Air fittings for Road King shocks

Dodsfall · 07-28-2012, 12:17 PM

I'm planning on exchanging my stock Sportster shocks for a pair of Road Kind shocks.

What type of air fittings do I need to get these to work? Can I simply add valve stems to the air connections on each shock?

Dodsfall · 07-28-2012, 02:50 PM

I'm not sure if I will need any air in them or not. They feel pretty stiff at 0 pressure. I'll try it 2-up.

Dodsfall · 07-28-2012, 03:14 PM

I won't need to add air. Riding 2-up with no air pressure, they still feel somewhat stiff and don't bottom out even over very rough railroad tracks at 40 mph.

What a difference! I had to be careful over bumps with a passenger in the past to keep the shocks from bottoming out. Now they don't even come close.

The specs on the Road King say a 150 pound rider can ride with 0 air pressure. I'm guessing the weight of the Sportster (582 pounds wet) compared to the FL (810 pounds wet) makes up the difference.

I got the pair of shocks from the local dealership for $150, brand new. (They were take-offs)

Retail price is $368 for the pair, so I think I got a good deal.

ralphlong · 07-28-2012, 05:38 PM

Am I missing something or did you just have conversation with yourself?

Hope you gave yourself the right answer.

Ralph

Lurch77 · 07-28-2012, 10:13 PM

I didn't see this earlier. I have been running FL air shocks for a few years now. Probably the best mod I have made. I run them with very little, if any air most of the time. I am 255lbs. When I add a passenger I up them a little bit.

I bought fittings and tubing from the following link, and routed the tubing under my seat. I put a valve stem type fitting under the battery cover. I add air to that one fitting and it splits and fills each shock equally. The following link is not exactly what I ordered, but it gives you the idea. http://www.truckspring.com/products/...__FIR2359.aspx

By the way, when and if you add air, it take an incredibly small amount. You do not want to use an air compressor, it will blow the bellows out. HD sells an air shock pump that works great and tells you what pressure you have. I use a bicycle type pump, it works, but it is hard to tell what pressure you put in.

Lurch77 · 07-28-2012, 10:19 PM

Also, my shocks were aftermarket, not HD brand. To install them I had to add a few stainless washers so that the shock body would clear the fender/shock support on the sporty. Did you have to do this with those OEM shocks?

Dodsfall · 07-29-2012, 12:13 AM

I didn't have to add washers. The rubber boot on the right side did push the belt guard over slightly closer to the rear pulley, but there is still a good 3/16 inch of clearance from the guard to the pulley.

I'm really not sure what year the shocks were for, but looking at the part number, they are 2009 or newer, I think.

Dodsfall · 07-29-2012, 12:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ralphlong

Am I missing something or did you just have conversation with yourself?

Hope you gave yourself the right answer.

Not a conversation, just answering my own question in case someone else could benefit from my experiment.

Eye_m_no_angel · 07-31-2012, 07:14 AM

FLHR air suspension = girl shocks?

Dodsfall · 07-31-2012, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Eye_m_no_angel

FLHR air suspension = girl shocks?

Yeah, eventually you get tired of hearing "Ouch! Dammit!" being yelled in your ear at every big bump in the road.

I'm not sure, but my theory is that the weak Sportster shocks are designed that way to encourage a purchase of a touring motorcycle for those who ride 2-up.

It's much easier to convince someone's wife to justify the expense of an upgrade when their butt is all bruised up and then they sit in the comfy seat of an Ultra.

Badlands-4-2 · 07-31-2012, 09:48 AM

On my Ultra, the shocks are plumbed together so that there is only one place to add air and the air pressure is always balanced between the two sides. You will need to pump them up with a bicycle pump or something similar. The shocks do not hold a lot of air and a compressor will put to much air into them to fast. They (of course) sell a little pump just for the shocks you can use.

azsporty · 07-31-2012, 03:51 PM

This is a well known mod that is discussed at great length on a well known sportster forum. Probably the best single mod you can do to a sportster.
They can tell you all about the air lines and where to get them, and you should not use an air compressor to add air, you can buy a special HD pump or use a bicycle pump. The HD pump will hold the pressure while you remove it and not let the air back out.

Eye_m_no_angel · 07-31-2012, 09:18 PM

You can use a compressor if you have an accurate adjustable regulator.

07-28-2012, 12:17 PM	#1
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,880	Air fittings for Road King shocks I'm planning on exchanging my stock Sportster shocks for a pair of Road Kind shocks. What type of air fittings do I need to get these to work? Can I simply add valve stems to the air connections on each shock? __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-28-2012, 02:50 PM	#2
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,880	I'm not sure if I will need any air in them or not. They feel pretty stiff at 0 pressure. I'll try it 2-up. __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

07-29-2012, 12:13 AM	#7
Dodsfall Administrator Join Date: May 2008 Location: Illinois, USA Posts: 15,880	I didn't have to add washers. The rubber boot on the right side did push the belt guard over slightly closer to the rear pulley, but there is still a good 3/16 inch of clearance from the guard to the pulley. I'm really not sure what year the shocks were for, but looking at the part number, they are 2009 or newer, I think. __________________ 2008 XL1200R To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 10 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

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07-28-2012, 05:38 PM	#4
ralphlong Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Glendora, CA Posts: 1,311	Am I missing something or did you just have conversation with yourself? Hope you gave yourself the right answer. Ralph

07-28-2012, 10:13 PM	#5
Lurch77 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Northeast Wisconsin Posts: 1,436	I didn't see this earlier. I have been running FL air shocks for a few years now. Probably the best mod I have made. I run them with very little, if any air most of the time. I am 255lbs. When I add a passenger I up them a little bit. I bought fittings and tubing from the following link, and routed the tubing under my seat. I put a valve stem type fitting under the battery cover. I add air to that one fitting and it splits and fills each shock equally. The following link is not exactly what I ordered, but it gives you the idea. http://www.truckspring.com/products/...__FIR2359.aspx By the way, when and if you add air, it take an incredibly small amount. You do not want to use an air compressor, it will blow the bellows out. HD sells an air shock pump that works great and tells you what pressure you have. I use a bicycle type pump, it works, but it is hard to tell what pressure you put in.

07-28-2012, 10:19 PM	#6
Lurch77 Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Northeast Wisconsin Posts: 1,436	Also, my shocks were aftermarket, not HD brand. To install them I had to add a few stainless washers so that the shock body would clear the fender/shock support on the sporty. Did you have to do this with those OEM shocks?

07-31-2012, 07:14 AM	#9
Eye_m_no_angel Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 4,247	FLHR air suspension = girl shocks?

07-31-2012, 09:48 AM	#11
Badlands-4-2 Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: The Badlands of North Dakota Posts: 9,655	On my Ultra, the shocks are plumbed together so that there is only one place to add air and the air pressure is always balanced between the two sides. You will need to pump them up with a bicycle pump or something similar. The shocks do not hold a lot of air and a compressor will put to much air into them to fast. They (of course) sell a little pump just for the shocks you can use.

07-31-2012, 03:51 PM	#12
azsporty Verified Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: arizona Posts: 16	This is a well known mod that is discussed at great length on a well known sportster forum. Probably the best single mod you can do to a sportster. They can tell you all about the air lines and where to get them, and you should not use an air compressor to add air, you can buy a special HD pump or use a bicycle pump. The HD pump will hold the pressure while you remove it and not let the air back out.

07-31-2012, 09:18 PM	#13
Eye_m_no_angel Super Moderator Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Daytona Beach, FL Posts: 4,247	You can use a compressor if you have an accurate adjustable regulator.