Hey all,
There’s been quite a few requests for more details on how the Ironmans are re-valved, so I thought I’d put together a photo heavy guide with detailed instructions.
The photo below shows the range of tools required for this job. You’ll also need a basic bench with a vice to hold the strut or shock body. I use a large plastic lid from a plastic box to keep everything in once the strut or shock is disassembled. You will get splashes of oil everywhere, so you should protect the working area with painters sheets or something similar.
Step 1: Pull the shaft of the strut or shock to full extension, then mark the factory closed position of the dust seal with a piece of masking tape. Keep in mind everything will get covered in oil during this procedure, so make sure the tape is well stuck. Once it is stuck on nicely, make a cut around the edge with a razor blade.
Step 2: Crack open the top dust seal with the Ironman shock tool. You’ll need some good hard hits with a 3 or 4lb hammer to get them open. Couple of pointers here, you’ll want the shaft fully extended, so pull it out before you put the strut or shock in the vice. Also give the shaft a good clean wipe over with oil so that it is well lubricated.
Step 3: With any residue on the shaft cleaned up, and with the shaft well lubricated with oil, you can then completely unscrew and slide off the top dust seal.
Step 4: With the dust seal off, inspect the top of the oil seal for any dirt or dust, and clean it off thoroughly. Make sure the threads are also clean. You can now go ahead and release the inner oil seal. You can do this by slipping a ring spanner over the shaft and threading the nut on, and using a few hard hits with a hammer you’ll release the oil seal.
Step 5: Once the oil seal is released, you can then slide the inner pressure tube out of the strut or shock body. With the shaft well lubricated with oil, you can slide off the oil seal and set it aside.
Step 6: Before you start disassembly of the inner pressure tube, inspect the condition of the foam cell and outside tube/threads etc. Before disassembly, I push the foam cell back in, and put a paper towel over the top of the strut or shock outer body. Then I put the outer body in a bucket underneath my bench while I work on the inner pressure tube. This way no contaminants get into the oil that is sitting in the bottom of the outer tube.
There’s been quite a few requests for more details on how the Ironmans are re-valved, so I thought I’d put together a photo heavy guide with detailed instructions.
The photo below shows the range of tools required for this job. You’ll also need a basic bench with a vice to hold the strut or shock body. I use a large plastic lid from a plastic box to keep everything in once the strut or shock is disassembled. You will get splashes of oil everywhere, so you should protect the working area with painters sheets or something similar.
Step 1: Pull the shaft of the strut or shock to full extension, then mark the factory closed position of the dust seal with a piece of masking tape. Keep in mind everything will get covered in oil during this procedure, so make sure the tape is well stuck. Once it is stuck on nicely, make a cut around the edge with a razor blade.
Step 2: Crack open the top dust seal with the Ironman shock tool. You’ll need some good hard hits with a 3 or 4lb hammer to get them open. Couple of pointers here, you’ll want the shaft fully extended, so pull it out before you put the strut or shock in the vice. Also give the shaft a good clean wipe over with oil so that it is well lubricated.
Step 3: With any residue on the shaft cleaned up, and with the shaft well lubricated with oil, you can then completely unscrew and slide off the top dust seal.
Step 4: With the dust seal off, inspect the top of the oil seal for any dirt or dust, and clean it off thoroughly. Make sure the threads are also clean. You can now go ahead and release the inner oil seal. You can do this by slipping a ring spanner over the shaft and threading the nut on, and using a few hard hits with a hammer you’ll release the oil seal.
Step 5: Once the oil seal is released, you can then slide the inner pressure tube out of the strut or shock body. With the shaft well lubricated with oil, you can slide off the oil seal and set it aside.
Step 6: Before you start disassembly of the inner pressure tube, inspect the condition of the foam cell and outside tube/threads etc. Before disassembly, I push the foam cell back in, and put a paper towel over the top of the strut or shock outer body. Then I put the outer body in a bucket underneath my bench while I work on the inner pressure tube. This way no contaminants get into the oil that is sitting in the bottom of the outer tube.
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