Germana-A AIR-FORCE SLR REAR User manual

Manual AiR-force SLR_2 version_1.0_engl. Page 1
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Instruction manual rear suspension german : A.® AiR-force SLR
1. Safety Instruction............................................................................................................... 1
2. Mounting Instruction.......................................................................................................... 2
2.1 Product description....................................................................................................... 2
2.2 Assembly dimensions and bearings............................................................................. 2
3Adjustment.......................................................................................................................... 4
3.1 Primary filling................................................................................................................ 4
3.2 Rebound adjustment .................................................................................................... 5
4Modification and servicing................................................................................................ 5
4.1 Cleaning and maintenance........................................................................................... 5
2.1. Inspection..................................................................................................................... 6
2.2. Warranty....................................................................................................................... 6
5Contact / Imprint................................................................................................................. 6
1. Safety Instruction
Ignoring the safety instructions will lead to the termination of the warranty.
1) Servicing is only to be done by skilled personnel.
2) When servicing always use protective goggles. Because of the construction of the
damping unit a sudden pressure release can occur during disassembly.
3) Before filling the damping unit with air please read the manual of the pump you are
using.
4) The customer is responsible for the collision-free function of the damping unit. The room
needed for the function of the damping unit is to be provided in every travel status!
Before assembling please read the mounting instructions!

Manual AiR-force SLR_2 version_1.0_engl. Page 2
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5) The damping unit is not to be put under any load when it is not filled with air!
Compression of the damping unit without the use of force (point 4) is an exception.
6) The fixing eyelets are not to be rotated to each other counter clockwise, because many
of these connection points are connected through screws for better servicing that could
get loose because of this movement.
7) The eyelets of the damping unit are to be positioned through clockwise rotation.
2. Mounting instruction
2.1 Product description
2.2 Assembly dimensions and bearings
Before you mount the damper to your bike you have to check that the shock absorber has
enough room to work without collision with the frame or other parts of the bike in every state of
travel. The following draft shows the most important dimensions (picture 1.1):
Air chamber
Eyelet rear
Valve body
M8 x 0,75
Circlip
Oil chamber
Rebound adjustment
Oil chamber eylet
Vavle cap
Picture 1.0

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The mounting area of the shock absorber should have a minimum width of 12 mm.
Picture 1.2 shows the sequence of mounting hardware. Please use only the standard mounting
hardware from the shock. You need the bushing four times and the seals 13x1 two times. Fit
together as shown. Please put the seals (black rings) only to the rear eyelet (it’s smaller). The
oil chamber eyelet will be fit without seals.
Bushings (4 pcs)
NOTE!
Seals (2 pcs 13x1) (black rings)
See to the red arrows!
Picture 1.1
Picture 1.2

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3 Adjustment
3.1 Primary filling
The AiR-force SLR is already filled with pressure from 6-8 bar by delivery. To adjust the
pressure, for testing the clearance of the shock absorber or for the adjustment of the valve
position it might be necessary to remove the air from the shock absorber.
Please check, if your air pump has an adapter for filling shock absorbers, which makes the
removal of the pump possible without loosing air pressure. It’s available in every specialist shop.
1. Release air: Put off the valve cap, hitting the valve (golden nib) and the air pressure will
remove.
2. Before you start filling: The damper has to be in maximum travel position. NOTE! Check at
first that the damper is totally stretched.
3. Filling: The necessary pressure depends on your weight, the ratio of the bike and the
application area. Fit your suspension pump and fill the damper by pumping
according to table (picture 1.3).
NOTE! Sometimes the damper is pushed together by filling in the pressure, than you have to
release the air, pull it until the damper is totally stretched and refill again!
In our opinion the standard sag (negative travel) amounts 15-20% (4.5 – 6mm, 100% travel =
30mm). You will have the best performance in this area of sag. Below you’ll find a small table
with points of reference.
You can choose your pressure like you want but keep the two following points in mind:
- Lower pressure means: More sag, more comfort, less breakdown rating safety
- Higher pressure means: Less sag, less comfort, high breakdown rating safety
You can use a binder or rubber ring on the oil chamber to measure the negative travel.
Weight (Kg) Sag (mm) Pressure (bar) Pressue (psi)
50 4.5 - 6 6.5 - 7 90 - 100
60 4.5 - 6 8 115
70 4.5 - 6 9 - 10 130 - 145
80 4.5 - 6 10.5 - 11.5 150 - 165
90 4.5 - 6 12 - 13 170 - 188
Minimum air pressure 5 bar / 70 psi,
maximum pressure 20 bar / 285 psi.
NOTE! The data are only recommended values! It depense also on
the ratio of the bike and the application area.
Picture 1.3

