Works shock rebuild pictorial

[sicivicdude]

If you were to look up gas cylinder regulator, you would find a WIDE range of available products. Everything from a "B" series acetylene single stage torch regulator for about $25 all the way up to all stainless and teflon lined UHP scientific grade regulators for $1,500 or more.

Luckily, the style I need is relatively simple.... CGA580 high pressure (400 psi or so should do it). There is a particular group of folks (tradesman I should say) who use that exact regulator. Sometimes when something is built for a particular purpose, it's VERY expensive (alignment machine for vehicles comes to mind ). Sometimes, supplies for a broad field of expertise are quite reasonable. Luckily, this is one of them. They use high pressure nitrogen to purge and leak test high volume refrigerant systems in large installations. They will pressurize the system to just above what the highest head pressure the system will ever see in use and leave it for 24 hours. If there's a leak, they have the pressure behind it to go find it. If it holds pressure they evacuate the relatively inexpensive nitrogen gas and put in refrigerant.

Moral of all of that? High pressure nitrogen regulator? $61 shipped....

I:I

I also stopped by the welding supply place and picked up the 40cf N2 cylinder. $68. I'm into it $127 but I still have to get a hose to go from the regulator output to a schrader valve. Shouldn't be anything ol' Saw, Chisel, and Destroy can't handle!

 

[slickerthanyou]

You can never have enough equipment!

 

[sicivicdude]

Well, the main holdup for me (especially around here!) to rebuilding shocks is the nitrogen fillup. The rest of it is basically just grunt work, taking it apart, cleaning it, replacing parts, and reassembly. The trouble is, none of the bike shops around here have nitrogen tanks to refill shocks.....

 

[slickerthanyou]

All the oil change places around the burgh have nitrogen, and so do the tire shops, however i haven't priced it to see what they charge.

I would prefer to do that myself anyhow , not too many trustworthy mechanics around this area!

 

[sicivicdude]

I called a few tire shops around and they all told me the same thing, they have all low pressure refill stuff, they don't go above 100 psi with their nitrogen equipment.

You would think that a few of the motorcycle/dirtbike shops around would have a nitrogen cylinder setup in the back for filling up shocks but I couldn't find a single one around my area.

 

[TwoStroker99]

Hell the motorcycle shops around here r lucky to know how to even do a basic tune up more less knowing anything about shocks! Lmfao

 

[sicivicdude]

 

[sicivicdude]

The regulator came in with a 1/4" 1/4" male flare fitting in it (same kind A/C hoses use). Luckily, that's threaded into a 1/4" FPT hole so all I need to do is take that fitting out and thread in this:

Apache Hydraulic Hose — 1/4in. x 36in.L, 1-Wire, 2750 PSI | Hydraulic Hoses| Northern Tool + Equipment

Slap a 1/4" NPT schrader valve on the end and we're in business.

 

[sicivicdude]

I stopped by Northern Tool today and picked up the hydraulic hose. Came straight home and installed. We're ready to do some shock rebuilding minus one crucial step..... I don't have and shock fluid yet!

I'm going to call my local dealer tomorrow and go browse some 5-10W shock oil. See what all the fuss is about.

 

[sicivicdude]

Both of the lower "Igus" bushings on these shocks were bad. I ordered new replacement bushings.

Getting the old one out:

Pry that old dust seal out, just be careful not to catch the seal body:

Push the guide piece back down while the seal is out:

Just press the new seal in until it bottoms:

Replace the o-ring inside and outside to complete the seal head rebuild:

 

[sicivicdude]

Pay VERY close attention to how it all comes apart, three different length springs!

All reassembled, filled with oil, and recharged to 250psi with nitrogen:

Then we start reassembly:

This is the shock oil we picked up, $7 for 16 ounces. Two shocks required ~10 ounces!

Twostroker99 will post pics of them all done and mounted!

 

[sicivicdude]

Somehow, with all that furious rebuilding and machining, I ended up with an extra aluminum spacer washer too *wink wink*

Does anyone know someone looking for one?

 

[Triple_B]

I think I may know someone who needs a spacer I:I

Great job as usual!

 

[TwoStroker99]

Wow! Where have these shocks been the whole time ive owned my blaster!lol They made such a big difference! Thanks again to SCDracing!! Ill try to get pics up in lil bit

 

[TwoStroker99]

Here they are! Cant wait to get a good ride on them!!!

 

[little3mil]

good work civic!!!! i just sent my dual rates out a few days ago for seals and a charge wished i woulda sent them to you!

 

[sicivicdude]

Dangit 3mil, don't you know by now to check with your friendly, neighborhood SCD Racing representative before calling someone else?

It's cool. I have all the stuff setup here but something tells me this isn't going to be my main source of income or anything..... The real killer about someone just doing it themselves is the required nitrogen pressure. The rest of it is not difficult, really. Just not everyone has 250psi nitrogen on tap!

 

[nboldman]

If i buy some shocks in need of rebuild would you do it? I wouldnt know where to start even with the pictoral.

 

[sicivicdude]

If i buy some shocks in need of rebuild would you do it? I wouldnt know where to start even with the pictoral.

Absolutely. Like I said, nothing about it is really hard to do and then WOULD be in the DIY section except not just everyone has access to high pressure nitrogen and that kinda means you need some specialized equipment. It's not really a DIY level project, unfortunately...

Seems like going rate for labor, oil, and recharge is $75 (don't know if that's what I'd charge or not but it seems fair for the time needed to complete the job). Parts are extra but the seal kit from work is ~$35 for the pair. As long as the shocks are in serviceable condition (not needing a whole lot of parts) buying some in need of some repair is a decent way of getting them on the cheap.

 

[nboldman]

im going to be buying a set. No leaks, they just stiffened up. It was suggested that they may just need a recharge