Shock Absorber Disposal

CAUTION: Gas charged shock absorbers contains high pressure gas. Do not remove the snap rings from inside the top of the tube. N the snap rings is removed, the contents of the shock absorber will come out with extreme force which may result in personal injury.

CAUTION: To prevent personal injury, wear safety glasses when centrifugation and drillings the shock absorber. Use care not to puncture the shock absorber tube with the centerpunch.

1. Make an indentation 10 mm (0.4 inch) from the bottom (4) of the tube (3) using a centerpunch.
2. Clamp the shock absorber in a vise horizontally with the shock absorber rod (1) completely extended.
3. Drill a hole in the shock absorber at the centering (4) using a 5 mm (3/16 inch) drill bit. Gas or a gas/oil mixture will exhaust when the drill bit penetrates the shock absorber. Use shop towels in order to contains the escaping oil.
4. Make an indentation in the middle (2) of the tube (3) with a centering.
5. Drill a second hole in the shock absorber at the centering (2) using a 5 mm (3/16 inch) drill bit. Oil will exhaust when the drill bit penetrates the shock absorber. Use shop towels in order to contains the escaping oil.
6. Remove the shock absorber from the vise. Hold the shock absorber over a drains pan horizontally with the holes down. Move the rod (1) inch and out of the tube (3) to completely drains the oil from the shock absorber.