7100 Nitrogen Charge?

[slowRoaner]

I think one of my shocks is leaking, so before I go any further...
What pressure is everyone running in their Billy 7100's?
Whats a fair price to get them charged or "tuned" at a 4x4 shop?

My current setup is valved 360/80 in the front, WH standard coils, 302, and a 1/4" steel tube bumper.

They have been used for 6 months now, but i bought them 18 months ago. the last time I took them off to do some work, one of them only had a hydraulic resistance to it. Meaning that it would not extend on its own.

Theyve really only seen 2 trails, and i havent abused them.

I have a high pressure bike pump, thats a fair tool to check the pressure on these too right?

Thanks, Slow

 

[slowRoaner]

so sure enough, one side had 270 psi, and the other had zero!

What are the implications of this? A leak?

am i looking at a rebuild? Is it okay to drive it like this?

 

[Amac70]

I would call bilstien up and ask for a rebuild kit, you should be able to rebuild them yourself and re valve if you want.

 

[slowRoaner]

Thats kinda what i figured. Would still like some feedback from others with these shocks, and what valving they are running.

Im still just wondering why they leaked the N, being new and all...

If this is a common problem, or a true manufacturer error.

Ive contacted my vendor, and am waiting for a response, but will probably just get the typical vendor response of "send it back in" or "what did you do to it" instead of an "this is probably what happened, ive seen it before"

 

[Hozr]

How old are they and ho many miles? Probably just a bade seal or a piece of grit got in the wrong place. Get the rebuild kit and look at it all very carefully. Easy to do.

 

[Rustytruck]

some good information here.
http://www.off-road.com/trucks-4x4/rebuilding-your-offroad-shocks-52097.html

 

[slowRoaner]

They are 1 year and 5 months old.

They have 2,000 miles on them, all in the last 6 months.

 

[slowRoaner]

Good article there RustyTruck.

Ill be seeing if my local 4x4 can charge them with nitrogen, and if so ill attempt the rebuild myself, otherwise I will probably just send them in to get rebuilt.. BOOOO

 

[landshark99]

did you check the pressure when you received them? Bilstein doesn't usually charge them equally from the factory in other words one might have been 100psi the other 200psi - they only do a test to make sure they hold pressure. I have had to take them in locally to get charged properly on every set I have purchased.

Rebuilding them is easy if thats what is required but first I would take them into a shock/race place and have them charged and see if they hold. Might have been so low when you installed them and ran em that they bottomed out or the nitrogen somehow escaped.. i would also have them check the oil level to be safe.

 

[hyghlndr]

Where are you located, if any where close to Delaware I can charge with nitrogen for free.

 

[slowRoaner]

No i didnt check them when i got them. I did however get them from a pretty reputable retailer/builder, whom i trust. But maybe he doesnt check them either before he sends them out. He's kinda hard to get ahold of too...

Great plan landshark, thats what i initially thought, but just dont want to waste funds. If it costs $30 to get it charged, then i think id rather do that after a rebuild. I should just get in my rig and drive to the 4x4 shop, and find out.

Im in Durango Colorado, so not so close to Deleware. Thanks for the offer though, thats very generous of you.

Do you know how much a shot of nitrogen is worth?

 

[hyghlndr]

I know a few local guys got Costco to do them, they use nitrogen for their tire center. Talked with one of the actual installers and gave some money as a thanks. Another place in NewJersey said $20 each. Check on the pressures needed either loaded with weight on them or full droop.

I ended up dropping about $400 on a setup to do my own. My offroad truck runs King coil overs, shocks and bump stops so I knew I would be adjusting more frequently.

 

[70_Steve]

I ended up dropping about $400 on a setup to do my own. My offroad truck runs King coil overs, shocks and bump stops so I knew I would be adjusting more frequently.

I couldn't find anyplace within a reasonable distance to recharge them (didn't think of Costco!) so I put my own recharge kit together for about $200.

 

[surfer-b]

Here is what you need to refill/rebuild the shocks, a no air loss setup. I have one similar to this one, I rebuild a lot of MX suspension and the shocks use nitrogen, have also used it on the Bils. If you checked the shocks with a regular gage I would say that you lost some of the pressure, it doesn't take much at all to bleed all of it out, not a lot of volume in them. This gage and a small nitrogen tank and you are good to go, no need to rely on somebody else or the pain of running all over trying to find nitrogen. If you cant find it go to a cycle shop, they will have nitrogen

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NO-LOSS-AIR...88ccee&pid=100204&rk=3&rkt=28&sd=161465883264

 

[pbwcr]

Durango Co and nearby can get freebee help from me in the summer. I leave rebuild to others, but I can sure charge them.
PM for contact info
PaulW

 

[pbwcr]

Here is the link to a Bronco guy that sells stuff needed for shocks
shockseals.com

 

[broncosbybart]

You won't hurt them by running them with no pressure but they won't work like they should. The nitrogen charge keeps the shock oil from developing air bubbles in it during use.

You can use a bicycle shock pump to charge them (not a tire pump). You'll hear arguments about the moisture in the air causing rust/damage to the shock and that air expands more than pure N2 when it heats. Those can be true but you could at least pressurize the shock to see how bad they are leaking at home. I think you are using a shock pump but can't tell for sure.

I think I'm at 200 psi in mine. Can't remember. You don't need to put more than that in. 150 would be fine for most apps.

 

[carmi]

Bilstein specs 180-220 psi. I've heard of guys running as little as 150 with no problems but I would think 270 is a little on the high side. Could have caused a seal to fail.

 

[slowRoaner]

Wow those are some good responses!

Since yesterday, I heard back from my vendor, and he too said put some air in it and see if it leaks. So i pumped it up with my bicycle shock pump to 210psi(or roughly 200psi after i take the pump off), and sprayed soapy water on the schrader valve and the bottom of the shock where the sanction enters. Sat there for about 20 min with the spray bottle and didnt see anything come out.

Found a honda motorsports dealer here in town that would do a recharge for $20! Holy cow i can get mixed welding bottle filled for twice that price!

PBWCR also gave me the name of another local shop that can do this as well, i still need to call to get a price from them.

So for now, im going to wait a day or two and check to see if any pressure is lost.

My hand pump has a manifold type gauge, that lets out minimal charge when used. I consistantly lost 5-10 psi each time i took it on and off the bum shock with cheapo air in it.

Drove to the grocery store too, and it did feel like it rode better on that side, or im just %) placebo

Anyways, thanks for all the help and direction! I may end up getting my own setup when its all said and done, but until then ill post back when i figure out whats up

-surferB - where do you get a small bottle of N2?
anybody- why would my gauge read 270psi, when my vendor said that he puts all his shocks at 200psi. I havent touched them either?:?

 

[broncosbybart]

You could try another shock pump to see if the gauge is off. If it isn't, then they obviously screwed up. I've got a few pumps and they only vary about 10psi between them.

Nitrogen tanks can be purchased at a welding supply center. It is all the plumbing and reg that costs so much.

Your rig would ride better with air in there, no doubt. You can leave the air in there and be ok. Air is 70 percent nitrogen and I really don't think I'd worry about it on a street rig. As for the moisture thing, I've rebuilt lots of bicycle shocks and never seen an issue. Unlike a bike shock, air isn't being used as a spring in your 7100's. It just puts pressure on the shock fluid to keep it from aerating.