Caution: Gas charged shock absorbers contain high pressure gas. Do not remove
the snap ring from inside the top of the tube. If the snap ring is removed,
the contents of the shock absorber will come out with extreme force which
may result in personal injury.
Caution: To prevent personal injury, wear safety glasses when centerpunching
and drilling the shock absorber. Use care not to puncture the shock absorber
tube with the centerpunch.
- Make an indentation 10 mm
(0.4 in) from the bottom of
tube using a centerpunch.
- Clamp the shock absorber in a vise horizontally with the shock
absorber completely extended.
- Drill a hole in the shock absorber at the centerpunch using a
5 mm (3/16 in) drill bit. Gas or a gas/oil mixture will exhaust
when the drill bit penetrates the shock absorber. Use shop towels in order
to contain the escaping oil.
- Make an indentation in the middle of the tube with a centerpunch.
- Drill a second hole in the shock absorber at the centerpunch using
a 5 mm (3/16 in) drill bit. Oil will exhaust when the drill
bit penetrates the shock absorber. Use shop towels in order to contain
the escaping oil.
- Remove the shock absorber from the vise. Hold the shock absorber
horizontally with the hole down to drain the oil from the tube. Move the
rod in and out of the tube to completely drain the oil from the tube.