Do-it-yourself air ride for I/S - any interest?

[Bagger John - #3785]

I'm in crafting mode again and have come up with a way to add a driver-adjustable air suspension system to the Interstate (and possibly, the Standard and Tourer) without seriously breaking the bank.

A readout of suspension air pressure is provided, and most of the required compressor and air line parts can be scrounged from surplus. The few remaining items can be obtained from Summit Racing and HDL or any other Big Bike Parts/Progressive Suspension accessories distributor.

The compressor, valve arrangement and pressure transducer all mount tidily under the fairing shell - an electric (rather than a mechanical) gauge is utilized. The rider may adjust suspension pressure up or down at his or her discretion. Progressive air shocks are used. Other types may be fitted as well; at present I don't have a selection to choose from.

There are a few brackets to make and a couple of valving schemes to validate...but...the system underwent its first pressure test this evening and successfully filled the shocks via remote control.

If anyone wants to see the project described in detail on the Tech Board I'll start taking pictures and collecting part numbers for future reference...

[ArmyValker]

Put me down for the interested. Sounds like what I got on my truck. 

[petevenne]

Sign me up and me and my 416's.. I'm always changing pressure from solo to 2 up and stuck using the progressive hand pump..

[Steve K (IA)]

Me too.  Picked up some Progressive air shocks but haven't gotten around to mounting them.  I would love to be able to adjust air pressure that way.

[aphatmat]

Let me know also I am very interested. I have mounted air horns and compressor under my valk. Do you think this compressor could do double duty?

[3W-lonerider]

i have a trike with air bags. that need air about twice a month,  iv'e been thinking of finding a wrecked wing and get the air system off of it..but if you've come up with a better solution i'd be interested. it would be nice to be able to increase or decrease the air in those bags depending on road conditions. iv'e also been looking at trying to find a air guage that i could mount somewhere so i would'nt have to open the rear trunk and check the air with a tire guage before every ride. no luck so far finding the right guage.

[Bagger John - #3785]

A little more detail as I continue to collect and mount parts:

The compressor setup is from a GL1200A; its packaging places the pump and air drier side by side, as opposed to the arrangement which is used in the GL1100 - which positions the components at right angles to each other. The 1200's compressor fits tidily in the space between the I/S gauge cluster and the outer fairing shell/headlight assembly. Note that any compressor setup from 84-87 will work. For that matter, so will the older version - if one wishes to redo its packaging. As delivered, the GL1200's two air system components ride in a neat little two-piece molded rubber shell, and this is very easy to secure. Not so with the pre-84 version, but it could be done.

Note also that the air line fittings used by Honda are metric - E01, E02 and E03 sizes. If anyone reading this post has access to lines with those fittings, or metric to AN3 threaded adapters you'll save us all a huge amount of trouble!

There are two lines run from the air drier, using the two supplied mounting bosses: One goes to the rear shock manifold; the other to a commonly availably Autometer metric-to-1/8" NPT adapter. The adapter connects to a Tee which has a Stewart-Warner electric pressure sender mounted to one of its ports; the other goes to an NOS purge solenoid. This is currently used to bleed air from the system, though I'm thinking about using another just like it as a check valve.

The original GL1200A air piping uses a couple of solenoid valves for check and bleed purposes, while the 1100's system uses a manual fill/bleed valve which is located at the handlebar top clamp area (83) or in a pod mounted on the faux tank (82). Obviously, the manual approach won't work with a Valkyrie as there's no "good" place to mount the mechanical components. I snagged a complete GL1200A compressor/valve assembly this past week and when it arrives I'm going to have a look at converting it into something usable on the I/S. What I had been "prototyping" with up 'til now is an '83 GL1100A compressor setup and the rubber mounting housing from an '84. A longer air line (running between pump and drier) is needed to make this setup work but for all intents and purposes the other components are identical to their later counterparts.

Honda used an air manifold to supply the two rear shocks via a line which runs from the front of the bike. In order to fill the Progressive shocks remotely, it's necessary to scavenge one of the manifolds and buy Progressive's GL1200 air-shock adapter kit, then fit the new air nipples in place of the OEM units. You can then run Progressive's plastic air lines and clamping hardware from each shock to the nipples; the main air line from the front will attach to the manifold by use of an OEM E03-E02 elbow...again, obtainable via salvage means. Or if you're lucky, some dealer has an NOS part sitting on the shelf...

To answer questions about filling air bags and using horn compressors - I don't know at this point but I'll be more than happy to help you folks design a working system using such components.

Next up - we'll discuss the air-pressure monitoring and remote compressor controls. First, I have to get some pix of what I've done so far and will do so after the check valve setup is in place and working...

 

[MarkT]

But I designed and built an air supply system on Deerslayer about 10 years ago.  Still works great.  But not salvaged from an existing bike air system.  Based on a Hadley air horn supply.  Might cost more than a salvaged system.  BTW, you need a piston compressor, not the vane type usually supplied with air-on-the-fly airhorns - as opposed to airhorn systems with a tank and solenoid.  See http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/A_Premium_Air_System/a_premium_air_system.html  and http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Train-Horn/train-horn.html

[fudgie]

But I designed and built an air supply system on Deerslayer about 10 years ago.  Still works great.  But not salvaged from an existing bike air system.  Based on a Hadley air horn supply.  Might cost more than a salvaged system.  BTW, you need a piston compressor, not the vane type usually supplied with air-on-the-fly airhorns - as opposed to airhorn systems with a tank and solenoid.  See http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/A_Premium_Air_System/a_premium_air_system.html  and http://www.horseapple.com/Valkyrie/Tech_Tips/Train-Horn/train-horn.html

Dang, where did you relocate your wiring/fuse block? Looks like it'll make taking that starter out alot easier. lol