HELP WITH RT AIR COMPRESSOR PLEASE

[BLACK SPYDERRT]

DONT THINK I HAVE A LEAK, I FILL IT WITH 80PSI. HOLDS PRESSURE AND REAR IS FIRM UNTIL I START THE ENGINE
IMMEDIATELY START TO HEAR AIR BEING BLED IN SHORT BURSTS UNTIL PRESSURE DROPS TO ABOUT 20PSI. HANDLING IS REALLY SLOPPY AND THE REAR IS REALLY SOFT HEIGHT DROPS AS SOON AS I SIT ON IT. I TRIED THE SOFT HARD SWITCH NO CHANGE IN HEIGHT OR FIRMNESS??
HAVE APPT MON DEALER PLANS TO TAKE OFF ALL PANELS AND LOOK FOR A LEAK, I DONT THINK ITS A LEAK PROBLEM..
ANYONE ELSE HAVE THIS PROBLEM?
OR IS THERE A TECH LINE I CAN CALL?
2011 RTS
THX

 

[Mr. White]

Black, I know little about my RT-S, but to adjust my rear shock, I press a button...firm or soft. I have no gauge that tells me air pressure. Where do you got these readings? I think the RT requires that you pump up your shock manually, but not the RT-S....just wondering. Your dealer would be your first contact.

 

[NancysToy]

The RTS and Limited, with the automatic rear suspension, don't work by pressure. They work by ride height. The compressor will run or the solenoid valve will release air to retain the ride height you have set. This will change as you add passengers or cargo, or remove them. What you are hearing is normal. Forget about the pressure, set the desired ride height/stiffness on the gauge, and just ride.

 

[Y Rider]

BIG RED 1 is correct about the RTS having an automatic air suspension system. There is a manual valve under the seat but if all is working correctly you should never need to use it. There is a switch on the console that allows you to set five different settings from hard to soft. If this is not working you may have a problem with the ride height sensor.

 

[Mr. White]

The RTS and Limited, with the automatic rear suspension, don't work by pressure. They work by ride height. The compressor will run or the solenoid valve will release air to retain the ride height you have set. This will change as you add passengers or cargo, or remove them. What you are hearing is normal. Forget about the pressure, set the desired ride height/stiffness on the gauge, and just ride.

Scotty, I am now confused. As you know, I am a mechanical klutz (Spyder or otherwise). I thought my "hard/soft" switch firmed up the shock someway, not raising or lowering the ride height of the Spyder, like the Gold Wing does. I never paid much attention to it when I set the switch....I put it in the middle and never fool with it much.

:spyder2:

 

[Scooter]

I have a 2010 RTS, I am have a problem with my rear air bag, it loses air when I have Passenger, the air compressor keeps going on and off during the ride. My dealer said that its normal, and said if I wanted it checked I should waite until my next oil change or he woud have to charge, me if they could not find anything wrong. (12,000mi) it also goes to zero over night. I was told by other Spyder Lovers that it should not go to zero. So I will see when I bring it in for service.:gaah::gaah:

 

[NancysToy]

Scotty, I am now confused. As you know, I am a mechanical klutz (Spyder or otherwise). I thought my "hard/soft" switch firmed up the shock someway, not raising or lowering the ride height of the Spyder, like the Gold Wing does. I never paid much attention to it when I set the switch....I put it in the middle and never fool with it much.

:spyder2:

The system actually works off a ride height (ACS) sensor, although BRP calls the gauge an indicator of "firmness". When you add air to the air bag, the ride height increases and the ride becomes firmer. When you lower the ride height, the ride softens. The two are inseparable, just as raising the preload on a spring rises the ride height in the process. It's just a matter of how it accomplishes it, and the terminology. Same effects no matter how you control it or what you call it.

