2017 kx250f shock nitrogen refill.

Spudnut wrote:

I have this left over one lying around $25 dollar adoption fee! lol[img]https://p.vitalmx.com/photos/forums/2018/12/20/311736/s1200_image.jpg[/img]

I have this left over one lying around $25 dollar adoption fee! lol

Keith72 wrote:

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good...

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good place to get all this stuff at a reasonable price? I can do all the work to change the oil, just can't recharge the nitrogen.

garagedog wrote:

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread). The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work...

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread).
The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work fine and its free.

FWYT wrote:

Honestly, unless you are doing lots of shocks, it's easier and way cheaper just to take it to the local moto shop and have them charge...

Honestly, unless you are doing lots of shocks, it's easier and way cheaper just to take it to the
local moto shop and have them charge it for you. Most places will do it, no problem, for a small fee.

garagedog wrote:

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread). The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work...

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread).
The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work fine and its free.

dkurtd wrote:

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very...

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very dry, that is why it's used in race car tires and shocks. Shocks get very hot and filled with a fork pump will fluctuate pressure easily 10 PSI. Don't believe me let all the nitrogen out of your shock and go to the track and fill it with your fork pump.

garagedog wrote:

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread). The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work...

MTB bike pump or Fork pump works fine. (I'm not trying to side track this thread).
The air we breath is 78% nitrogen. It will work fine and its free.

dkurtd wrote:

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very...

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very dry, that is why it's used in race car tires and shocks. Shocks get very hot and filled with a fork pump will fluctuate pressure easily 10 PSI. Don't believe me let all the nitrogen out of your shock and go to the track and fill it with your fork pump.

BR8ES wrote:

An MTB pump will work just fine,. Not too long ago, even Suzuki called for air or N2...

dkurtd wrote:

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very...

It doesn't matter that the air we breath contains 78% nitrogen, it has to do with how much water is in it. Pure Nitrogen is very dry, that is why it's used in race car tires and shocks. Shocks get very hot and filled with a fork pump will fluctuate pressure easily 10 PSI. Don't believe me let all the nitrogen out of your shock and go to the track and fill it with your fork pump.

BR8ES wrote:

An MTB pump will work just fine,. Not too long ago, even Suzuki called for air or N2...

dkurtd wrote:

Have at it then, dump your shock nitrogen and be sure to let us know what your starting pressures were with the MTB Pump and after...

Have at it then, dump your shock nitrogen and be sure to let us know what your starting pressures were with the MTB Pump and after a fifteen minute moto what your new pressures were.

Also I can tell you my 1982 RM 80 called for Nitrogen so when did Suzuki call for air?

pete24 wrote:

I will never charge a shock that I didn't put together and most shops wont , cuz if I put the clips in I know its...

I will never charge a shock that I didn't put together and most shops wont , cuz if I put the clips in I know its rite I dont know what the other guy did and I like my fingers attatched to my hands

Keith72 wrote:

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good...

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good place to get all this stuff at a reasonable price? I can do all the work to change the oil, just can't recharge the nitrogen.

FWYT wrote:

This is a good point and a very valid concern for the guys at the shop. What I do is when I bring the shock in...

This is a good point and a very valid concern for the guys at the shop.
What I do is when I bring the shock in to the shop to have charged, I have it
pressurized from the air compressor at home. That way they are assured that the clips are in securely.

Keith72 wrote:

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good...

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good place to get all this stuff at a reasonable price? I can do all the work to change the oil, just can't recharge the nitrogen.

Spudnut wrote:

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle...

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle to be able to do the stock cap

Keith72 wrote:

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good...

I'm interested in it. However I would still need the equipment to actually refill the nitrogen. Bottle, hose, regulator, no loss chuck..... Where is a good place to get all this stuff at a reasonable price? I can do all the work to change the oil, just can't recharge the nitrogen.

Spudnut wrote:

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle...

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle to be able to do the stock cap

colvin227 wrote:

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the...

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the reason as they have no idea if it’s going to blow up in their face. After assuring them it was built properly they refilled it. Now I do the same as you and fill it at home with my fork pump to the recommend pressure and take it in so they can see it holds and is assembled correctly. For me it’s a $10 charge at my local shop. As much as I’d love to have the stuff to do it at home because I’m more than capable, I just can’t justify buying all the equipment to do it maybe twice a year.

All good shops should have the needle required for your KX shock. But I would swap it out for a shrader valve style cap like found on other bikes because I’ve had that rubber bullet that the needle pierces inside the cap come loose and actually fall in the bladder and leak air. May have been an isolated case but still super glueing the rubber peice in place was kinda ghetto by my standards.

