# taking apart a strut.



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

who here had the build thread where they took apart a strut and physically shorted it? i know i saw it i just don't remember where.
please help?


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

Those were my pics, I shortened a Koni 8610-1436 race strut insert. I'll try to find the thread as I did a bit of a writeup, if not I will just repost them and re-write everything. 
edit: http://forums.vwvortex.com/zer...age=1
I did the Koni, Banned Wagon did the KYB non-adjustable http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif 


_Modified by Afazz at 12:55 AM 6-21-2009_


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

Stock strut explained... or shown
Today after very little research i disassembled my stock MkIV strut in hopes of shortening it very soon.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

okay, now explaining, 
the long black tube is obviously the strut tube, which holds all the oil for the strut.
the shorter silver tube is what the actual strut rod is in.
the yellow plunger on the strut rod forces the oil in or out of the silver tube.
the silver strut tube cap is what holds the inner tube and the rod into the center of the strut tube.
the red plunger is what keep any oil from coming out the top of the strut assembly.
then the little nut is what holds on the strut bearing and bushing (not pictured)


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

Looks good so far! If you have a lathe (and know how to use it) it's not very hard to shorten them. Shortening more than ~2" is easier, if you only shorten 1" like I did you'll have to pick up the thread and continue it rather than cut a new one. I'm interested to see how this turns out http://****************.com/smile/emthup.gif


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (Afazz)*

dropped a test strut off at the guy who works at a machine shop, gonna see if he can do it tomorrow.


----------



## Ian K (Aug 25, 2003)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

Ive always thought about doing this.....but always been steered away. I am really interested in seeing how this goes.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (Boosted20th2886)*

planning on taking off 1.5" 


_Modified by jettalvr41 at 3:56 PM 7-13-2009_


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: taking apart a strut. (jettalvr41)*

so got it looked at and priced today. they can do it, and said that to mill down 1.5" of it to 7/16"s with threads it would be just under 100$ for the two of them. 
i plan to more then entire threaded area down 1.5"


----------



## LiL ShuteS (Apr 6, 2008)

considering this in the future, how do coilover struts come apart, there seems to be a grinder lock key style double pin secured nut as the top of the strut body, does this come undone and then the rest is removed from inside?


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: (LiL ShuteS)*

It depends on the brand and style of coilover shock. Some are welded, some are crimped, some are fully rebuildable.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (Afazz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Afazz* »_It depends on the brand and style of coilover shock. Some are welded, some are crimped, some are fully rebuildable. 

correct my OEM is crimped.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (LiL ShuteS)*

so i came up with a problem. how do you refill them with gas? i know you cna use just air, but air compresses more then nitrogen. any help?


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

That looks like a twin-tube hydraulic strut to me, i.e. no gas. Did gas pressure come out when you disassembled it? A lot or just a quick little puff?


----------



## truman77 (Feb 14, 2007)

*Re: (Afazz)*

it is twin tube. when i opened it no gas came out, but it was also a test strut that was blown. i think i am going to buy the two good ones tomorrow AND have them cut down, i will let you know what happens.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (truman77)*

so took the shafts to the machine shop today. should get them back tomorrow. $100 for both so i feel that is pretty fair. 

these show what i cut off and also how the inner tubetop needs to be 100% perfectly straight.


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

Nice! I can't wait to see how these turn out when they're done







$100 per pair is a lot cheaper than I would have expected, but I guess they're not adjustable so it's just turning them down and rethreading.


----------



## formerly vr6 karl (Jan 26, 2003)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

can you put some calipers to the strut tube? i want to know the wall thickness, inner diameter and outer diameter. im thinking of an air setup using a cartridge style shock.


----------



## low_quattro (Jun 30, 2008)

How to degas and deoil the strut yourself without huge machinery ?!


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: (low_quattro)*

Not all shocks have gas pressure inside. These stock struts, and most Konis, are twin-tube hydraulic and do not require any gas pressure or special machinery. Bilsteins, and some Sachs, are gas-monotube and require special equipment to remove and replace the gas inside.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (Afazz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Afazz* »_Not all shocks have gas pressure inside. These stock struts, and most Konis, are twin-tube hydraulic and do not require any gas pressure or special machinery. Bilsteins, and some Sachs, are gas-monotube and require special equipment to remove and replace the gas inside.

so true. 
so i assembled them, few problems, didn't know the correct amount of oil, the type of oil, and i had a few leaks from the top seal being bad. also when we crimped it it went all gay. so we are cutting the outter most tube down a little more and threading it, so we can use a OEM MkII strut cap, which will allow me to open or close the strut whenever needed.
pics to come for afazz since he is the only one who is really 100% on whats going on here. but im happy to answer any questions.