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3.2 Rebound adjustment
The rebound adjustment is the red knurl shown at picture 1.4 below. The rebound adjustment
should be done after filling in the pressure.
•Lower rebound damping means a higher hopping speed. Turn the knurl against clock
rotation (blue arrow) for lower rebound damping.
•Higher rebound damping means a lower hopping speed. Turn the knurl clockwise (red
arrow) for higher rebound damping.
TIP! For rebound adjustment turn the knurl clockwise until the end. Push the saddle down
and release your hands as fast as possible in the deepest point of pushing. Now your
damper will move very slowly. Turn the knurl against the clock rotation (blue arrow
picture 1.4) and push the saddle again. Repeat this procedure until the damper moves in
the right speed. A good reference value is the kerbstone test. If you drive down a
kerbstone, your suspension should swing 1.5 times in maximum case. Than you have
the right rebound damping adjustment.
4 Modification and servicing
4.1 Cleaning and maintenance
You can clean the shock absorber with detergents usually used for bicycles. When cleaning the
shock absorber, be sure to have valve caps screwed on both air chamber valves. The usage of
aggressive detergents and thinner can attack the surfaces and stickers of the shock absorber.
The surfaces of the shock absorber are anodized. These surfaces react to ultra-violet light.
Especially at surfaces covered by the frame or under stickers this can lead to “shadows”. This
does not reduce the function of the shock absorber in any way.
With the help of a service kit a complete servicing is possible (removal of dirt from the inside).
Picture 1.4

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Service kit for the air chamber of AiR-force SLR
2.1. Inspection
The rear shock absorber is object to general wear and tear, so that a servicing every year or
earlier depending on ride conditions is obligatory.
Even storage of the shock absorber leads to the aging of the seals (oil loss, smacking and
slurping sounds, shock absorber failure) and makes a servicing necessary!
An inspection consists of an oil change (silicon oil) as well as a change of all seals and small
function parts. This has to be done by professional personnel. To do this you have to send in
the shock absorber together with the receipt as well as a assignment in writing either over your
local dealer or by directly sending it to german:A.. The time needed for servicing is generally
one week. The cost of servicing is posted on our website at http://www.german-a.de.
2.2. Warranty
Applicable are the general terms and conditions of German Answer as well as the warranty
rules defined by law. Above this German Answer is ready to tolerate special cases.
The warranty is not applicable if un-purposeful usage takes place or:
•Ignorance of safety precautions defined by chapter 1.
•If the shock absorber is disassembled for reasons that don’t include servicing.
•Broken valve casings
•Over tightened and therefore broken threads of the valve casings
•Flow and normal function sounds when all seals are working.
•Worn bushings.
•Parts that are object to wear and tear (seals/bushings/surfaces).
•Mechanical injuries / bent dials.
•Mechanical injuries of the surfaces.
The warranty also expires when the serial number is removed, the receipt is missing or when
the servicing intervals have been ignored.
5Contact / Imprint
GERMAN ANSWER bike technology GmbH & Co. KG, Hefragstr. 6, 61200 Wölfersheim, Germany
Tel.: [phone] / 983600 *Fax [phone] / 983610 * E-Mail: [email protected], www.german-a.de
Register court: District court Friedberg HRA 1723, General manager: Dipl.-Wirtsch.-Ing. Thomas Kamm,
Personally liability corporation: creative sport products GmbH, Domicile D- 61200 Wölfersheim,
Germany, Register court: District court Friedberg HRB 2845
Very extreme example of removal of dirt inside (mud)