 

[Mr. White]

Thanks, Scotty. I learned another Spyderism today. That is two for today....I am going into overload....hyea:

I ride solo and never hear a compressor, air leaking (releasing), nada... It is hell getting old. :dontknow:

:spyder2:

 

[GeoffCee]

I remember posting this observation before, but no matter.

At the end of a ride I switch off the engine and my wife disappears indoors, leaving me to put the trike in the garage. As I start the Spyder up and ride into the garage I hear air escaping in short bursts from the air-spring as it adjusts to the lighter load now there is only one person on board. It always makes me smile, but then I'm at an age when such noises are amusing.

 

[NancysToy]

.....It always makes me smile, but then I'm at an age when such noises are amusing.

Especially when the noises come from the Spyder and not from you. :joke:

 

[canam9]

The RTS and Limited, with the automatic rear suspension, don't work by pressure. They work by ride height. The compressor will run or the solenoid valve will release air to retain the ride height you have set. This will change as you add passengers or cargo, or remove them. What you are hearing is normal. Forget about the pressure, set the desired ride height/stiffness on the gauge, and just ride.

:agree:

Especially when the noises come from the Spyder and not from you. :joke:

:roflblack:

 

[Leslee]

I suggest you take it to your dealer. Sounds like the same problem we and another new 2011 RTS are having. We had a leak in our brand new 2011 RTS and the dealer said there was a computer fix. But after getting it back and thinking it was fixed, today I discovered I can't adjust it at all again and it's on the lowest level. Might be able to do it through the schrader valve but the dealer said it bled out after they did that too. So back to the dealer.... I believe this will get fixed eventually because they acknowledge there's an issue.

 

[Marker]

Last week I took our 2010 RTS SE5 in to the dealer as I think the air ride quit working just after we had taken delivery of our :spyder: but I was not sure . So from watching and reading posts on this web site and attending the Ontario Roadster Rally I was sur the the air ride was not working and I was correct. The problem being is that when I changed setting for softer or firmer riding I could tell the difference in ride or did not hear air coming from shrader valve or the air compressor coming on at all even when the :spyder:was started but the air bag had 60PSI in it all the time when I measured it . So I let all the air out of the air bag let the :spyder:sit for an hour then started the :spyder: up and the air compressor did not come on to reinflate the air bag. After being at the dealers the air ride system works awesome and I can tell the difference in ride when I change the settings and I can hear hissing from the shrader valve and can hear the air compressor come on when the spyder is started.

When I get a chance I will call the dealer to see what the problem was and post it here . I picked up the :spyder: close to when he closes and the paperwork was not complete yet.

I also had the left shifter cluster replaced as the cluster was loose and could not be tightened now the new cluster is tight.:thumbup:

Thank goodness for warrantyhyea:

 

[StanProff]

Rear suspension settings

When I took possession of my RT from the dealer I watched them setting the suspension Upper and lower limits with the computer attached. It has a minimum pressure limit and an upper limit to revent over pressure. These are controlled by the RT computer so some of the issues could be a computer bug that needs to be reset. Just speculation on my part, mine seems to work fine at this time.

 

[NancysToy]

OK, let's clear up some of the haze here. First, the computer settings. Some of the 2011 RTs were delivered with the upper and lower air suspension limits programmed at the same value. If you have this problem, when you press the switch to change the suspension, a "Manual" warning will appear. There is a warranty bulletin on this issue, and your dealer will need to reset the limits via BUDS.

Second, the easiest way to check if the suspension is working, is to start the engine, put the Spyder in gear, and change the setting. You should notice the Spyder rise when the level is raised, and you may hear the compressor run. On lowering the setting, you will hear the solenoid valve release air, and the Spyder will lower. A second person standing to the side should be able to see the Spyder rise and fall. Better yet, they can measure from the floor to the rear fender to make sure.

The final test is to shut the Spyder off, dismount, and measure the pressure at the Schrader valve under the seat. You can add air here if you wish. The next morning, measure the pressure again. A drop in pressure indicates a leak in the system. Check the core of the Schrader valve for tightness first, if you have a leak...especially a slow one. There was also a bulletin for leaks in the air system, and there is a repair kit. This problem affected some 2010 RTs.

