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XT 600 'AIR shocks?' How much air??? XT 600 'AIR shocks?' How much air???
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Yamaha Tech Originally the Yamaha XT600 Tech Forum, due to demand it now includes all Yamaha's technical / mechanical / repair / preparation questions.
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  #1  
Old 23 Nov 2007
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XT 600 'AIR shocks?' How much air???
The shocks on my XT600 have schrader Valves on them. and try as I might I cannot find out any info as to how much air to put in.
I have used a childs bike pump ( halfords, 13" long about an inch bore) and after letting all the air out, it just went 'psst', real quick, as if only a little was in, I put 3 strokes of the pump in each. softer than it was before.
so I let it out again. then did 6 in each. better.
now on 10 strokes and they are quite firm but still have plenty of movement up n down. is this OK? or am I gonna blow a seal?
as for PSI, havent a clue but it cant be much, only probably 1 or 2?

Martyn
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Old 23 Nov 2007
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Gas Shocks
Hi, First a big assumption...You have a gas pressurised shock....and its similar to a car automotive shock. The gas in the car ones is nitrogen as it doesn't mix with the oil and airate the oil reducing its damping effect....the pressure is in the order of 1500 psi ....but I believe that in bikes 175 psi is a normal figure...be aware if you have rebuilt them the volume of oil is critial....if they have lost pressure quickly then the seals are leaking and they are possibly on the way out and will need rebuilding or replacing...Having said all the above I am no expert! this is based on my visiting and talking to an automotive car race damper company when having some dampers rebuilt. I would think the motorcross people will be heavily involved in damper tuning to suit conditions and will have muh more knowledge...

Regards Jimmy
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  #3  
Old 23 Nov 2007
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Air forks
Hello,

I dont know how much air to put in, but i think the pressure is supposed to be quite small, im pretty sure you get a pressure guage that reads low pressures, and also a small pipe that you connect between the valves so the pressures are equal in both sides.
A few years back i had an old honda with air forks, the pressure in them was low only a few psi.
My mate also had a bike with air forks he reasoned that if you put plenty air in it would raise the front of the bike and make it firmer, well it didnt if, i recall correctly too much air caused the seals to blow out.

andy5600
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Old 23 Nov 2007
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Could they possibly be there for letting Air out ?

My Moto X bike has a valve on top of the Forks for letting the Air out and I release it every time I have been riding.
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Old 23 Nov 2007
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sorry, I did mean AIR FORKS not shocks as in rear shocks
The above is just to clarify.

panzer, how does the air get IN? i would have thought that forks were a sealed unit? or am i thick?
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Old 23 Nov 2007
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Originally Posted by Martynbiker View Post
The above is just to clarify.

panzer, how does the air get IN? i would have thought that forks were a sealed unit? or am i thick?
Martyn,
I think the seals are designed to keep the oil in and work when the internals are under pressure. It is possible for air to pass the seals into the forks when a vacum occurs but can't get out under compression
I had a bike with long travel WP forks and they had a release valve on the top and after a bumpy ride you could to release the internal pressure.

A lot of motocross bike have a release valve.

Steve
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Old 23 Nov 2007
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Air forks
martynbiker i use a bike pump on my forks about
6 to 8 pumps each side never had a problem with them apart from blowing
the seals when I took a jump at the motorcross track.
as i also broke the frame and my collar bone and both arms i wasnt too
bothered about the bike! next time i will look to see how far the drop
is before i hit the top of a hill at 60mph.
my mates tell me I looked like seth enslow when i crashed. not one of them had the decency to have a video camera handy
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Old 24 Nov 2007
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fork air pressure
From user manual: standard pressure, 0.

Highest allowed pressure: 100kPa=1,0Kg/cm2=14psi higher pressure can blow up the seals. Anyway, as said, you should worry to put air in only if you drive on road only and want it stiffer, going offroad use the valves only to release the air.
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Old 24 Nov 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Martynbiker View Post
The above is just to clarify.

panzer, how does the air get IN? i would have thought that forks were a sealed unit? or am i thick?
One of the tracks I ride on as about 13 big jumps per lap, I'm presuming thats how the Air gets in.
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Old 24 Nov 2007
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Quote:
Originally Posted by XT600Abuser View Post
martynbiker i use a bike pump on my forks about
6 to 8 pumps each side never had a problem with them apart from blowing
the seals when I took a jump at the motorcross track.
as i also broke the frame and my collar bone and both arms i wasnt too
bothered about the bike! next time i will look to see how far the drop
is before i hit the top of a hill at 60mph.
my mates tell me I looked like seth enslow when i crashed. not one of them had the decency to have a video camera handy
What bike did you take on the Moto x track ?

No way would I take my TTR600RE on an MX track never mind the tyres would have no grip the jumps would be terrifying lol

Of course WR's and KTM EXC's are up to job.
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Old 24 Nov 2007
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thanks Cyberzar..
Quote:
Originally Posted by cyberzar View Post
From user manual: standard pressure, 0.

Highest allowed pressure: 100kPa=1,0Kg/cm2=14psi higher pressure can blow up the seals. Anyway, as said, you should worry to put air in only if you drive on road only and want it stiffer, going offroad use the valves only to release the air.
dont suppose anyone has a use manual in .pdf format??

and XT600Abuser...... if you took an XT600 to a motorcross track, and did a jump like the one I think you mean....( Seth Enslow the guy who hit the top of the dune in top gear and wiped out big style.do a google search guys, hes impressively insane!) then you came off light with 2 broke arms and a collarbone.!! and no wonder the frame snapped! Got any pics of the bike????????

did the google search, here it is

Seth Enslow Video Clips - Videos
Last edited by Martynbiker; 24 Nov 2007 at 16:41.
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