Topic: Can you disassemble factory shocks?

[drackett_19]

I'd like to disassemble my rear shock absorbers so I can paint the spring and remove the chrome cover at the top. Can anyone offer some tips on how to do this?  I'd like to avoid messing something up and getting a spring in the face.

cheers.

[333]

With shocks that I do know are able to be disassembled, a special tool to compress the spring is needed or a spring to the face is what you'll get.

[kghost]

I don't use a special tool....

I'm a big guy and just put the bottom clevis in a vice and push the shock spring down...helps on the lowest ride setting.

Conversely ...about 6 - 8 tie wraps (good ones with a metal tab) thru the shock springs ...then tightened compresses them enough to get them apart.

[cafe750]

You can do it without any special tools, if you eat your wheaties. If you set the shackle end on the floor, and push down on the chrome cover with one hand, you can pull the retainers out with the other. Then slowly release the cover, and it'll all come apart...Hope this helps!

[chrislib]

Hit the split retaining rings on top with a good penetrating oil first and let them marinate for a while. Then right before you go to disassemble give those split rings a few GENTLE taps with a plastic hammer/rubber mallet to help loosen up the 30+ years of hold-em thats no doubt sticking them together.

[xProjectx2501]

I actually took mine apart last night after getting inspired by your post. Found it's much easier to put the whole thing in a drawer with the bolt against the main furniture part and the spring against the lip of the draw it's self. That way, you can use the side of your hip and your body to compress the spring instead of just your arms.

Just be careful you hold both ends in place so it doesn't slip. I just about cracked my hip when that happened!

[HondaMan]

Boy, you guys are ALL stronger than me! 

[Dave-and-his-550]

Hmm, I got a layer of crud all around the inner part of my rear shocks that I wanted to degrease. I tried loosening the bolts the other day to take them off cause it all looked pretty easy to do, but I didn't think about the shock springing out and causing damage to myself or something else. Good thing the bolts didn't come loose! I'll have to look into this more before I go and try it again.

[cafe750]

Hmm, I got a layer of crud all around the inner part of my rear shocks that I wanted to degrease. I tried loosening the bolts the other day to take them off cause it all looked pretty easy to do, but I didn't think about the shock springing out and causing damage to myself or something else. Good thing the bolts didn't come loose! I'll have to look into this more before I go and try it again.

If you're jusr looking to take off the shocks, just undo the bolt at the bottom, and take the nut off the top, and take them off. No flying springs, or eyes put out...

[Killer Canary]

Don't need to be big. I'm 5'3 and disassemble shocks without tools, thanks to being introduced to brute labour at 6 yrs old

[754]

I thought you meant the dampers..

Answer is, YES, you can take  them apart...















..just cant put them back together again..even if Humpty helps...
 

[drackett_19]

the amount of experience and knowledge on this forum never ceases to amaze me! Thanks for all the advice on this, I picked up some wheaties and i'm gonna give it a go tomorrow!

cheers!

[Killer Canary]

I recently cut the top off of a damper body; if the seal is available at Bearing & Transmission I'll try machining a removable top cap. I have many sets of leaking shocks kicking around.

[hymodyne]

I bought a set of "aggressor" lowering shocks for my bike on feebay last year, only to discover that the springs were waaaay too soft; I'd ride and bottom out just leaving the driveway. I remembered that the factory shocks on the bike originally were stiff enough to carry me and my wife with no trouble, so I removed the retaining pieces and switched the coils from my stock shocks to my lowered ones. A side note: if at all possible, get a spring compressor--its amazing I didn't lose hurt myself in the process of putting them back together...

hym