Quote:
Originally Posted by Shankenstein
I was really confused about how to disassemble an inverted shock, and seeing the Mini Cooper setup helps demystify it.
I'm still not 100% clear on the process of de-pressurizing and re-pressurizing the gas behind the separator piston. It looks like the system is designed not to need pressurization. Once the separator piston makes the seal, the gas behind it gets compressed 10-15x (150 - 220 psi). This is the right range for shocks anyways... so it may not need to be "filled" in the traditional sense. Obviously, nitrogen (or atleast dry shop air) would be used.
|
Did you ever figure this out, @
Shankenstein?
This would seem to be the last piece of the puzzle to pulling off a DIY revalve on a set of Bilsteins for our car.
It would not be easy to compress the gas chamber while assembling the strut. One would have to somehow hold the separator piston deep inside the strut tube (maintaining the probably ~200psi*~1.5in^2 = ~300 lbs [rough estimate assuming 200psi gas pressure and 36mm piston diameter, no idea if true] of force on the separator piston), then simultaneously insert the valve piston + rod, fill with oil, and somehow install the strut tube rod guide/seal and bleed the oil at the same time. That sounds nearly impossible. Perhaps there's a way to inject the oil into the oil chamber under pressure after everything has been assembled, thereby forcing the separator piston down and compressing the gas chamber?
While looking for an answer I also found these alternate options (ctrl+f "strut" and you'll see the pic, read the blurb above it too):
http://farnorthracing.com/autocross_secrets18.html
I don't like the inset schraeder valve option that much, especially if one wants to cut their bumpstops. Gun drilling the stud to install a valve would require a large stud, and thus also custom top mounts or at least new top mount bearings.
Last thing: I seem to remember Shaikh from FatCat mentioning a special tool used to assemble struts, but I can't find that video anymore. Maybe there is some sort of injection tool or something?