The first fork leg took a couple of hours, but the second took about 45 minutes. After you install the kit once, you won't fear the work again. We then moved on to the shock, and began by writing down all the settings and turning the adjusters all the way out (like we did on the fork). We also saved all of the stock parts.
As soon as we bled the Nitrogen and pushed the bladder cap in, the oil started fizzing out. Even though this was a relatively new shock, it had air in it. Getting that air out of the shock is one of the very good reasons for servicing your bike's suspension. The fluid didn't look too dirty, but it definitely needed the service.
This $30 RT bladder removal tool makes extracting the bladder cap and bladder easier and prevents damaging the threads of the cap. Again, if you have experience servicing a shock, you probably already own a tool like this.
We used a file on the staked or peened nut on the shock shaft. The directions suggest a grinder, since you are better off grinding the nut away at an angle to remove the peening, and not much of the threaded section of the shaft. All of those chips and filings must be cleaned from all parts of the shock before reassembly.
The e-mail from RT has codes, and the directions in the box explain exactly what shims make up the stack for each code. Foos did all the work building the various stacks. Again, some of the shims look and feel the same, but the directions call for varying thickness in the shims, and some that look and feel similar measure differently with the caliper.
Note that everything is very clean before we installed the Gold Valve and slipped the correct shim stacks in place. The RT materials have specific set-up and mechanical tips that help with the installation. We couldn't help but notice that the total stack was visibly thinner than the stock setting.
We buttoned the shock up like normal and had the nitrogen charged at a local shop. Then we headed for the track. We found that Race Tech had hit very close to a final setting, and we rarely changed more than a couple of clicks from the set-up sheet. The suspension had a plush feel, and certainly felt softer on small bumps. In spite of shim stacks that contain fewer shims, Foos reported vastly improved bottoming control. The biggest difference was the control through braking chop that really used to take Foos for a ride. There the control was much improved, and he feels safer on the bike.
In retrospect, we wish we had gone one step at a time and tested along the way with each change - something like what we did with the springs. With the springs, fluids, three different Gold Valve kits, pressure springs and other parts, the total came to approximately $800. With a rider this light we would have needed springs no matter whether we had the suspension done or if we did the work. A rider that is extremely light or heavy is going to need more comprehensive modifications than a rider of normal size and weight.
So, would we do it again? Sure. Now that we have done the install once, doing it again would be a snap. If we didn't already have the tools and some experience, it doesn't make sense in terms of time or money if you only plan on doing this with one bike. Paying a pro and shipping your suspension will look like a bargain if you only have a little experience with suspension. If you are a hands-on wrencher, or if you want to learn about and understand your suspension, the do-it-yourself Gold Valve kits are a great (and safe) way to get started.