It doesn't sound like theres a leak. The piston of the shock should have no compression...it is there for damping only (rebound and compression dampinbg, aswell as controlling any other functions you may have ). You should be able to run the shock through its travel by hand if it doesn't have a spring on it. It will be stiff, but it is only because the oil is being forced through the valves, and it will come back out slowly as well.
You may not be able to compress the shock by hand very quickly if the compression is cranked all the way up. The shock itself is only damped, the spring is what enables the shock to cycle through it's travel.
The deciding factor on your spring rate is determined by the compression ratio, without knowing that, we can make no educated suggestions.
how do you find the compression ratio? my bike has 6in. of travel and is a Kona Coiler (i know, i can't afford better). it's really just an over complicated single pivot if that helps.
we've already been through this, the issue is that he is experiencing a real soft shock when in actual fact, he should be experiencing a fim one. He's is running a 550lb spring which is about 100lb too much, in theory.
okay, i need a much firmer spring on my coiler (now it's a 550 and i can bottom by bunnyhopping) and according to that calculator, i need a 434lb spring. i have a 550 now and with that calculator, i weigh about 196lbs. basically, i need a way to find the spring that would actually work and if i can't or i have an excess amount of money come spring, it's just going with a DHX Air because of ease. so what i'm asking is b/c i'm broke and a spring is way cheaper than a new shock, do you (or anyone else) know of a spring rate calculator that would actually work for me? if it helps, i weigh about 160lbs with full gear and i ride an 06 coiler with 6in of travel.
I'm betting you have the wrong information punched into it.
WEll funny enough that site is giving me weird info aswell. I ride a Giant Faith, 450x2.75 rear shock, 8 inches travel and I weight about 125.
I am riding a 450 lb now and I think it may be a bit too stiff, I dont think I need anything softer than 400 lb, this site is saying i need 250!?