Gas assist shocks

[Deathray2000]

Hi there

 

just wondering how you replace the gas shocks on my 2013 VLX G3 tower. Do you do it in the upright position and remove the two Allan head bolts and then the two screws at the top? Then drop the tower to remove them?

[wdr]

Lower onto a stand to unload what pressure is left in the struts. Remove the big center Allen head pivot point screws, then the 2 side plate screws.

[wdr]

Disclaimer, this is how it worked on my 2010. Remove the lower pivot point retention screw. Then with an undersized punch (what I used), insert the punch into the screw hole of the "splined" lower pivot point pin and gently drive it out! You will probably have to swap the heim joints from the old to the new struts. Reverse for reassembly and adjust the heim joints on the struts to achieve the desired preload, after complete reassembly. 

Edited June 3, 2019 by wdr
clarification

[mikeo]

The G3 tower needs to be in the upright position to remove the shock/strut, if you undo the bolts when it is down the strut is under pressure (to pull the tower back up) and you'll strip the bolts.

1. tower up and locked in place
2. remove cover (2 allen screws)
3. remove large through-bolt
* repeat for opposite side
4. gently tower tower and support it on something
5. the struts will fall out with a turnbuckle on the top of the threaded section: count the number of turns to remove this, you will need to start with the same number of turns on the new strut
6. remove lower through-bolt and pull strut out of tower foot to replace

[wdr]

mikeo is correct. Sorry got that backward, the struts pull the tower up.

[Deathray2000]

Thanks to both of you. I got started last night and thought better of it being alone. I’ll take the racks off to lighten the load too. 

[wdr]

Don’t use thread lock on anything. You, will never be able to pull it apart again. I just barely got my old screws out of the tower when I changed mine. I went with the 275lb struts and was very happy with the results. I had 2 Rev-10s and the factory racks at the time.