Any one had any success adding Rear Air Suspension to their std Spyder RT?

[rolick22]

Has any one had any success adding rear auto leveling air suspension to there 20-21 RT? It is only available on the Limited or STS. I'm being told by BRP that it can't be done. So if you did, how did you do it?

 

[Peteoz]

Not sure what you are after here, Rolick. Both RT models have the Air bag. It is just that the Limited has a self levelling feature using an automatic pump. You should be able to adjust your Std RT via the shraeder valve under the seat……. Personally, I prefer the manual version as you hear of issues with the auto pump. The manual system worked very well for me on my F3-L. Have I misunderstood?

Pete

 

[rolick22]

Sorry for the lack of clarification, my fault. I’m taking about the auto leveling suspension. I have used the valve under the seat. Looking to find if someone has successfully mod it.

 

[Peteoz]

Sorry for the lack of clarification, my fault. I’m taking about the auto leveling suspension. I have used the valve under the seat. Looking to find if someone has successfully mod it.

Ahhhhhh. I have never seen anyone mention adding it, rolick, but you never know. If anyone has, they will certainly be on this group.

 

[Peter Aawen]

Sorry for the lack of clarification, my fault. I’m taking about the auto leveling suspension. I have used the valve under the seat. Looking to find if someone has successfully mod it.

For this to work, you'd need to trick the onboard computer/s into thinking that JUST the ACS was being upgraded to Limited level, with the compressor, height sensor & automatic adjusting controls that entails; but at the same time you'd need to avoid triggering the settings for any of the other Limited features like the extra lights, dash features etc. And that, I believe, would be fairly difficult if not impossible.... just like swapping the rear cog or setting the country code to EU but still keeping US radio station pre-sets &/or still running MPH instead of converting to Kmh like the EU settings generally call for...... it's not easy to do if at all cos there's lots of little things buried in the computers & BUDS settings that have the potential to REALLY stuff up how or even IF your Spyder will run once you start playing around in there too much! :gaah:

That said, given that aside from the OE Spec tires, one of the most problematic & failure prone 'features' on the Limiteds is this bloody ACS & it's automatic adjustment/ride height setting with its frequently failing valves & burnt out compressors, why in any real or imaginary universe would you even WANT to try to do this so called 'upgrade'?!? :yikes: There are quite a few people with Limiteds who have already or will eventually actually DISABLE this freaking abortion of an Automatically Controlled Suspension system and convert it to the much more reliable and simple system of just using the schraeder valve under the seat that you already have; and there are probably even more out there who have or will end up installing a/mkt rear shocks & springs that compensate for the dodgy ACS so that it no longer has any detrimental impact on their Spyder's suspension & ride, even if it still 'technically' remains in situ & operable! Except it's probably not really operational cos the compressor's probably burnt out for the 4th or 5th time already; or the valves no longer actually work to keep air anywhere; or the height sensor bracket has been bent yet again!!! Besides, how often do you really think you'll need to change the air bag pressure on the fly?? I doubt too many Limited ryders do it all that often, if at all; and despite it being a salesperson's dream gimmick to fool the gullible masses into thinking they need it or maybe just want it, the rest of the time the ACS doing its thing is more of a problem than any real benefit! :lecturef_smilie:

So why don't you just stick with the proven 'reasonably reliable' and useful manual system that you already have & many Limited owners wish for, and by doing so avoid all the angst of trying to install a 'dubious at best, useless at worst' so called 'upgrade' that's really not all that useful or reliable anyway?!? :dontknow:

 

[Plarimer]

That’s interesting as I have a standard RT. It has the airbag switch under the seat and automatically pumps up when somebody is in the passenger sheet.

 

[Navydad]

That’s interesting as I have a standard RT. It has the airbag switch under the seat and automatically pumps up when somebody is in the passenger sheet.

I have a 2015 base model RT and it has a sensor under the passenger seat to detect when the passenger seat is occupied. All this does is let Nanny compensate and adjust for braking and cornering since the bike is carrying more weight. It does nothing for ride height or airbag adjustments. I must do those manually and to tell the truth I would rather have it that way. It takes me just a couple of minutes and I don't worry about the issues that can arise with the auto system. Besides my base RT has pegs instead of floorboards I hate floorboards :gaah:

 

[Steve W.]

Besides, how often do you really think you'll need to change the air bag pressure on the fly?? I doubt too many Limited ryders do it all that often, if at all; and despite it being a salesperson's dream gimmick to fool the gullible masses into thinking they need it or maybe just want it, the rest of the time the ACS doing its thing is more of a problem than any real benefit! :lecturef_smilie:

Peter, I am going to guess that you are the only one that rides your Spyder and you NEVER carry a passenger.

