What Should I Do To "Soften" The Ride Of New Air/Nitrogen Shock Absorbers?

[CarefulRider]

With a view to softening the ride of my 2007 LB150T-12, SUNL ADVENTURE 150cc scoot, I just put on new nitrogen-filled shock absorbers. To my dismay, the ride is harder than the conventional absorbers that I just took off. The spring pre-load adjustment is all the way up to the top of the adjusting threads, so if I did any threaded adjustment, it would be "down" the threads, thereby compressing the springs. I don't think that would yield a softer ride.

I checked the pressure in the shock absorber cylinders: one is 26 psi & the second is 32 psi.

I have read that I can expect a rather soft ride with this type of shock absorber. What should I do to acheive this soft ride?

[jct842]

I have not used those shocks as you have but I did have a 86 goldwing which had a built in air compressor to fill the front shocks. If you wanted a softer ride you just let air out. Air is compressible just like the metal spring and it seems you have way too much spring with both acting together. out side of letting the air out you could add a ton of weight as in taking a big fat girlfriend along for a test ride. Seriously I think those shocks would be better on a larger machine, much larger. Or if it is possible to replace the springs with a much lighter spring then you could control the ride by varying the air like they were designed for.

[qwertydude]

Most people get the "performance" shock because they want a stiffer ride because they associate stiff springs with performance. It only really works if the shocks have the appropriate damping, which most chinese generic "performance" shocks don't. They just tend to have really stiff springs and less than adequate damping. If you want a plush ride the stock ones would be the way to go.

And you can only get so plush a ride with small scooter wheels. You can have the softest shocks ever and those small wheels will still ride rougher than a comparable big wheel scooter.

Contrary to popular belief the preload does not stiffen or soften the ride on a motorcycle it merely changes the ride height. Only spring rate changes change the siffness. And if you want a softer ride you end up needing soft springs with pre-compression.

The only other ways to get a softer ride would be to put laydown shock mounts on the scooter frame or get a large bore air suspension and run it on lower pressure.

[blueboy5000]

First;

Nitrogen is a scam. Air will do just fine as air is mostly nitrogen anyway

Second;

Simply add or remove pressure (air) until you get the softness you desire. 24lbs works nice for me, and I'm 208lbs.

[CarefulRider]

Thanks for the posts.

For the present, I shall attempt to bring the pressure down to between 1 & 5 psi.

Thereafter, I shall attempt to find out what laydown shock mounts are, & study the feasibility of putting them on the scooter frame.

If these are not adequate, I shall return to the 'hard' stock springs.

[jct842]

If those shocks would allow you to remove the springs to substitute them for thinner wire springs you would have more lattitue with adjusting airpressure. Where are they sitting with your weight on the scooter? I would expect that a good shock to have a lot of movement under normal riding if you are looking for a cushy ride. That was my first complaint when I got the chinese 150 that was wrecked 2 weeks ago when a dog ran under the front wheel.

In Front shocks on motorcycles have a lot to play with, thinner or thicker oil, thinner or thicker springs, changing to a different valving. Some have 8-9 inchs of travel to absorb road bumps/

longer strokes have more play to the point where they bottom out. Then you use the oil to smooth things over.

[CarefulRider]

Thanks for the posts. I'm going to try & reduce the pressure in the reservoirs. If that fails, I conclude from your posts, that the answer is to find shocks with thin wire springs & possibly, with the step adjusters, so that I can adjust the tension to the slackest. I don't think I can change oil viscosity or length of travel. Thanks again.