GEN 1 New OEM Fox Shocks, remove "wrap"?

[Rocsteady]

So with the price that RockAuto offered, it seemed more sensible to replace the shocks/struts than to rebuild them. First off, what a difference in ride!!! Like night and day. I guess my original ones were shot. Anyway, this seemed like a really dumb question at first, but the more I thought about it... So there seems to be a clear film on, at least, the rear Fox shocks, over the silver, metal body of the shock. Should this be removed so you can spray the body with a rust inhibitor or something? Or does it make more sense to just leave well enough alone? For the most part it's on smooth and tight but there are a couple areas where there's air trapped underneath and it's bubbled up, for lack of a better phrase, Difficult to tell if the fronts have the same thing and would be a mess to remove now that they're installed and "inside' the front springs. I'm assuming you just leave it alone but thought I'd ask. I took a picture but after running my finger over the area, I can't even really see it in the picture

 

[B E N]

That seems strange, almost like they forgot to take the transfer material off. I wouldn't want a film over the top of them, its going to get chipped and hold water against the shock body.

 

[Rocsteady]

That seems strange, almost like they forgot to take the transfer material off. I wouldn't want a film over the top of them, its going to get chipped and hold water against the shock body.

That's how i was looking at it. I just emailed the question to Fox and will post their answer for an FYI

 

[Huck]

The stock ones also have a film / clear wrap. It just doesn’t cover the entire body


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[lxh89]

So with the price that RockAuto offered, it seemed more sensible to replace the shocks/struts than to rebuild them. First off, what a difference in ride!!! Like night and day. I guess my original ones were shot.

How many miles did your original shocks have before replacement? Mines got over 71k and I'm thinking replacing them will make a big diff in ride quality.

Thanks,
Tony

 

[K223]

Aren’t these shock bodies completely aluminum? If that bring the case, I wouldn’t worry about rust. Looked to me like the wrap is part of the Labeling. Didn’t think it to serve anymore purpose than that.

 

[Justin Gustman]

You want to leave the clear label/wrap on. It protects the shiny aluminum finish. If you drive in salt they do corrode/oxidize anywhere the clear wrap isn’t. Also it prevents rock chipping on the aluminum shock body by taking the abuse instead of the aluminum.

 

[Rocsteady]

How many miles did your original shocks have before replacement? Mines got over 71k and I'm thinking replacing them will make a big diff in ride quality.

Thanks,
Tony

I had 86,000 miles when I bought it so I didn't know how it was supposed to feel. It was like night and day! Best analogy I could make is it was as pronounced as the difference between going from a live rear axle to an independent rear suspension

 

[Rocsteady]

Aren’t these shock bodies completely aluminum? If that bring the case, I wouldn’t worry about rust. Looked to me like the wrap is part of the Labeling. Didn’t think it to serve anymore purpose than that.

Here's what the old ones liked like

 

[MTF]

The shock body is a brushed zinc coated alloy steel.
The only thing that is billet aluminum is the top that the two bodies screw into.