Spudnut wrote:

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle...

I honestly just take mine to my local shop, Most will do it for free if you’re a regular face! And they should have a needle to be able to do the stock cap

colvin227 wrote:

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the...

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the reason as they have no idea if it’s going to blow up in their face. After assuring them it was built properly they refilled it. Now I do the same as you and fill it at home with my fork pump to the recommend pressure and take it in so they can see it holds and is assembled correctly. For me it’s a $10 charge at my local shop. As much as I’d love to have the stuff to do it at home because I’m more than capable, I just can’t justify buying all the equipment to do it maybe twice a year.

All good shops should have the needle required for your KX shock. But I would swap it out for a shrader valve style cap like found on other bikes because I’ve had that rubber bullet that the needle pierces inside the cap come loose and actually fall in the bladder and leak air. May have been an isolated case but still super glueing the rubber peice in place was kinda ghetto by my standards.

dmm698 wrote:

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned...

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned. Its a lot bigger issue on sled shocks because they dont use a bladder, just an IFP, so you always end up with some oil on it.
If you dont have oil all over it, one of the major reasons why it would fall out down into the shock in the bladder is from a dull needle.

colvin227 wrote:

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the...

I’ve only had one shop Leary of filling my shock up for me after a rebuild for the reason stated above. And I completely understand the reason as they have no idea if it’s going to blow up in their face. After assuring them it was built properly they refilled it. Now I do the same as you and fill it at home with my fork pump to the recommend pressure and take it in so they can see it holds and is assembled correctly. For me it’s a $10 charge at my local shop. As much as I’d love to have the stuff to do it at home because I’m more than capable, I just can’t justify buying all the equipment to do it maybe twice a year.

All good shops should have the needle required for your KX shock. But I would swap it out for a shrader valve style cap like found on other bikes because I’ve had that rubber bullet that the needle pierces inside the cap come loose and actually fall in the bladder and leak air. May have been an isolated case but still super glueing the rubber peice in place was kinda ghetto by my standards.

dmm698 wrote:

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned...

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned. Its a lot bigger issue on sled shocks because they dont use a bladder, just an IFP, so you always end up with some oil on it.
If you dont have oil all over it, one of the major reasons why it would fall out down into the shock in the bladder is from a dull needle.

colvin227 wrote:

Makes sense how that can happen. still an inferior design compared to an Air valve in my opinion.

dmm698 wrote:

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned...

if you get shock oil on the cap around the needle fill port, it will tend to help the rubber insert fall out as you mentioned. Its a lot bigger issue on sled shocks because they dont use a bladder, just an IFP, so you always end up with some oil on it.
If you dont have oil all over it, one of the major reasons why it would fall out down into the shock in the bladder is from a dull needle.

colvin227 wrote:

Makes sense how that can happen. still an inferior design compared to an Air valve in my opinion.

dmm698 wrote:

How do you figure? In reality you can get a larger bladder cap on the res in the same geometrical area because you don’t have to...

How do you figure? In reality you can get a larger bladder cap on the res in the same geometrical area because you don’t have to package for the big Schroeder valve hanging off the bottom. I don’t mind the needle fills at all and it’s all I really use now between moto and sled shocks except my a kit shock.

colvin227 wrote:

Makes sense how that can happen. still an inferior design compared to an Air valve in my opinion.

dmm698 wrote:

How do you figure? In reality you can get a larger bladder cap on the res in the same geometrical area because you don’t have to...

How do you figure? In reality you can get a larger bladder cap on the res in the same geometrical area because you don’t have to package for the big Schroeder valve hanging off the bottom. I don’t mind the needle fills at all and it’s all I really use now between moto and sled shocks except my a kit shock.

colvin227 wrote:

Just to me with the fact that the rubber bullet can come out fairly easily if it gets wet, or if your needle isn’t sharp enough...

Just to me with the fact that the rubber bullet can come out fairly easily if it gets wet, or if your needle isn’t sharp enough it’ll put to much pressure on it trying to pierce it that it will knock it loose. So the answer is always keep sharp needles on hand I guess. Plus having a valve to grab onto to pull the bladder up and out helps making servicing easier in my opinion. Maybe it’s just preference on my part since everything I’ve ever serviced airplanes, or bikes utilize a shrader valve so I prefer it and it’s my norm.” I dunno and if you prefer the needle method then thats awesome. But as you said A kit or works shocks (dirtbike, I have no idea about other machines) almost all utilize a valve so wouldn’t that be telling as to a superior design. Do both work? Yes absolutely!