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How to open a shock

How to open a shock

Old 09-03-2010, 01:12 PM
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Default How to open a shock

Hello.

Could you please someone tell me how to open this shock without damage it?
It is circular all around and i cannot open it with a wrench.

Here is the shock:
a.imageshack.us/img838/913/img115p.jpg

Last edited by rctech_new; 09-12-2010 at 12:45 PM.
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Old 09-03-2010, 01:20 PM
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I usually hold the bottom of the shock in my bench vise and take a thin screwdriver or L wrench and stick that thru the top shock eye and unscrew the cap (CW).


Can't make anything of your pic address- btw, you have the required number of posts to post links now....
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Old 09-03-2010, 01:31 PM
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Ok. Here is the picture.

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Old 09-03-2010, 02:59 PM
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Originally Posted by rctech_new
Ok. Here is the picture.

I get a rag and locking pliers to hold the body of the shock, then use just normal pliers to turn the cap off.
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Old 09-03-2010, 04:31 PM
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Thanks for posting the pic.

Easist thing to do is what pinky suggested. Grip shock up near cap away from the seals in the other end. I use something I can stick thru the shock eye in the cap and turn the cap off. Find somethiong thats about the od of teh shock eye and it will be less likely to damage teh shock eye. These are not supposed to be put together that tight cause it will mess up the bladder in the cap. It shouldn't take that much to hold and get teh cap off.
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Old 09-03-2010, 06:06 PM
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MAKE SURE YOU DO NOT SQUEEZE TO TIGHT...

If you deform the shock body at all the piston will not slide through correctly and you will have scraped your shock body...

As Duster said... these should not be that tight and usually you can hold the body with a clean dry rag and then use a large allen wrench or something and break the cap loose...

Try that yet again and see if you can before putting pressure with tools to the body of the shock...

Good Luck!
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Old 09-03-2010, 08:05 PM
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Yup the best way is either pliers with a towl used as a cushion so you don't scrape the body of the shock OR if you can find one its a rubber belt type pliers. The best way I can describe to you is its similar to an oil filter wrench but smaller.

Here is a pic of what im talking about:

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Old 09-04-2010, 02:02 AM
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Hi guys.

Thanks for your answers. These shocks are too tight(all of them) as they came out of the factory and i am afraid that i will damage them
I cannot understand why they produce them circular all around and haven't designed the cap to be like a head of bolt so to be easy to open with a wrench.

Well, i will try to put some more pressure at the body of the shock and if it get damaged i will replace them with better shocks from another manufacturer. Any suggestions on best value for money shocks?
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Old 09-05-2010, 05:13 PM
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Then if you're going to replace them, there appears to be a thick boss right below the cap. Take some pliers and grip them right there, that boss may be strong enough to let you generate the pressure you need to turn the cap off without deforming the shock body.

Its only recently that I've encountered shocks made with a wrench compatible head, most are like these. They're just not assembled quite so tight.

I'd ask about poss replacements in the electric off road forums, you're more likely to get an answer there.
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Old 09-06-2010, 06:59 AM
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Originally Posted by rctech_new
Hello.
Could you please someone tell me how to open this shock without damage it?
Try wrapping electric tape around the lower part of the shock body (maybe 10 or more times) Sometimes that will give you enough grip to do it with your fingers, if not you can grip over the tape with pliers.

Last edited by Lazer Guy; 09-07-2010 at 07:09 AM.
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Old 09-07-2010, 12:22 PM
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Originally Posted by Duster_360
I usually hold the bottom of the shock in my bench vise and take a thin screwdriver or L wrench and stick that thru the top shock eye and unscrew the cap (CW).


Can't make anything of your pic address- btw, you have the required number of posts to post links now....

Finally, as Duster_360 said, the shocks have been opened with a bench vise which has soft rubber jaws and a thin screwdriver without damage the shock body.

Thanks all of you for your answers guys.
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