FREAKINHEAT

I'm stuck. I've tried banging the the threaded collar off the original boge's(which are toast), but it won't budge! I've used a small sledge hammer to knock the sleeve down but it isn't moving. Soaking with pb breaker now.

Anyone have any tips for removal? Heat? Crush the shock?

GlenL

Some I've gotten with a sledge. Some I've taken to a machine shop where they use a press. I've read of people cutting apart the shock. It's corroded on tight and needs extra persuasion.

nc_growler

Recommend a local shop with a press. We have a CarQuest machine shop nearby that helped press off one of mine.

dr bob

The sleeve needs to move UP on the shock, not down. The suggestions to soak with PB blaster are good, as is some heat to get the sleeve to expand off of the steel housing a tad. You may want to get a piece of steel pipe to slip over the shock body so you can hammer on that rather than risking damage to the parts. Worst case is that you can cut the shock body (think large pipe cutter) above the sleeve, then collapse the shock body inside the tube. Drill a small hole in the old housing so you can 'manage' any escaping oil and gas charge that might still be in there. Safety glasses would be a minimum.

Mrmerlin

Ok this is one way to remove the collars
first clean the upper portion of the shock body so its squeaky clean
spray in some PB into the junction of the collar and body ,
then with a Mapp gas torch ( yellow can) heat the collar portion on the top area
the internal threaded ring is the part your trying to heat its about 1 inch hi,
NOTE keep the shock in a vice.
dont get carried away with the heating,
then take a piece of wood and hammer and tap the collar to the top of the shock body,
this may take a few heating cycles as the collars will quickly cool.

jpitman2

replace it with new, its toast. When I had my Bilsteins rebuilt, I had to cut the collars off, and replace them. Local wrench provided some 911 collars that fitted.
jp 83 Euro S AT 54k

antlee928

I agree with JP. Replace sleeve and collars with say the extra height sleeves from 928 motorsports. These sleevs will also give you extra height adjustment capacity.

Good luck

antlee928

BTW, I am trying to adjust the front ride height on my S4 MY89 and have found that on the fronts (standard 25mm sleeve) that the sleeve appears to be turning with the collar. Clearly, this means the collar has seized to the sleeve and is forcing the sleeve to spin around its position on the shock (Koni Reds). Have attempted much WD40 soaking to no avail. Can anyone else suggest a better method short of having to remove the shockers.

Cheers

Mrmerlin

^^^^ to fix this you will have to remove the shockers, dont use WD 40 use PB blaster,

since the collar is turning,
you need to remove it,
then free it up, this may take some torch heat to get the collars loose from each other
then clean the threads with a wire brush,
then add some grease mixed with antiseize to the threads,

clean the shock body then use some green loctite on the seating area bosses,
then tap the inner collar into place then let it dry,
then install the spring,
adjust the spring perches with the weight off the wheels.
this can be done with wheels turned all the way to the right.

928porschemangreg

Got 4 of mine off with clamping the shock in a pipe vise(Curved jaws) Then take 2 inch PVC Pipe to slip over the base of the shock. A 3 lb sledge worked for all 4. If that doesn't, some heat on the collar will expand the collar and not the shock. Same 2 inch PVC to tap it on the new one.

Podguy

Gee, I am considered a little of a non conformist to standard procedures but I would never apply heat to s shock. You might be making a small IED.

I had a guy work for me - he had graduated from a two year school in auto mechanics. Good guy - great training - no real natural ability. One day he was working on a tie rod end and could not get the nut off or keep the tie from spinning. His solution was a torch. I was never clear on the thinking. Instead of cutting off the nut which might make sense he was heating the tie rod end. Maybe he was trying to cut off the nut and ended up heating the internal ball of the tie rod by mistake.

No matter the outcome was to heat the grease in the tie rod and it exploded. Fortunately the "mechanic" was looking at the lower part of the tie rod and his head was not in the way. The cap on the top of the tie rod took off hitting a 14 foot ceiling and then bounced around a bit. It left a good dent in the wooden ceiling.

BE VERY CAREFUL WITH HEAT.

As far as a press they are cheap - but one of the easiest way to really mess things up.

dr bob

Generally, whenever I start to think that the oxy-acetylene torch is the only remaining solution, it's time to step back and re-analyze the situation. This sometimes involves a sleep cycle.

You can easily drill a small hole in the bottom of the tube and let out the gas and any remaining oil charge. The shock tube really does cut with a large pipe cutter. OK to use a hacksaw if that's what you have. Cut above and below the collar. Then it really is just seconds to collapse the tube inside the collar.

FREAKINHEAT

I cut the shock with a hacksaw, really doesn't take that long to cut through.. I drained the oil, and started to hammer down the remaining tube that is stuck to the collar. Still stuck. Its like the shock is welded to the collar. I also tried heating up the collar but that didn't help either.

If this is how the other three are, I may be looking to purchase used ones, to install on the new Boges. Anyone have a set laying around?

Whitesands

When I did mine. After cutting through the shock above and below the collar I assembled the hacksaw through the tube and then carefully sawed through the shock casing and collapsed the casing inside the collar.

A bit of work yes, but will save some dollars.

FREAKINHEAT

Thank you everyone for the suggestions. I quickly realized why the sleeve was not budging. I cut above and below the threaded sleeve and then placed the hacksaw blade inside the shock and started to cut through. I then placed the shock on a vice and started to press the shock tubing inwards. It started to release at the pressure point, but then I quickly discovered that the metal shock tube had corroded/welded itself to the threaded collar, as it tore away. So....... time for some used/new threaded collars.