Author Topic: 5th Element CVT Gravity Air mounting question.... (Read 6433 times)

4500_rider · « **on:** February 28, 2007, 08:21:47 pm »

Bought a new & unused 5th element cvt gravity air shock off ebay USA (i'm in the UK)... $100... good deal considering the current US/Sterling exchange rate.

The shock is being sent into TF Tuned Shox for a service and if need be the '05 parts upgrade as I am not sure what year the Gravity came into being.

After that its going on the back of my 4500 as a replacement to the NR4 - which has served me problem free and faithfully for nearly 4yrs.

I tried to mount the Air last night and it didnt quite fit... am going to have to etch away a small piece from either the carbon plates under the seat post or the steel plate on the swingarm to make space for the valve on the shocks main chamber and to give a bit of clearance for the main chamber itself....

I intend to use a Dremel Grinder to do this.... but just wanted your guys opinions on which piece to grind - the carbon plate or the steel plate on the swingarm?

Cheers!

Nightowl · « **Reply #1 on:** February 28, 2007, 09:37:45 pm »

if it were me , i would grind the swingarm, its easier to do a neater job. just remove what you need, ad a little black touch up paint and no one will even notice the mod. they'll be to busy staring at a carbon beauty. (thats my 2 cents anyways)
Matt B

shovelon · « **Reply #2 on:** March 01, 2007, 02:08:30 am »

Quote

Bought a new & unused 5th element cvt gravity air shock off ebay USA (i'm in the UK)... $100... good deal considering the current US/Sterling exchange rate.

The shock is being sent into TF Tuned Shox for a service and if need be the '05 parts upgrade as I am not sure what year the Gravity came into being.

After that its going on the back of my 4500 as a replacement to the NR4 - which has served me problem free and faithfully for nearly 4yrs.

I tried to mount the Air last night and it didnt quite fit... am going to have to etch away a small piece from either the carbon plates under the seat post or the steel plate on the swingarm to make space for the valve on the shocks main chamber and to give a bit of clearance for the main chamber itself....

I intend to use a Dremel Grinder to do this.... but just wanted your guys opinions on which piece to grind - the carbon plate or the steel plate on the swingarm?

Cheers!

I have 2 questions. What is the i2i of your shock? Rotating the shock won't help?

I remember some posts regarding removing the plates, and shimming or fabricating new plates out of alum sheet metal, and then pop riveting them on.

Many people have dremeled the swingarm with good results, mounting the shock with shaft up. If for some reason the mount fails, I imagine an new on could be bonded to it, but I have not seen it done.

Terry

4500_rider · « **Reply #3 on:** March 01, 2007, 02:43:55 am »

shovelon.... the shock length is 7.875 x 2.0

I did rotate the shock so that it was shaft up... dont know if this effects performance?

Even with it mounted shaft up I still need to etch a part of the metal plate on the swing arm off becuase of the valve on the main chamber + the main chamber itself makes contact with plate too.

Looking at it I'd imagine that i'd have to etch off less of the CF plates under the seatpost than I would off the metal plate on the swingarm.

jeffhop · « **Reply #4 on:** March 01, 2007, 10:46:01 am »

im currently in the same position as you as ive just taken delivery of a brand new 200mm i2i x fusion air shock for my oz (for the rediculous sum of £30) and after machining myself some new bushes im going to grind a bit of the swingarm mount away so the valve sits in nice as im also mounting it shaft side up. hopefully if i can work out how to put pics up ill post a pic in the morning of the finished article. my risse astro 5 is now back up for sale with everything to fit the oz for £30 + p&p.

orange · « **Reply #5 on:** March 01, 2007, 06:38:26 pm »

I'll take the astro 5 please.

orange · « **Reply #6 on:** March 01, 2007, 06:40:46 pm »

Actually it occurs to me - will it be too stiff to use with an adapter on my 857??

jeffhop · « **Reply #7 on:** March 01, 2007, 07:18:06 pm »

the astro 5 is 205mm i2i unfortuantely so it would be too long for an 857 but you are more than welcome to try it.

jeffhop · « **Reply #8 on:** March 01, 2007, 07:26:51 pm »

just mounted the shock after 2 mins of grinding and all is well except i have to loosen the shock off to put air in it as the pump fouls on the swingarm

jeffhop · « **Reply #9 on:** March 01, 2007, 11:11:36 pm »

and this is the side view.

4500_rider · « **Reply #10 on:** March 02, 2007, 01:09:52 am »

i think i will be doing the same to mine.... once its mounted i'll post some pics up.

would be good to know how you get on with the X-fusion.

orange · « **Reply #11 on:** March 02, 2007, 02:20:49 am »

Quote

the astro 5 is 205mm i2i unfortuantely so it would be too long for an 857 but you are more than welcome to try it.

Should work with my San Andreas though shouldn't it? I'll buy it and try it out. Will email you for payment details.

4500_rider · « **Reply #12 on:** March 04, 2007, 08:12:40 pm »

Have dremeled the alu mount on the swing arm over the weekend and the shock is now mounted... soon as I get my camera to work will post some pics.

Took the bike out over the weekend and the ride is so much better than the NR-4.... to be expected I suppose!

jeffhop · « **Reply #13 on:** March 05, 2007, 12:37:59 am »

i had mine out on saturday and i was impressed, i think i may have had too much air in the shock for once as i wasnt getting full travel but it felt very nice on climbs with very little bobbing, one thing i did notice was my tyres, ive read that bonty jones mud x are supposed to be good in mud, well i thought they were very average to say the least having said that the mud was about 6 inches deep in places!

keith · « **Reply #14 on:** July 07, 2007, 08:55:16 am »

Apologies for digging up an old thread,just fitted one of these x fusion shocks to my 4000,fitted it with rebound adjuster toward swing arm with no grinding involved,bit fiddly adjusting rebound admittedly but it can be done and can add air easily without undoing shock.Was there a reason you mounted your shock that way round?Anyone have any feedback on these shocks?

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Author Topic: 5th Element CVT Gravity Air mounting question.... (Read 6433 times)