word "Manual". Interesting after we had stopped for a while and the bike cooled down, as we were taking off I again tried to adjust the RYDE and the soft to hard scale showed up again. Then a few miles down the road the "manual" displayed again. The same scenario has played out a couple of other times. Looking for suggestions as to what might cause that. Thanks in advance for your input!

 

[Marker]

I had the same problem as you on my 2010 RT . Had dealer look at it and it was the switch that inflated the air bag. A piece of plastic had broken and it would sometimes and other times not.
You need a dealer to look at it.

 

[Bob Denman]

There's also an "strut", that hooks from the shock onto the swingarm... I wonder if that may have come loose? :dontknow:

 

[finless]

ACS trouble shooting

OK so first an understanding of how the ACS system works.

There is a rod attached to the left swing arm that goes up to a position sensor. This lets the cluster know the position of the spyders body in relation to the swing arm. e.g. ride height. If you don't have the ACS feature (base RT) then you wont have this rod on the swing arm.

Now when you start the bike and the engine is running, the cluster monitors the ACS position sensor. Too low and it turns the compressor on. To high and it lets air out.

The switch on the dash switch panel allows some adjustment of this ride height. e.g. you can make it go up a lottle more or down a little more. What you set there will be maintaned as above. e.g. the cluster will watch for changes and adjust.

What will cause you to go from seeing the bars on the display to seeing manual is basically this.
If the cluster does not see a change in the ride height sensor after it gives a command to pump some air or let air out, then it will time out and go to manual mode (like a base RT does).

So what will cause this to happen?
1) Broken or disconnected rod that goes from the swing arm to the sensor switch.
2) Failed or disconnected sensor switch.
3) Failed or fault with the compressor. e.g. cluster says to pump air but it doesnt. By the way, a leaking air bag or shrader valve will cause the compressor to run a lot more than it should and they don't last long if this happens!
4) Sensor was not calibrated correctly. This requires BUDs to recalibrate.

Hope this helps,
Bob

 

[Pirate looks at --]

Thanks

Bob,

thanks for for that description, I think that this will have to go to the dealer for some warranty work! Any reason it can't be ridden in this current state?

 

[finless]

Bob,

thanks for for that description, I think that this will have to go to the dealer for some warranty work! Any reason it can't be ridden in this current state?

No reason. You can ride it all you want as now it is acting like a base model RT without the ACS.

However, under your seat is a shrader valve like on a tire. Put some air in the bag manually and with a pressure gauge set it to about 55 lbs. This will keep you from hobby horsing down the road if the bag is totally flat.

Bob

 

[jtoro1]

Swap the ACS relay with the headlight relay they have the same part # in the trunk I had a bad relay the relay is frist on the top left. PART #303-1AH-C-R1-U01-12DC. $4.50

 

[MarkLawson]

OK so first an understanding of how the ACS system works.

There is a rod attached to the left swing arm that goes up to a position sensor. This lets the cluster know the position of the spyders body in relation to the swing arm. e.g. ride height. If you don't have the ACS feature (base RT) then you wont have this rod on the swing arm.

Now when you start the bike and the engine is running, the cluster monitors the ACS position sensor. Too low and it turns the compressor on. To high and it lets air out.

The switch on the dash switch panel allows some adjustment of this ride height. e.g. you can make it go up a lottle more or down a little more. What you set there will be maintaned as above. e.g. the cluster will watch for changes and adjust.

What will cause you to go from seeing the bars on the display to seeing manual is basically this.
If the cluster does not see a change in the ride height sensor after it gives a command to pump some air or let air out, then it will time out and go to manual mode (like a base RT does).

So what will cause this to happen?
1) Broken or disconnected rod that goes from the swing arm to the sensor switch.
2) Failed or disconnected sensor switch.
3) Failed or fault with the compressor. e.g. cluster says to pump air but it doesnt. By the way, a leaking air bag or shrader valve will cause the compressor to run a lot more than it should and they don't last long if this happens!
4) Sensor was not calibrated correctly. This requires BUDs to recalibrate.

Hope this helps,
Bob

The Spyder also has to be in gear for the ACS to operate. The orientation of the rod Bob is referencing must also be correct or the sensor input will be opposite what it should be, which confuses the fool out of the computer. The rod has a joint in it, which I believe should be pointing to the rear. The results would be a constant airing up and then releasing of air, which will burn out the compressor in short order.

 

[finless]

The Spyder also has to be in gear for the ACS to operate.

Not on a SM5

Bob

 

[Pirate looks at --]

SE5 here

I have the limited so it is SE5

 

[Firefly]

I installed one of these:
http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/air-l...Y2QvCQdYb5e0sPDH2ZFV5weI4wDJrbtWy8aAvWM8P8HAQ

But the compressor is crap so I stole one out of one of those portable slime units and installed it instead.

Works like a charm and gives you the ultimate control over your ride.

 

[spacetiger]

I installed one of these:
http://www.sdtrucksprings.com/air-l...Y2QvCQdYb5e0sPDH2ZFV5weI4wDJrbtWy8aAvWM8P8HAQ

But the compressor is crap so I stole one out of one of those portable slime units and installed it instead.

Works like a charm and gives you the ultimate control over your ride.

I love this! Thanks for sharing.

Jerry

 

[MarkLawson]

Not on a SM5

Bob

According to my 2010 RT-SM5's owners manual, the gearbox cannot be in neutral. My experience is that it does not begin making adkustments until I place it in gear and back out of my garage.