mishar

Don't worry about crimping. It is simple tool that probably has to be custom made and used with small press. It is not difficult to find out what material it is made of. Actually it is not really important. Crimps are crimps and most of them have more serious placement than this one.

About top end, it looks like everything will fall apart once you the that bolt at the top of the shock absorber. Not sure that somebody will, or even should, share business secrets, but you can try.

quiksilverly

True on the trade secrets thing...we'll see. I see what your saying about crimping. Maybe two half circle metal blocks type thing?
I have a few pics of the assembled strut before tear down:

I removed the large 18mm nut in the next pic then put it back, I'll pull it off later today so you can see the metal band. I had to put a socket through a socket to get it off.

mishar

Yes. That aluminum barrel is crimped. It has to be un-crimped. How to do that depends on should it be reused or replaced. Generally it is quite simple piece of aluminum pipe and I think that guys remanufacturing struts are replacing them. Could be that it is easier, or just to make them look as new. Crimping it back shouldn't be a problem. I believe that bag is crimped at the top too.

quiksilverly

Ok so here are the sockets I modified to get the nut off the top of the damper.

Here is the band that secures the bottom of the bag. You can see it once you remove the nut formentioned.

quiksilverly

Here is the barrel blocks I made to hold the top section while I loosened the large nut that holds the chassis support onto the top section. I put strips of rubber in the arches to help secure the barrel.


with the large nut removed you can see the oval shaped washer that has a blue mark to show where the indent lines up.

Here's another shot of the blocks I made.

So here's where I am. still not sure how to remove the top cap. I really don't think it's threaded on simply because the thickness of the top barrel and the shape that the crimp made in the metal. It's got a bubble to it that makes it hard to envision threads underneath. Any ideas? see post above for a better look at the seam in question.

mishar

My first concern is that air inlet. It looks like it is screwed in and than hex head broken off. If it is so it can be unscrewed using some good players. Leak could be right there. One O-ring and problem solved.

If you get new bag you can cut the old one and remove shock absorber and bump stop. That would open access to the barrel/cap crimp. I don't thing that it is threaded.

One way to take it apart is to put in a lathe and cut the barrel thin in the crimp area and just pull it off. Than cut it shorter and drill a new hole for air inlet. I think it will work just fine that much shortened.

What do you think?

By the way, I like your setup and whole approach. Modified sockets and wooden blocks are way better than long search for special tools. Also I can see that you have a press and that you are married.

s4master1

try this

mishar

Thanks for that picture. I wouldn't go that way. You need a new barrel and there is a significant chance to damage something while grinding it. But the picture shows well the crimp. It can be taken apart by cutting just 10 mm on a lathe. That keyhole opening can be welded easily ant barrel reused.

s4master1

agree on cutting it, but how would you crimp it inside the barrel?

mishar

Not sure that I understand your question. After cutting the barrel will come off and the bag will be exposed for replacement/crimping. When that's done and the keyhole opening fixed, barrel has to be crimped back to the top part. It would be shorter for about 10 mm, but I think it doesn't matter.