XRAY - Model racing cars

Hello every one

I build my Shocks. Get to the stage of putting the top cap on. Screw it up everythink is fine they feel good and no sounds of air. ( Lost of push back)

After performing stage 2 shock rebound setting to 50%. They sound like they are full of air and dont feel very good. Like they dont have enought oil as the shock piston reaches the top.


How Iv been building my shocks.

1. Full extend the piston rod. (Piston is at the buttom of the shock body

2. Fill shock with oil. And use air remover to remove air, Check for air by slowy moving the piston up and down.

3. No air bubbles. Place the foam instert and bladder into shock cap.

4. Slowly screw shock cap onto shock body.

5. Shock sounds good no air.(Lost of rebound and push back. As i push the shock up feels like there is a lot of pressure)

6.Rebound adjustment. I pull the shock piston rod right out. Release the lower cap and perform the procedure of push the shock piston up and down 15 times. (Once up once down = 1 time) trying to get 50%

7. Screw the lower cap back on. Rebound is about 50% now shock feels terrible and sound like its full of air.

Is this right ?????? the air sounding noise ?????? I can get all my shocks to about 50% apart from one. doesint seem to matter what I do still has about 65 - 70 % rebound

any idears ??? Or how are u building your shocks ????

Cheers

Your problem is point 6:
if you pull the shaft while the cap is opened (even if it is opened only a little bit) you almost always get air in.
You should only open it, and wait until the oil comes out by the internal pressure.

You should never have air inside the shock.

Hi - I assume that you are talking about the plastic shocks.....

I agree - step 6 is your problem. You should NEVER pull on the shaft with the bottom cap unsecured - it sucks in air into the oil chamber immediately.

My method is as follows - once the shock is filled, and the top cap secure, I loosen the bottom cap and then "tap" the shaft with my finger a few times with the shock held vertical, and allow it to rebound slowly naturally under the internal pressure. Wipe the excess shock oil from around the o-ring, and job done.

You will find it difficult to get to zero rebound (if that is what you want) with the foam inserts in place and the top of the shock undrilled, because the bladder chamber + foam is acting as an air spring.

I now run alu shocks, and follow the XRay bleed method for them, and it works fine (i.e. bleed through the top cap). This probably would work on plastic shocks, but I've never tried it.


HTH

Guys

The way explained originally is as per Instruction book. I did the same and spent hour getting air out. In hind site it is rather obvious that if you loosen the bottom cap and move the piston down oil will come out but when moving back up will draw air in. I think what the book doesn't say is that one should put the shock in a fully compressed state then loosen the bottom cap and then slowly draw the shaft / piston out the tighten the cap BEFORE sliding the shock back up ???

Sorry very late reply. That did the trick no more air . Still find it hard to set the rebound tho. Should I be compressing the shock ( Say about 50% for 50% rebound and so on) then lossing the button cap and letting the shaft slow push it self back out. Then tighten buttom cap ???.