Alternate Shock Charging Gas ??

[slvrbrdfxr]

Hi All,
Was wondering if anyone has ever tried using argon to refill their shocks rather than nitrogen ?? Argon is an inert gas that I have easy access to for welding. Using the argon would save me the expense of having to get a nitrogen bottle just for servicing the shocks. Anyone got an opinion ?? Let me know. Thanks !!
Dave McCullough

[Rocket]

Dave
I have always used N2, I don't know what would happen with Argon.  If you want to send them to me, I'll charge them.  What kind of shocks are they?
Rocket

[TGTech]

Dave,

   I don't know enough about Argon to tell you if it would be OK to use for shock pressure, but I do know that Nitrogen is used as a material for that purpose because it has a very low moisture content. Straight air by comparison, has a high moisture content, and when it heats up, the pressure rises quite a bit. Because of the low moisture content in Nitrogen, that doesn't happen. Basically, you're looking for more consistent operation.

Dane

[slvrbrdfxr]

Rod and Dane,
Thanks for the replies. Just starting to rebuild a few shocks so this is a learning process for me. I'm currently rebuilding a pair of Marzocchi piggyback shocks and also plan to do a pair of the Marzocchis for my dad. I just bought some Fox Airshox and will need to be able to adjust the pressure on them also. Rod I really appreciate your offer to charge the shocks but it would probably be best if I can do it here locally if at all possible. I still haven't ruled out nitrogen but just need to find a source here in town without having to buy my own bottle. I can get argon easily from my friend who welds for me. Argon is a dry inert gas like nitrogen and I just wondered if anyone had tried it out in their shocks. I've made up a charging adapter to use so just need to decide on the gas. The funny part is I work around compressed nitrogen all day long. We use nitrogen to charge the shock struts on our airplanes but I can't take my bike shocks to work if you know what I mean. Thanks again for the input.
Dave McCullough

[TGTech]

Dave,

   Warning!, Warning! The Fox Airshox must have nitrogen in at least the low pressure side because you're mixing it with the oil and I don't know about the compatibility of the oil with argon. In the high pressure side, you have a bladder to keep the gas separate from the oil.

   Regarding the Marzocci's: the key is making sure you bleed all the air out of the oil chamber. Once that is done and with the proper pressure, they will work really well. Don't skimp on the oil either. Use a high quality, hydraulic grade oil.

Dane

[slvrbrdfxr]

Dane,
Thanks for reminding me about the Fox Airshox having the gas and oil mixed together in the same chamber. Guess I need to find some nitrogen for sure. I'll take my time and ensure I've got all the air out of the Marzocchis before charging the bladder. I've got some 5wt Motul fork oil I plan to use for the shocks. Let me know if this is okay or if there is something better to use. Thanks again for the help !!
Dave McCullough

[Gavin Housh]

Nitrogen is the most abundant of gases in the air (aprox %78). It is cheap compared to argon, as argon comprises only 1% of the air. You need a regulator that will reduce the high pressure of the tank down to a usable pressure to fill the shock. That would be around 180psi for Fox emulsion type or Works emulsion type. In a welding application you would never use that kind of pressure so I doubt that you friends regulator would allow you to reach the required pressure. The local suspension guy out here has a tank of nitrogen with a regulator leading to a hose that leads to an air chuck. He sets the regulator to the desired pressure and then just holds the chuck as tight as possible against the valve stem. The shock fills almost immediately as the space to be filled is rather small. A word of caution! Hold the shock in a vise and point the piston away from anything that could get damaged (like your face). If the snap ring is not set correctly (Fox type shock) the piston could fly out. Good luck, Gavin.

[Rocket]

Gavin
To properly charge the shock with correct amount of N2 and keep the correct amount, it can not be done with an air chuck.  As soon as you remove the chuck, N2 is lost from the bladder.  You have to use the proper fitting that screws on to the schroeder vavle and has a "T" handle that you screw in to fill the bladder and then back the "T" out and no N2 is lost.
Rocket

[TGTech]

I haven't used my Nitrogen charging system for lots of years, but I do have a tank and the special guages. If you try to use an air chuck, you won't have the necessary pressure, because you can't apply and remove the chuck without losing some of the pressure. It takes some special gauge gizmos to do it right, like Rocket said.

Dane

[hrbay]

I think the charging manifold can still be had from Works Performance in CA., 5 yrs ago it was $25.00. It works ok. Has a little gauge between the shutoff and the schrader.

GC

[Young Ted]

For what it's worth. I've been filling my Fox Air shocks from a small tank with compressed air and a chuck for a long time and get along fine. Just remember to fill the bladder end first.

Young Ted

[rob w]

Just think how nice they'd work if you did it the right way,....troublemaker. ((()))((([B)])))

[Young Ted]

Bob, there are a lot of things I don't do the 'right way'. In this case I set the tank at 100 psi for the bladder and then at 125 for the top. I have tried other pressures and am not able to tell the difference, which throws accuracy out the window. I do know that at some point you will bottom out if the top pressure is low. How low? Don't know, don't care.
As for troublemaker, would you like to be first in line for the next adventure?

Young Ted