I picked up a new to me race car and it has fancy race dampers that require nitrogen charge. Need to verify/set pressures on them.
I borrowed a valve gizmo that lets me set the pressure and close off at the shrader valve, but I'm lacking a source of nitrogen. Looks like ~$4-500 to get a bottle and regulator, but I'd rather avoid that for now. I've read that "race shops" charge $75-100 to do this - probably easiest way to go if that is for all 4, but a no go if that's for each shock.
Anyone ever gotten this service? Is it dumb to try to find a shop that does nitrogen tire fills and work a deal with them? I'm in Charlotte, NC if anyone knows of a local shop.
Thanks
How much pressure do they need?
off roaders use rechargable shocks so an off road shop near you . . .
Dirt late models run them. Any race shops close.
Any MX shop that does suspension can do that too. You can run air in them if you can't get nitrogen, but need the capability to make that kind of pressure.
Motorcycle shop. Maybe a good bicycle shop.
If you are okay with running air (which is mostly nitrogen but not dry) a bicycle shock pump is the perfect tool and cheap. I think they're $20 at my local gear exchange shop, the one I use was just given to me.
Thanks all.
The fronts require 120-150 psi and the rears want 100 psi, so nothing crazy. One of the fronts appears to be low on nitrogen, so trying to get it pumped up short term, probably send them out for rebuild after the next event if they don't hold pressure. The rears were recently rebuilt, so should be good to go.
I'll ask around a couple of places tomorrow. I hadn't thought about the logistics - maybe easier to take them off and bring them to get charged vs. fetching the trailer and dragging the whole car to my local bike shop!
Paintball shops could be a good source if you want to fill a bottle once, and have enough for years worth of shock rebuilds.
Costco has free nitrogen refills by me. Not sure the pump reaches 120 psig, but worth a shot. The pumps are usually by the tire center outside and I have never been asked for my membership.
Any motorcycle shop or die shop. Every die shop that I have worked in had a nitrogen cylinder.
As usual, this place delivers!
Found a local 4x4 shop that will air them up for $15 each, so that's the plan, just need to pull the struts. Backup plan I guess is to use my mountain bike shock pump as suggested above.
Heading out for VAC in a couple days, likely won't happen til I get back.
