Compressing Gas Shocks

[JerryFlyGuy]

Well.. I never thought this would become an issue but.. I've got three 130# gas shock's which I'm trying to install on my mill. I'm having a dickens of a time of it and thought I'd post the question.

How have others gone about compressing these things and still been able to get them into place so that they can be bolted up? I've tried the C clamp but they drop off the edge of the clamp due to its 'swiveling' head.. when I did get it compressed the clamp is to large to allow the shock to get close enough to the mounts to bolt it up..

I never even though about this issue.. seem'd like it would just "work"..

Curious..

Jerry

[DareBee]

I usually install gas springs with the 2 mounting points positioned to match the "resting" length of the gas spring.
For the high poundage ones anyway.

I am sure you have already thought of that though.

[Geof]

Get some plywood and laminate it together then cut a long notch that matches the conpressed length and wedge the shock in there. If you need a pretty picture I can oblige.

[JerryFlyGuy]

DareBee, I've thought about doing that.. it would mean taking off my drives and motors to get the unit to pivot to a rest position... then I'd have to use a bar to wedge it to a compressed position so that I could re-install my drives.. it could be done.. and is what i'll do if I have too.. I had another brain wave at about 4 in the morning.. I'll give it a try before I start undoing bolts

Geof.... I'd love to see a picture.. I'm missing something there on your "how to"...

Jerry

[brunog]

Jerry,
Try 1 " wide ratchet type pull down straps, they've done the trick for me in many "not to obvious" situations.

Best regards

Bruno

[Geof]

Picture

[JerryFlyGuy]

Brunog, I wondered about that.. but then I have to put a bolt thru the end after compressing it.. that might create some new challenges.

Geof.. pretty simple idea ya got there... how many Lb's force is that shock? I think I could get it compressed and then "drop" it into a block like that... it might work.. however.. mine are 130lb's.. which might split a pc of wood like that and not think twice about it.. [only one way to find out ]

I got thinking about it some more last night and wondered if I couldn't get it compressed when it was 1/2 installed. I would bolt in one end and then use a bar w/ a "reciever" of sorts placed about 3" frm the end.. the reciever would cradle the end of the shock and then hook the bar onto the frame of my mill at one end and just use the extra leverage to compress the shock.. kinda hard to describe on here but.. I think it might work.. this will be the first thing I try tonight.. I'll let ya'll know how it works..

I'm going to have to start posting pic's of this thing sometime soon.. once these shock's are installed... it will move under its own power.. yeeehaaa

Best

Jerry

[Geof]

....Geof.. pretty simple idea ya got there... how many Lb's force is that shock? I think I could get it compressed and then "drop" it into a block like that... it might work.. however.. mine are 130lb's.. which might split a pc of wood like that and not think twice about it.. [only one way to find out ]....

I am a simple minded guy.

Read my first post...I said laminate together some bits of plywood. That was because you are dealing with 130lbs. My little demonstration is maybe 10 lbs which is why I could cut a piece of scrap wood.

Be very careful if you try bolting one end in then compressing it to get the other end in. If you slip and get the end of the gas shock squeezing a bit of you against something solid it can do damage. You have about .3 square inches in contact so at 130 lbs the pressure is quite significant. Human tissue tends to flow a bit at those pressures. And DON'T ask me how I know.

[JerryFlyGuy]

Don't worry Geof.. I'd already come to that conclusion last night while trying to compress them w/ a C clamp.. I don't plan to get ANY "Bits" in the way of them..

Jerry

[JerryFlyGuy]

Well.. my idea won't work.. I've come to the conclusion that I'll have to make a tool that will compress these things.. hrmm.. this should be fun.. esp making it fit the confines of the mill and the hidden recess where the shock sits.. at one point.. for that one.. I may just pull the drive, install the shock and then bar the drive back into place and re-install it.. probably easier than making a tool to work in that location.. the two on the x axis should be easy.. just a large [really large] I.D. snap ring plyers type tool.. well.. sorta

Jerry

[HuFlungDung]

I'm not sure how rounded the eyes are on your shock, but you could maybe run a piece of 1/2" wide pallet banding around the cylinder, with it in the closed position. Cinch the banding, place the shock in position, insert the bolts and then cut the banding. Watch out for recoil.

[RICHARD ZASTROW]

Just a goofy idea which won't apply to this particular situation.
Would this work?: A remote reservoir plumbed to an actuating cylinder. The cylinder could be installed without pressure and pressurized after installation. Kinda like the remote cylinder gas shocks used in cars, motorcycles and snowmobiles. (Oehlins etc.) I think Yamaha owns them.