Thread: How to safely dismantle a gas shock absorber

Well the "red neck" solution may involve a 30/30 at 100 yards, or possibly some .50 calibre
Rob

I've used quite a few of them. All I do is use a hacksaw into the side. Hold the shock horizontally in vice, put a heavy-ish piece of rag over the blade and just cut slowly into the shock. They have never given me any trouble.
The big diameter front strut types are good.

Cheers.

If I'm not right, then I'm wrong, I'll just go bend some more bananas.

Hi Simon,
The only ones I have pulled apart had already degassed themselves.
I think I'd use a hacksaw. Either
A power hacksaw and look the other way for awhile......... could be messy.
A hand hacksaw with a rag over it with the shocker held so with any luck you let the gas out first.

Stuart

Good cheap source of hard chromed ground stock, I use them frequently, it does not have to be a gas shock, they all use hard chromed bar. A gas shock will extend of it's own accord the same way a gas strut does. Cordless drill to relieve the pressure, use a small bit, Wear gloves safety glasses, the jet of high pressure oil is the main danger. Dowel pins are a good source of accurate round stock for gauging purposes. The bar used in shock absorbers can be purchased if need be.

Originally Posted by Crossfeed

Good cheap source of hard chromed ground stock, I use them frequently, it does not have to be a gas shock, they all use hard chromed bar. A gas shock will extend of it's own accord the same way a gas strut does. Cordless drill to relieve the pressure, use a small bit, Wear gloves safety glasses, the jet of high pressure oil is the main danger. Dowel pins are a good source of accurate round stock for gauging purposes. The bar used in shock absorbers can be purchased if need be.

I drilled the ones I did too. Little trick I came up with after spraying a 6 foot jet of oil across the shop, cut the top off a 2L coke bottle, and sit it over your drill bit like one of those collars you put on a dogs head to stop it scratching/licking wounds. If you can get the big end resting on the shock body, it tends to contain most of the spray when you break though into the reservoir. Make sure you do the entire operation over a nice big tray too, oil tends to end up all over the place when you cut them up.

While you're at it, don't forget to disassemble the valve assembly, as they are chock full of nice thin shims you can stash for later use.... Like, for example, shimming the base plate in a Kitchenaid style mixer to properly centralise the bowl so the bloody thing doesn't walk off the bench from the scraper clunking against the side. You might even get a cake out of it. Come to think of it, where IS my cake...

Hmmm, I replaced the front pair on my wives cars a few years ago. I wonder if they are still under the house somewhere. It would not have been like me to throw them out.
We have a breville mixer not a kitchenaid....it doesn't walk. And there is birthday cake to be had still....mmmmm, cake.....

Ewan

Originally Posted by Ueee

We have a breville mixer not a kitchenaid....it doesn't walk. And there is birthday cake to be had still....mmmmm, cake.....

Ewan

Yep, ours is a (cheap) Breville too, clunked like all get out with the scraper attachment in, and walked in the higher speeds. Called it a Kitchenaid style mixer because I figured more people would know what it was!

Now, to bring us back on topic.... nope, I got nothing. Too busy thinking about cake now

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

I drilled the ones I did too. Little trick I came up with after spraying a 6 foot jet of oil across the shop, cut the top off a 2L coke bottle, and sit it over your drill bit like one of those collars you put on a dogs head to stop it scratching/licking wounds.

This is also a good tip for the times you are drilling upwards into plaster or into masonry with an impact drill, as it keeps the dust and detritus out of the chuck, saving much effort in cleaning it all out later.

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

IIf you can get the big end resting on the shock body, it tends to contain most of the spray when you break though into the reservoir. Make sure you do the entire operation over a nice big tray too, oil tends to end up all over the place when you cut them up.

While you're at it, don't forget to disassemble the valve assembly, as they are chock full of nice thin shims you can stash for later use.... Like, for example, shimming the base plate in a Kitchenaid style mixer to properly centralise the bowl so the bloody thing doesn't walk off the bench from the scraper clunking against the side. You might even get a cake out of it. Come to think of it, where IS my cake...

If you're not so desperate for shims or cake, you could just cut the shaft with a thin cut-off wheel just near the shocker body, being careful not to let the heat produced by this action build up to any great extent, so as to avoid any explosive action. The shaft would be shorter, but it may be all you need.
Rob.

I drilled the ones I did too. Little trick I came up with after spraying a 6 foot jet of oil across the shop, cut the top off a 2L coke bottle, and sit it over your drill bit like one of those collars you put on a dogs head to stop it scratching/licking wounds. If you can get the big end resting on the shock body, it tends to contain most of the spray when you break though into the reservoir. Make sure you do the entire operation over a nice big tray too, oil tends to end up all over the place when you cut them up.

That's a good idea, though I usually do this in the back yard where the oil loss is less of a problem. A little oil never seems to harm the grass and if it does there is less to mow.

Originally Posted by Jekyll and Hyde

I drilled the ones I did too. Little trick I came up with after spraying a 6 foot jet of oil across the shop

If you drill at the mounting end of the damper and with the divider still working, only nitrogen should come out at that stage, you then only have to worry about swarf. If there's anything on the De Carbon patent out on the www, that's likely to show the internal workings.

I expect high mileage road car shafts might display a bit of wear on the hard chrome, particularly in the first inch or two.

Cheers guys, all good info. I thought I was the only dodgy one doing stuff like this, turns out everyone is!

I'll have a crack today..... if I don't get sidetracked and bake a cake that is!

I'll see if I can aim it at next doors cat. Something needs to be aimed at it!

Simon

Originally Posted by Ropetangler

Well the "red neck" solution may involve a 30/30 at 100 yards, or possibly some .50 calibre
Rob

Ha! That's how our boys weekend camping trip end up. Only not with a .50 cal, usually something a little smaller like a 3006 or something.

OK I have since disassembled 3 of these, 2 rear and one front strut. I choose to do it with a hacksaw as the amount of metal removed with each stoke allowed for a small hole just as it broke through the inside surface. I light hiss was heard but very little oil. I was surprised at how low the gas pressure was. Once the hiss had finished I did the rest with an angle grinder. The oil contained inside was easily poured out, there was only about 300 -400ml.

The first one I did outside, not knowing how much oil would squirt out. After that I decided to do the rest inside.

Anyway the results yeilded a nice polished bar about 1/2 inch diameter and about 250mm long. Also some other bits and pieces such as shim washers and an inner tube.

No a bad use of materials. I did try to sell them as a complete set including front and rear springs for a 2009 Prado but I couldn't even get $10 for them! Ha these bits are worth more than that to me anyway.

I took some pics that I will post soon for anyone who has not done this and is interested. Fairly cut and dried for all but a few on this forum I would suggest. Nontheless it's there for anyone to see.

Simon

Very interested in some pics Simon. Been reading this with great interest.

Phil