How to Add Air to Air Shocks
by Eli LaurensUpdated July 26, 2023Check the current pressure of the air shocks. The shocks will have one or two check valves, usually placed near the rear of the vehicle. One valve will lead to both shocks with a T-valve in the center. Two valves will fill one shock at a time. The proper pressure of an air shock should be between 35 and 75 PSI. If it is any lower than this, the shocks will need to be filled with air.
Fill the shocks with air. A portable compressor is great for this task. Clip the fill tube to the shock's valve and turn on the compressor. Stop the compressor every twenty seconds and check the pressure of the shock. Air shocks do not need much time on a compressor to be filled, as the bags inside are relatively small.
Deflate the shock, if overfilled. A small knife or a pen can be used to press the center post at the center of the check valve stem, letting air back out. Check the pressure often, and be sure to get both shocks leveled to a common pressure. Having one shock at a higher atmosphere than the other will cause the vehicle to lean to one side or carry loads unpredictably.
Tips
- Use valve stem caps to prevent dirt and debris from clogging the valves.
Things You'll Need
- Air compressor
- Tire gauge
Warnings
- Do not inflate the shocks over 100 PSI.
Writer Bio
Eli Laurens is a ninth-grade physics teacher as well as a computer programmer and writer. He studied electrical engineering and architecture at Southern Polytechnic University in Marietta, Ga., and now lives in Colorado.