Big Bores bleeding questions/procedure

[Form]

I have a few questions regarding how to fill the HPI Big Bore shocks:

1 - When the piston is compressed, the oil level tends to rise, pushing the oil outside. Do I need to let the shock sit a bit after compressing it then re-fill it to the brim, or do I just screw the cap on directly?

2- What do you consider "overfilling" to be? Wouldn't the excess oil be pushed outside when the cap is screwed on, making overfilling impossible? Should I fill flat to the brim or a bit lower?

Here is the procedure I'm planning to use for filling those. You can just copy-paste it highlighting your modifications if you find something that's not right:

Procedure:
1- Lube the shock shaft (to prevent from tearing o-rings).
2- Unscrew the bottom shock caps and change the pistons to 1.6t (note direction of the tapered holes!).
3- Put the bottom cap back using teflon tape to seal it good and make sure it is screwed tight.
4- Fully extend the shaft.
5- Fill half of the shock while tilting the shock on the side to prevent air bubbles from appearing.
6- Move the shaft up and down to remove air from the bottom of the shock.
7- Let the shocks sit for a while.
8- Fill the shock completely to the brim.
9- Compress the shaft fully and slowly.
10- Let the shocks sit for a few minutes.
11- Add oil to fill the shock completely again.
12- Screw the top shock cap back on.
13- Install the shock spring.
14- If 100% sure the shocks are OK, superglue a piece of tie wrap over the gap on the bottom retainers to prevent them from coming off (Bank's tip).
15- Rock them.

Note:
The shock should NOT rebound at all, or have a very small rebound.
All shocks should feel (and rebound, if there is some) the same way.
It should not make a squishing sound (air trapped inside).

 

[Core]

i used about half of those steps (and i thought i was being pretty careful about the whole thing) and mine are great. all 4 of them take about 4/5 a bottle of oil. have a piece of styrofoam or something available that you can jam the rods into and will hold them plumbish while you wait for them to debubble.

 

[Mickey]

Procedure:
1- Lube the shock shaft (to prevent from tearing o-rings).
2- Unscrew the bottom shock caps and change the pistons to 1.6t (note direction of the tapered holes!).
3- Put the bottom cap back using teflon tape to seal it good and make sure it is screwed tight.
4- Fully extend the shaft.
5- Fill half of the shock while tilting the shock on the side to prevent air bubbles from appearing.
6- Move the shaft up and down to remove air from the bottom of the shock.
7- Let the shocks sit for a while.
8- Fill the shock completely to the brim.
9- Compress the shaft fully and slowly.
10- Let the shocks sit for a few minutes.


11- Add oil to fill the shock completely again---- don't do this step as the shock has to have some room inside of it for the volume displaced by the shock shaft....


12- Screw the top shock cap back on.
13- Install the shock spring.
14- If 100% sure the shocks are OK, superglue a piece of tie wrap over the gap on the bottom retainers to prevent them from coming off (Bank's tip).
15- Rock them.

 

[Form]

Thanks for the correction mickey. I'm going to do it that way then!

 

[Bankrupter]

my tip is not needed if your running at full ride height. pulling the shaft and getting oil in the bottom cartridge is to keep them from leaking. its more of a wiper seal than it is a oring in there... you wont tare it.

So fill ,blead out air, compress and cap

 

[Form]

my tip is not needed if your running at full ride height. pulling the shaft and getting oil in the bottom cartridge is to keep them from leaking. its more of a wiper seal than it is a oring in there... you wont tare it.

So fill ,blead out air, compress and cap

Ok, thanks for the details, Bank!

I should get my big bores in the following week or maybe the next. I'll post to say how it went!