So who knows how to take a rear shock apart?

[Tim]

I need to dissasemble my Hagon shocks to make them nice and shiny. To do this I apparantly need to compress the spring, remove the retaining ring and then relieve tension off the spring and voila, it's apart.

That being said, I can't see a way of doing this with my Hagons. I can't see how to compress the spring without pushing down on the retaining ring itself.

I'll have to get someone to do this for me, as I simply don't have the tools needed to compress the spring as necessary. Maybe some sort of specialty tool that hooks onto the spring coils?

 

[Scarcat]

You need something like this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/NEW-COIL-SPRING-COMPRESSOR-SET-AUTO-STRUT-CLAMP-TOOL_W0QQitemZ160186707646QQihZ006QQcategoryZ43996QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Basically, it compresses the spring which will then allow you to remove the retainers. You should use two of them on a single spring at a time or you'll get some funky warping which you don't want.

The right tools for the right job makes things a hell of a lot easier to do.

 

[HerrDeacon]

I need to take my rears apart to clean them up as well. The tool that Scarcat shows is what you need. I used the same thing when I changed springs on my car. At that time I just loaned the tool from Canadian Tire. Not sure if they still do that. I believe Princess Auto sells them as well.

 

[spankey]

I need to dissasemble my Hagon shocks to make them nice and shiny. To do this I apparantly need to compress the spring, remove the retaining ring and then relieve tension off the spring and voila, it's apart.

That being said, I can't see a way of doing this with my Hagons. I can't see how to compress the spring without pushing down on the retaining ring itself.

I'll have to get someone to do this for me, as I simply don't have the tools needed to compress the spring as necessary. Maybe some sort of specialty tool that hooks onto the spring coils?

check out this site. hopefully it helps
http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v230/tonyque/shock%20pics/

also this one just fyi
http://www.gostar-racing.com/club/motorcycle_suspension_set-up.htm



spankey

 

[Tim]

Yep - that first round of photobucket pics is great. I'm just not convinced I can get tie-down straps between the shock body and spring. I'll give it a shot this weekend though.

 

[spankey]

Yep - that first round of photobucket pics is great. I'm just not convinced I can get tie-down straps between the shock body and spring. I'll give it a shot this weekend though.

ya it is a little sketchy looking. hopefully it will work. just take it slow and easy.

later

spankey

 

[Scarcat]

I did say somethig the right tools for the right job right?

 

[Tim]

I did say somethig the right tools for the right job right?

I actually picked up the exact same set as in your original post at Princess Auto yesterday, but predictably they're designed for automotive sized springs, and are WAY too big for the smaller bike springs.

 

[Shooter]

All I did was put the spring on the softest setting.

I stood it up in the vice and pulled down with my own body weight

The retainer ring and the half rings cleared the notch at the top and I was able to remove them.

Tip : Easy with some else there to help remove the bits.

I put them back together using the same method.

 

[matt365]

All I did was put the spring on the softest setting.

I stood it up in the vice and pulled down with my own body weight

The retainer ring and the half rings cleared the notch at the top and I was able to remove them.

Tip : Easy with some else there to help remove the bits.

I put them back together using the same method.

I used my super manly strength to push down on the shock and had the girlfriend pull out the retaining ring. BAM!

It is much easier with another person. You could use a screwdriver to get the leverage if you need to as well, jus be REAL careful.

 

[Tim]

Was the BAM! when the spring smacked her in the face?

I'm going to wrestle with them a bit this weekend. Called my local shop but they didn't have a small enough spring compressor.

 

[matt365]

Was the BAM! when the spring smacked her in the face?

I'm going to wrestle with them a bit this weekend. Called my local shop but they didn't have a small enough spring compressor.

Sure was!

BAM BABY!

(sorry girl How's the face?) "At least the shock is apart?" :-\

 

[Roustabout]

I use 2 wrenches in the 20 -22mm range and put them in the spring on either side of the damper rod about a coil or two from the top. Make sure the spring pre-load is at the softest position. If you have a helper just grab the two wrenches at each end firmly to hold them together and rest your weight on it while the helper removes the the keeper. I'm usually alone so I do it on the floor holding one end of the wrenches in one hand and grabbing the other end of the wrenches behind my knee while squatting on it. This frees up one hand to remove the keeper. Just rest some weight on it and you're set.

 

[Tim]

Not sure I'd be squatting over a loaded spring 8) Seriously, I've read a lot of horror stories about these things.

 

[Ease]

Not sure I'd be squatting over a loaded spring 8) Seriously, I've read a lot of horror stories about these things.

M hmm... My uncle literally lost his eye, I wasn't kidding.

I can imagine what'd happen if you were "squatting" over one...
Might loose another appendage... a spring hitting you in the package would cause some serious damage. :-X

 

[Shooter]

No need to squat over it if its up on the bench vice and there is no way it can hit you in the face because your face is below the spring when you pull down with both hands at the top of the spring cover. It is surprisingly easy to control.


Now Tintin ... be a man and get to it. ;D Forget about the sissy tools.