What's Included

• DB Air Can Wrench : Works with DB CS, Kitsuma, and other Cane Creek shocks
• Graduated IFP Depth Tool : Precisely set your IFP to the correct depth
• M4 IFP Puller : For pulling out the IFP or bladder (can use an M4 screw instead)
• 8mm Shaft Clamp (Horizontal, Wide) : For removing the eyelet safely
• 3-Pin DB CS AIR Sealhead Socket : Specifically made for the DB CS Air

This shock does not use a pellet retainer, so no tool is included for that. 

IFP pressure is around 160 psi. You'll need a needle air fill tool to pressurize it, see our Essential Tools page and other important tools.

IFP depth isn’t perfectly defined in the Cane Creek manual, so here’s what works:

• Use the IFP Depth Tool to measure from fully bottomed-out IFP position
• Subtract 5mm from this measurement
• Set your IFP to this depth with the tool at the end of the rebuild

Important: All adjusters must be fully unscrewed before you bleed the shock / set the IFP!

 Bleeding Process

Thanks for reading this far, this is the most important section. The official Cane Creek service manual only explains vacuum bleeding using a machine. This manual is for real-world, at-home bleeding using simple tools and patience. Done right, it works just as well.

This shock must be bled using the rubber glove technique with the shock mounted vertically in a vise. we didn't find a proper cheap bleed fitting for that shock and we don't want to charge you 100$ more for the kit so we found another way to bleed the shock.

The bleed screw of the shock (Near the eyelet) should be closed at this point!

• Push alternately on damper body and piggyback with glove for 20–30 min (Go check Float X2 2016-2018, they show how to do it! It's another shock but its the same principle)
• Push back and forth on the IFP with the M4 tool to purge air after doing the rubber glove technique for a while. Be Carefull not to go too depth or you might suck in air from the twin sided wall of the damper body, it goes down very fast, trust me.. ahah
• Once air is out, fill piggy back to top and insert the IFP a bit crooked without introducing air. Just insert it 1-2cm in the reservoir, we will fully set the IFP later and our technique also bleed the final air trapped in the shock
• Fill the damper to top, skim the bubbles and install piston/eyelet without introducing air. Kind of shake up and down so the oil goes into all the ports of the piston
• Torque the sealhead to around 15Nm (just a bit tight)
• Screw lightly the Eyelet on the shaft to help moving the shaft
• Push/insert a bit on the shaft in the shock (Maybe 1-2 cm MAX) so the air trapped goes into the valving and the air comes out from the IFP bleed
• Close bleed screw on IFP
• Pull back the shaft so it's fully extended (The IFP will go down a little as you pull back on the shaft)
• Turn the shock around, so the bleed screw is at the highest point possible.!!! Check the last step at the end to see proper orientation.
• Open the bleed screw near the eyelet and set the IFP to final depth
• Close the bleed screw
• Pressurize the shock with the Needle Fill Tool
• Now when you stroke the shock, you should hear almost no sound and it should come back at a decent speed (Not that fast because it's a twin tube so the difference in area under and over the mid valve is not that big with the small 8mm shaft).

 Shock should cycle silently if done correctly.

⚠️ Important Notes & Disclaimers

• Always depressurize both air and damper before starting
• Do not confuse with bladder types
• This shock uses an outer-threaded twin tube (like Fox), unlike Inline Air which threads the inner tube
• All tools have dedicated manuals, read them carefully
• If you have a Park Tool SPA-2 pin spanner, you can skip the sealhead tool, torque is low

 Extra Resources

• Essential Tools & Needle Fill Guide
• How to Pressurize with a Needle Fill Tool
• How to Use the IFP Depth Tool