filling front forks with air

[Anonymous]

Hi,
I felt like my forks needed a lift in the pneumatic department on my 1985 GS700 so I picked up a $50 pump with a small range of pressure on the gauge and a release for the pressure just below the gauge. My question is that it seems like it's not really getting air into the fork, or when I get the pressure up around 3lbs it holds on the gauge, but when I unskrew the pump from the valve there's that small hiss of pressurized air as the pump disconnects and it seems like air isn't getting in to the fork. If I have it up to 3lbs of pressure and I hit the pressure release below the gauge, it seems like that's just releasing the air as well. Is there a special pump for this for GS bikes, or would most modern pumps that thread onto that valve work and I just don't have a clue?
Thanks,
Eric

[FTGRET]

I use a bicycle pump for mine. The maunual only calls for 2.8PSI. You should be setting the air pressure with the bike on the center stand and all weight off of the front wheel.

[BigMattyD]

I know that when i filled my forks with air that I had to jiggle and press the air hose on the valve fitting in order to get the air to go into the fork.

I was using a small 12volt air compressor with an adjustable pressure shut off, and I set it just above where I wanted it, turned it on, and it immediately shot up to the pressure I had set, then shut off. Then I had to wiggle and press the fitting on to the valve. The pressure that had built up in the hose then escaped into the fork. I had to do this a few times in order to get the pressure to rise to the level I wanted.

I noticed that you need to push the valve on a little farther than you would a tire, I am not sure if they are all like that or not.

Matt

[Anonymous]

Great, thanks guys, I'll keep playing with it!
Eric