OP
OP
Jhollowell
Full Access Member
The Gen 2 shocks are very difficult to rebuild. The top cap is 2 pieces. the outer ring holds the body and you only need to loosen that one. The center cap threads into the bypass tube. Also, be sure to put some tape at the base of the body as you unthread the center cap. The body is just compressed between the top cap and bottom eye so as you unthread the cap, the body can spin and come off with it, dumping all the fluid out on the floor.
Front Shocks: Once you have the top cap off and the shaft out, you can dump the oil out and then remove the body. You will have to use a spanner wrench in one of the bleed holes in the bypass and a torch to get the bypass unthreaded from the bottom eyelet. Once that is out you can remove bottom valve stack and pop the IFP out using compressed air in the fill port. Then rebuild as normal and reassemble.
Rear Shocks: Same as the front to get the top cap, shaft and body off. The IFP is very difficult to remove. Push the end cap down and pop out the retaining ring. Then you will need a rod with a 10-24 bolt at the end to thread into the fill port and pull the end cap off. I used a 1/2 aluminum rod and drilled and tapped a 10-24 hole and put a screw in there. Once the cap is out you will need some reverse opening pliers to clamp against the inside of the IFP and pull it out. This is the hard part because you have to squeeze the pliers super hard to keep enough pressure on the inside of the IFP and then try to pull it up and out. Be carful not to punch yourself in the face while doing that. I'll post some pictures of the tools i used for the rear shocks. You can also reinstall the shaft, top cap and body and use compressed air through the bleed hole in the top cap to blow the IFP out. I had to do this on one shock because the IFP was installed upside down so all i saw was a flat surface on top. Once you have everything back together, you will need to cycle the IFP to remove any air bubbles so you will need some way to pull the IFP up, so you'll need those pliers regardless.
Good luck. I could never get all the air out when bleeding so i gave up on rebuilding gen 2's. Let me know if you have any questions.
Front Shocks: Once you have the top cap off and the shaft out, you can dump the oil out and then remove the body. You will have to use a spanner wrench in one of the bleed holes in the bypass and a torch to get the bypass unthreaded from the bottom eyelet. Once that is out you can remove bottom valve stack and pop the IFP out using compressed air in the fill port. Then rebuild as normal and reassemble.
Rear Shocks: Same as the front to get the top cap, shaft and body off. The IFP is very difficult to remove. Push the end cap down and pop out the retaining ring. Then you will need a rod with a 10-24 bolt at the end to thread into the fill port and pull the end cap off. I used a 1/2 aluminum rod and drilled and tapped a 10-24 hole and put a screw in there. Once the cap is out you will need some reverse opening pliers to clamp against the inside of the IFP and pull it out. This is the hard part because you have to squeeze the pliers super hard to keep enough pressure on the inside of the IFP and then try to pull it up and out. Be carful not to punch yourself in the face while doing that. I'll post some pictures of the tools i used for the rear shocks. You can also reinstall the shaft, top cap and body and use compressed air through the bleed hole in the top cap to blow the IFP out. I had to do this on one shock because the IFP was installed upside down so all i saw was a flat surface on top. Once you have everything back together, you will need to cycle the IFP to remove any air bubbles so you will need some way to pull the IFP up, so you'll need those pliers regardless.
Good luck. I could never get all the air out when bleeding so i gave up on rebuilding gen 2's. Let me know if you have any questions.
