QUICK DIY BREAKDOWN

Most of us now have bitten the bullet and got some perfor-

mance shocks whether they are smoothies or remote reser-

voir they all are basically the same inside. But after a year or

two instead of just throwing them away like a basic twin tube,

a quick refresh or tune up just before you head off on the

next big trip may be all that’s needed. This is really one of

those things that anyone can do with the right instruction and

a bit of patience. So here is a quick breakdown...

TOOLS REQUIRED

Safety glasses, latex gloves, assembly lube / lithium based

grease, Loctite ™ #271, gas or propane torch, pin spanner

wrench (profender combination tool), 2.5mm hex key (“Al-

len wrench”), scribe or seal pick, flat blade screwdriver, pin

punch, 14 & 17mm socket, circlip pliers - small external,

oil stone, rubber mallet, nitrogen tank w/ regulator, clean-

ing solvent, vice w/ soft jaws, tape measure, shock oil (5 to

10wt).

STEP 1 - SHOCK SERVICING

Read through all of these instructions first to familiar-

ise yourself with the rebuild procedure.

STEP 2 - SHOCK SERVICING

Make sure you have a clean work area, and all of the

necessary tools are available. Always use proper safe-

ty equipment when working on shock absorbers.

STEP 3 - SHOCK SERVICING

Clean the entire shock assembly with soapy water,

cleanliness is critical! Before you even think about pull-

ing anything apart, it is important to release all the ni-

trogen out of the reservoir. CAUTION: pressures range

from 100-300psi.

STEP 4 - SHOCK SERVICING

Once the nitrogen is safely removed you can sim-

ply push the schrader cap in with your fingers, about

30mm - enough to get to the wire spring clip. Using

a pick / screwdriver remove the clip and pull the cap

out gently with pliers (on the cap) or an air-valve tool.

Once removed, look inside the reservoir tube, there

should be almost no oil in here. If you see more than a

few drops then you need to replace the seal.

STEP 5 - SHOCK SERVICING

Now that’s apart, it’s time to pull the shock itself down.

Hold the base / mount of the shock in a vice, NOT the

body! Be sure to use soft jaws and do not over tight-

en. Use soft jaws and a rag / towel as it’s easier on the

shock base and will catch some of the oil that may spill

when you pull out the piston.

STEP 6 - SHOCK SERVICING

With the shock held securely, undo the small locking

grub screw from the dust cap. Then using a pin-span-

ner unwind the cap and slide up the shaft. The neck-

bush assembly should now be visible. Push it down

a little and remove the wire clip. Next, slowly pull the

shaft and piston vertically out of the shock body. You

may spill a little oil, but keeping everything vertical and

taking your time will reduce the amount lost.

STEP 7 - SHOCK SERVICING

The main shaft assembly can now be inspected and

taken apart to allow changing of the seals in the neck-

bush assembly and the dust-cap assembly, at the

same time it is also easy to do any tuning or valving

changes. This is all done by holding the shaft in a vice

by the rod-end or pin-end, NEVER clamp the shaft!

STEP 7 (Cont.) - SHOCK SERVICING

Inspect the shaft for any dents or damage, high points

that cut seals can be gently buffed out with the use of

a fine oil stone. Remove the piston nut (heat may be

required) and lift off the piston, keeping the shims and

washers in correct order. The neckbush and dustcap

assemblies can now slide off.

STEP 8 - SHOCK SERVICING

Using a pick remove and replace any seals, lubricate

with oil and re-assemble onto the shaft. CAUTION! Do

not scratch the surface of the seal groove as this will

cause the new seal to leak or fail. If you need to tune

the shocks, now is the time to change any shims in

the stacks, easy to do but this is where the tuning gets

technical so we will leave that for another article.

STEP 8 (CONT.) - SHOCK SERVICING

Install the piston shim assembly and do up the nut,

add Loctite as per manufacturers specs. Install back

into the shock gently and slowly keeping an eye on the

seals as well as allowing the air to escape. Add any oil

that may have been lost - don’t overfill! With the neck-

bush nearly seated on the seal, slowly push the shaft

into the body until oil touches the neckbush and all the

air is out of the shock.

STEP 8 (CONT.) - SHOCK SERVICING

Seat the seal and push the neckbush home. Finish

putting the shock together, making sure all the ring

clips are well seated. Extend and compress fully to

test for air pockets. Clean off excess oil and be sure to

pressure test once you are happy with the re-assem-

bly. If you require more comprehensive rebuild instruc-

tions contact your shock supplier or visit Superior Engi-

neering.

CONTACT SUPERIOR ENGINEERING

Phone: (07) 5433 1411

1/116 Lipscombe Road

Deception Bay Queensland 4508

Australia

ASK THE EXPERTS:

4X4 Suspension Tech Talk With Superior Engineering

www.superiorengineering.com.au