My wife's and my gravitational attractions are sufficiently different that the suspension would need to be adjusted. And a LOT of adjustment would be needed if we rode together. We don't always switch rider/passenger configurations with the luxury of an air compressor nearby, so the suspension settings will almost always be 'off'. :dontknow:

A manually-adjusted system would also work, but if automatic is available, ... why not?

.

 

[Peteoz]

That’s interesting as I have a standard RT. It has the airbag switch under the seat and automatically pumps up when somebody is in the passenger sheet.

Which year do you have, Plarimer? The 2020/21 RT STD definitely does NOT have “self levelling” according to its spec sheet. The bag is adjusted using the shraeder valve under the seat……and as Navydad says, that switch under the seat is either on or off to allow nanny to effectively slow you down if it detects a passenger.

Pete

 

[Peter Aawen]

Peter, I am going to guess that you are the only one that rides your Spyder and you NEVER carry a passenger.

My wife's and my gravitational attractions are sufficiently different that the suspension would need to be adjusted. And a LOT of adjustment would be needed if we rode together. We don't always switch rider/passenger configurations with the luxury of an air compressor nearby, so the suspension settings will almost always be 'off'. :dontknow:

A manually-adjusted system would also work, but if automatic is available, ... why not?

.

Wrong on both counts Steve!! The Child Bride has been aboard for something over a half of the ryding we've done on our RT, a good mixture of local day trips & longer multi-week trips. hyea: But as I asked, how often do you really change the ACS air bag pressure on the fly - ie, once loaded and moving?? I certainly change the air bag pressure in anticipation of her climbing aboard, but once set, I don't change the ACS settings all that much once she's aboard... do you?? And if you do, do you really need to?? Or could that need have been met by changing the air bag pressure the on last time you stopped? :dontknow:

As for the second bit I bolded above, I'd hafta ask... WHY?? :shocked: Especially if the ACS fails to function correctly often as so many do, or if it often blows out completely as so many do, is there REALLY a reliable automatic system available??

I'll agree that there's a great CONCEPT for an automatic system provided, but as it currently presents, the delivery of that concept by BRP problematic, failure prone, and basically flawed in that when it does fail (& given it's design & the quality of the kit involved, it almost certainly WILL fail eventually, one way or another! :lecturef_smilie: ) the OE coil/spring arrangement on the rear of the RT's in particular just isn't really adequate to keeping the arse end of the Spyder off the rear tire when your Spyder is loaded &/or carrying a full sized ryder plus a pillion passenger - and isn't that sorta one of the points for having a Touring bike like a Spyder RT in the first place?? :gaah: So we've been given something that's not really up to the task in the first place; something that's prone to failures & leaks due to its complexity & the poor quality components & fittings; and something that means unless you are ryding unloaded &/or alone on your fantastic for 2-up touring Spyder you simply won't be able to proceed safely!! :yikes: Great, I've got an automatically controlled rear suspension on my fairly expensive Touring Spyder.... that's failed, AGAIN; and that now means me'n the Child Bride are stuck in the boondocks until we can get it sorted/repaired! :banghead:

So it all boils down to someone at BRP having (or 'borrowing' from some other marque... ) a pretty good idea for installing an ACS on the rear of those Spyders most likely to be used for 2-up Touring, only then somewhere along the line someone cheaped out on delivering an ACS that actually did what it should reliably and under those conditions that they should've reasonably expected of buyers for a machine of this type.... :gaah: . Still, that's not a first for BRP! The whole Spyder/Ryker thing is a great concept and they are really a blast to ryde in sooo many ways.... it's just extremely disappointing that they've dropped the ball & delivered a 'less than ideal' product in so many of those things they tout as the bells & whistles that make Spyders especially such a stand out machine!! And you really don't want to get me started on their dealer network & relationships; their completely lacking approach to customer service; or those bloody over-priced under-performing excuses for tires that they STILL insist on trying to foist off onto 'their gullible buyers' at vastly inflated prices & blown out change times! :gaah:

Still, it is YOUR Spyder, or in rollick's case, it's actually his... But I'm blowed if I understand why anyone would want to convert something that works reliably most of the time into something that is renowned for failing often, usually when you least want/need it to & in such a way that you're basically stuffed until it gets completely fixed?!? AND even considering to do this when so many others are actively converting their 'so called' automatic systems back to the manual version just for peace of mind too!?! That just boggles my mind! :shocked:

But then, that's just me; and I am just sayin' :thumbup: