Disassemble rear shock?

[arveejay]

Anybody ever removed the outer spring on the rear shock? Can it be done? I would like to do some rust removal with steel wool. Everywhere I can reach shines right up but there's some places I just ain't getting to.

[tconroy]

shocks

if those are the original shocks I dont believe you can take them apart. you might try just taking them off and soaking them down for a few hours and then use a rag the best you can,or look into buying new ones if you got the bucks

[Ghostgs1]

Another way to get them looking good is to use a sand blaster using walnut shell as the media. That worked well for me. Ray

[bucketsofgs1000]

I just took mine apart and cleaned them up last week. You'll need a spring compressor of some type. I used a car coil spring compressor and it was a bit scary since it doesn't really grab that tight. Once you get the spring compressed about 1-1.5" you can slip the collar on top (near the rebound adjustment) off and then release the spring pressure. Be careful... you'll need about 300lbs of force on those springs and if they slip something will probably end up across the room. It is possible though. I don't think you can open up the damper. I didn't open anything inside. I was able to clean up the springs and damper and collars pretty nicely though.

[arveejay]

I just took mine apart and cleaned them up last week. You'll need a spring compressor of some type. I used a car coil spring compressor and it was a bit scary since it doesn't really grab that tight. Once you get the spring compressed about 1-1.5" you can slip the collar on top (near the rebound adjustment) off and then release the spring pressure. Be careful... you'll need about 300lbs of force on those springs and if they slip something will probably end up across the room. It is possible though. I don't think you can open up the damper. I didn't open anything inside. I was able to clean up the springs and damper and collars pretty nicely though.

That's what I wanted to hear, I have access to a press at workso I'd just have to make up a jig of some sort. Thanks for the info.

[duaneage]

Easy way - takes 2 minutes.

Put the preload onto the easiest position so the spring is not so tight.

Pull down the cork bumper to expose the 14 mm nut at the top of the shaft.

Put the top of the shock into a padded vise ( or hold it with a crescent wrench)

Now use a thin 14 mm wrench to loosen the nut. it comes right out.

Here is where to get one:

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=18&item=DCW-1

Bicycle shops sell them too.

[Road_Clam]

Re: Disassemble rear shock?

Anybody ever removed the outer spring on the rear shock? Can it be done? I would like to do some rust removal with steel wool. Everywhere I can reach shines right up but there's some places I just ain't getting to.

You can (I did), BUT I wouldn't advise it. The Showa's 4 way dampening cap assembly really wasn't designed to be serviced or dissasembled. It was extremely challenging to reassemble my shocks, as there is no schematics of the shocks internal parts. I had acess to a full set of shock service tools, and the job was still difficult.
Rich

[Road_Clam]

Easy way - takes 2 minutes.

Put the preload onto the easiest position so the spring is not so tight.

Pull down the cork bumper to expose the 14 mm nut at the top of the shaft.

Put the top of the shock into a padded vise ( or hold it with a crescent wrench)

Now use a thin 14 mm wrench to loosen the nut. it comes right out.

Here is where to get one:

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=18&item=DCW-1

Bicycle shops sell them too.

No offence but it does NOT take "2 min" and you neglected to specify that if you don't use a spring compressor when loosening the shaft nut, the spring pressure will blow the whole cap assembly clear across your garage, or worse yet rip your face right off. When you do get the cap off there is a lot of pieces that can easily get dislodged (like all the detent clicker balls, the clicker ring gear, the clicker dampening piston and so on.

[duaneage]

Easy way - takes 2 minutes.

Put the preload onto the easiest position so the spring is not so tight.

Pull down the cork bumper to expose the 14 mm nut at the top of the shaft.

Put the top of the shock into a padded vise ( or hold it with a crescent wrench)

Now use a thin 14 mm wrench to loosen the nut. it comes right out.

Here is where to get one:

http://www.parktool.com/products/detail.asp?cat=18&item=DCW-1

Bicycle shops sell them too.

No offence but it does NOT take "2 min" and you neglected to specify that if you don't use a spring compressor when loosening the shaft nut, the spring pressure will blow the whole cap assembly clear across your garage, or worse yet rip your face right off. When you do get the cap off there is a lot of pieces that can easily get dislodged (like all the detent clicker balls, the clicker ring gear, the clicker dampening piston and so on.

No offence but you don't know what your talking about. The spring moved exactly 1/2 inch. The end cap is held in the padded vise, your holding the other end. As you loosen the nut it opens the spring even more and there is almost NO pressure left on it.
Nothing "flew apart" and nobody was hurt. Did you read where I actually DID this before, not just made up something to post on a forum.

Do what you want. Compressing the spring with the wrong tool will definately open yourself up for some danger. Anyone that advocates compressing the spring with whatever they can find is asking for trouble, like this:

I used a car coil spring compressor and it was a bit scary since it doesn't really grab that tight


As to all of the goodies in the cap, I left then in there and put them right back on when I was done. All it took to reassemble was to pull out the shaft, push lightly on the bottom of the shock while engaging the threads at the top.

If you want pictures just ask.