Hi Peter ,
My lever shocks do not leak and seem to have normal resistance in both
directions .
However they are original to the car (~40 years old) Would not the movement
of the
pistons in their respective boars cause wear and consequently contamination
of the
fluid after all of this time ? I figured that I had to change the fluid for
this reason alone .
Thank you for educating the list on the finer points of Armstrong lever
shocks .
Mark Hanna
AN5L/13731
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Peter C. [SMTP:nosimport@mailbag.com]
> Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 1999 8:12 AM
> To: Bill & Cindy; spridgets@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Shocks
>
> Guys,
> If you intend to drain the shock you're best off to open both the
> small
> filler plug (1/4" Whitworth) and the large which is the valve (7/8" US).
> When you open the valve, also extract the springs and shims, if any. Think
> of the shock as having an upper and lower chamber separated by the
> pistons.
> The pistons each have a poppet valve in them to allow the oil to go in one
> direction only. You _can_ empty/refill/bleed the shock from only one of
> the
> 2 places, but save the task for a long weekend. Remember that air rises,
> so
> keep the hole you're filling the highest point. Fill the valve end first
> over full. let it sit for awhile, don't move the arm, reinsert the valve
> stuff. Turn the shock up so the small plug is up. (1/4 eliptoids have the
> plug on the lid, semi-eliptoids on the body). Overfill through the plug,
> let stand a while. Add more and move the arm slowly the full range (it
> will
> act like a shock at this point, the plug need not be in), let stand, add
> more and reinsert the plug. If when you move the shock arm it is "locked",
> then you still have air at the valve. If it seems to change from hard to
> soft in 1 stroke, then you've gotten dirt in a poppet valve.
> Having said all that, which I hope is helpful, why do you _want_ to
> drain
> and fill the shock. If there is the correct amount of oil in the shock
> (meaning it aint leaking) there's no reason to remove the oil. It's not
> contaminated or suffering from "thermal breakdown". If oil has escaped,
> then topping up is all that is required. If the oil is running out,
> replace
> the shock. Only if the oil can get out is there a chance for dirt to get
> in
> which would be the only justification for changing it. Just my .02
> Hope this helps. Peter C
>
>
> At 01:00 PM 3/15/99 , Bill & Cindy wrote:
> >List,
> >
> >I have a pair of rear shocks on the bench which I would like to drain,
> >flush and re-fill.
> >
> >My question is...which fitting is the correct one to use? The big nut,
> that
> >would be on the bottom of the shock when fitted on the car, or the little
> >one (which no standard or metric wrench fits, must be Whitworth!) on the
> >side near the top and 'neath the cover of the shock?
> >
> >After checking the archives...I read where Peter warns that the shock
> must
> >be laid flat on the bench when bleeding...this leads me to think that the
> >little fitting is the culprit.
> >
> >Thanks,
> >
> >
> >Bill & Cindy
> >
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