 

[Marker]

Last week I took our 2010 RTS SE5 in to the dealer as I think the air ride quit working just after we had taken delivery of our :spyder: but I was not sure . So from watching and reading posts on this web site and attending the Ontario Roadster Rally I was sur the the air ride was not working and I was correct. The problem being is that when I changed setting for softer or firmer riding I could tell the difference in ride or did not hear air coming from shrader valve or the air compressor coming on at all even when the :spyder:was started but the air bag had 60PSI in it all the time when I measured it . So I let all the air out of the air bag let the :spyder:sit for an hour then started the :spyder: up and the air compressor did not come on to reinflate the air bag. After being at the dealers the air ride system works awesome and I can tell the difference in ride when I change the settings and I can hear hissing from the shrader valve and can hear the air compressor come on when the spyder is started.

When I get a chance I will call the dealer to see what the problem was and post it here . I picked up the :spyder: close to when he closes and the paperwork was not complete yet.

I also had the left shifter cluster replaced as the cluster was loose and could not be tightened now the new cluster is tight.:thumbup:

Thank goodness for warrantyhyea:

This morning I called the dearship's service manager and talked to him about my :spyder: problems and what the fix was he said that it was a glitch in the program and the tech did a program update via buds and now the air ride works great . You can hear the compressor come on and you can hear the shrader valve releasing air. I let all the air out of the air bag restarted :spyder: and watched the backend of the :spyder:raise up as the air bag filled with air. There is a noticeable difference in ryde now that the system is working properly.:thumbup:

 

[ARtraveler]

Thanks. :2thumbs: I learned somthing new and helpful today also.

 

[BLACK SPYDERRT]

THANKS

This morning I called the dearship's service manager and talked to him about my :spyder: problems and what the fix was he said that it was a glitch in the program and the tech did a program update via buds and now the air ride works great . You can hear the compressor come on and you can hear the shrader valve releasing air. I let all the air out of the air bag restarted :spyder: and watched the backend of the :spyder:raise up as the air bag filled with air. There is a noticeable difference in ryde now that the system is working properly.:thumbup:

HAD THE RT IN THIS MORNING, THEY ALSO PLUGGED INTO BUDS, SEEMS WHEN THEY PREPPED THE BIKE A MONTH AGO, THEY NEVER SET THE LOW AND HIGH FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. PRETTY COOL TO WATCH, THEY HAD TO USE WOOD BLOCKS TO ANGLE THE BIKE SET HIGH AND LOW. NOW THE COMPRESSOR COMES ON AND WORKING FINE, THANKS TO YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR THEIR INPUT IN HELPING ME FIX MY BIKE,
REGARDS:2thumbs:

 

[Marker]

HAD THE RT IN THIS MORNING, THEY ALSO PLUGGED INTO BUDS, SEEMS WHEN THEY PREPPED THE BIKE A MONTH AGO, THEY NEVER SET THE LOW AND HIGH FOR THE AIR BAG SYSTEM. PRETTY COOL TO WATCH, THEY HAD TO USE WOOD BLOCKS TO ANGLE THE BIKE SET HIGH AND LOW. NOW THE COMPRESSOR COMES ON AND WORKING FINE, THANKS TO YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE FOR THEIR INPUT IN HELPING ME FIX MY BIKE,
REGARDS:2thumbs:

Great, I am glad that everything worked out for you . I agree it would be pretty cool to watch a :f_spider: get fixed and prepped and to see how BUDS actually works to program the bike.

I think the real key to enjoying our spyders is having a great dealer with great :f_spider: Techs to fix the problems right the first time and most of all the awesome members of this site that chime in to help one another with ideas as to what is wrong with their :f_spider:.

Let's Ride !!!:2thumbs:

Marker