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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | No idea where to post this so I'll try here.
I bought a used zero loss pump about a year ago. Seems to work fine except for that little button next to the gauge. I just found out that's supposed to be to release air pressure (I'm assuming from the shock/tire). It hasn't worked since I've had it although the gauge and pump seem to work fine. Is this something that could be fixed? I'd hate to buy another pump when this works well other than not being able to bleed off excessive air from the shock/tire without unscrewing the pump. |
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Tourer
Posts: 482
Beer Collins, Colorado (there is no fort) | No idea about fixing one of these-I would just bleed off pressure pushing on the schrader valve's center pin and then pump up to your desired pressure-not that big of a deal. Also if your Vision didn't come with a cap on valve like mine did get one on for it and keep it on. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 612
| Monkeyman - 2012-11-15 5:05 AM
No idea where to post this so I'll try here.
I bought a used zero loss pump about a year ago. Seems to work fine except for that little button next to the gauge. I just found out that's supposed to be to release air pressure (I'm assuming from the shock/tire). It hasn't worked since I've had it although the gauge and pump seem to work fine. Is this something that could be fixed? I'd hate to buy another pump when this works well other than not being able to bleed off excessive air from the shock/tire without unscrewing the pump.
I have the Victory Fox Shock pump, and the little button requires a very slight degree of finesse to operate. Pushing it all the way in doesn't do much of anything.... you have to press it only slightly, find the "sweet spot", and it will bleed off air. Yours may be similar in function. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | ByteN2it --- That's what I do now but I also use it to check the tire pressure on my truck.  I have a cap on my Schrader valve.
Turk --- I'll have to try a lighter pressure on the button. I've always just mashed on it but it's never done anything. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 763
Anderson, IN (48mi NE of downtown Indianapolis) | Monkeyman,
If your pump is like most, the button seals in both directions. That means it is sealed when out and sealed when pushed all the way in. The button was designed that way for a reason. The pumps sold for motorcycles where designed for mountain bike suspensions. The forks and shocks on bicycles have an extremely small volume. Regular on/off push-button valves released too much air when pressed. So, pump designers created a valve that only lets out a minute amount of air as it travels through its stroke (from full out to full in). When using it on a bicycle fork or shock, you press the button 2~3 times before you see a change in pressure. This allows you to accurately reach the target pressure without overshooting it.
The shock on the Vision has a much larger volume than a bicycle shock. Pressing the button 2~3 times results in negligible pressure change. You have to press it many times to see a difference on the gauge. If you are very gentle with the button, you can reach the position where the valve is in between seals and lets out air quickly. The range of travel of the button in the open position is very short, so it can be difficult to find. The design intent was that the user would never find the open position because if he did it would exhaust all the air in the mountain bike fork/shock every time he touched the button.
So, there is no fix for the button (because it is not faulty). You can do one of three things:
1. Find the open position of the valve by being gentle with the button
2. Let some air out of the shock by pressing the schrader valve before installing the pump. Then pump up to desired pressure
3. Pressurize past the desired pressure. Then use a digital tire gauge to check the pressure. Each time you check the pressure with a digital gauge you lose approximately 1.5psi. Repeat the process until the gauge reads your desired pressure.
Motocross bikes are currently switching to air spring suspensions. Maybe that will be enough incentive for a manufacturer to design a motorcycle specific pump. Until then we are stuck with relabeled mountain bike pumps.
Edited by victoryvisiontour 2012-11-15 11:26 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 1066
Peru, IN | I never knew any of that especially the part about the pumps really being made for bicycle suspensions. I'll check it out tomorrow before I ride (I'm 1/2 way to bed today or I'd check it out now). Thanks! |
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Zero loss pump