----------



## a2lowvw (Dec 17, 2000)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

not everyone who understands posts. just like sometimes people with questions don't ask.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (a2lowvw)*


_Quote, originally posted by *a2lowvw* »_not everyone who understands posts. just like sometimes people with questions don't ask. 

ah well im was speaking out of the people posted.


----------



## radicalrev (Jan 15, 2009)

Yesterday, I had my 2 rear Megan LP coilover strut cut (almost 3")and weld it in place. This is for the bag so it can sit lower onto the Megan strut.
Right now it is making thud noise even on small bumps if I ride low (1 finger gap). I have to keep it above 130 PSI. 
What is the possibility here? Is it bottoming out? Or is it hitting something?


----------



## merrigan (Feb 3, 2008)

*FV-QR*

130? damn. seems high.


----------



## [email protected] (Aug 22, 2006)

*FV-QR*

seems high? 
more like it _is_ high.


----------



## radicalrev (Jan 15, 2009)

it is high = 3 finger gap from the tires...








Anyone knows the issue here?


----------



## Retromini (Nov 7, 2004)

*Re: (radicalrev)*

pics of the new shorter setup? Hard to diagnose without seeing how you have them setup.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (radicalrev)*


_Quote, originally posted by *radicalrev* »_Yesterday, I had my 2 rear Megan LP coilover strut cut (almost 3")and weld it in place. This is for the bag so it can sit lower onto the Megan strut.
Right now it is making thud noise even on small bumps if I ride low (1 finger gap). I have to keep it above 130 PSI. 
What is the possibility here? Is it bottoming out? Or is it hitting something?



did you shorten the shaft too? you can't just shorten the strut and not the shaft.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (Afazz)*

so does anyone know where i can find a seal that looks like this. 
























seal location








seal measurement








heres the difference from stock to not. 










_Modified by jettalvr41 at 11:42 AM 3-4-2010_


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*FV-BumpIt(1267760244006)*

anyone got any info?


----------



## Rat4Life (Oct 14, 2004)

*Re: FV-BumpIt(1267760244006) (jettalvr41)*

whats wrong with that seal?


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: FV-BumpIt(1267760244006) (Rat4Life)*

its all crewed up from opening the strut. it is very hard to get that out without damaging it. and now it won't seal.


----------



## toplessvw (Jul 31, 2003)

*Re: FV-BumpIt(1267760244006) (jettalvr41)*

i would spin a ring out of aluminum and us a standard spring seal, or you could do it out of steel and weld it in place then tap a couple of holes in the ring you made to add the oil for the shock through
http://www.mcmaster.com/#sprin...36hco


----------



## Afazz (Feb 10, 2002)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

Have you tried looking up the part number that's stamped into it? I can't read it in the pic.


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*Re: (Afazz)*


_Quote, originally posted by *Afazz* »_Have you tried looking up the part number that's stamped into it? I can't read it in the pic.

yeah they said its nothing.


----------



## CompressionIgnition (Mar 29, 2007)

*Re: (jettalvr41)*

I toyed with all this stuff, but then tried to start a business, then abandoned that idea and Im fnally buying a house instead!
But Im bumping this cause I bugged the two main contributors of this thread quite a bit...







(the OP and Afazz)
I'm thinking...turn a thread on the OD of the strut tube and make a screw on cap that sandwhiches a plate that contains a seal like this...http://www.mcmaster.com/#lip-seals/=6cjq2v
The plate would sit on top of the upper valve and its top would have a receiving ring that held one of the rectangular seals from McMaster...then the screw on lid would put pressure on that seal as it was turned on...this would keep everything in place and wouldnt allow the o-ring inside the seal to be displaced...
Im drawing something up for the Fluck of it right now because thats maybe the only way this makes sense...
Any updates on your end?


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*FV-QR*

okay i will get my tops turned, cause you can use the mkiii strut caps cause they will work almost perfectly more pics to come in a few hours.


----------



## CompressionIgnition (Mar 29, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (jettalvr41)*


----------



## CompressionIgnition (Mar 29, 2007)

*Re: FV-QR (CompressionIgnition)*

Also, it almost looks like the seal is spring loaded?


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*FV-QR*


_Quote, originally posted by *CompressionIgnition* »_










um im not 100% sure i don't think so but i iwll double check again tonight. 

_Quote, originally posted by *CompressionIgnition* »_Also, it almost looks like the seal is spring loaded?


yes it does have a spring in there i assume to keep tension. 


_Modified by jettalvr41 at 12:30 PM 3-26-2010_


----------



## jettalvr41 (Oct 26, 2006)

*FV-QR*

could the 1/2" tall by 3/4" ID and 2" OD piston cup work?


----------

