TR2/3/3A TR3A: Refilling rear shocks?

[karls59tr]

I want to drain the oil from the Armstrong lever shocks on the 3 and refill with medium weight motorcycle fork oil.....do I need to remove them from the frame to accomplish this?

 

[tdskip]

To drain them, I don't know of a way to do that except to remove them. I'd get another opinion before ripping them out of the car however...

 

[TR3driver]

I vaguely recall that I was able to drain them in place, by loosening the plug for the operating valve. But I also seem to recall deciding that next time I would remove them from the frame. You have to disconnect the arm anyway, to work the pistons (both to expel the old oil and to work the new oil into the cylinders). After that, it's only two bolts to remove them, so you can properly clean them (and not take a chance on introducing dirt).

 

[martx-5]

You can remove the big nut at the bottom and extract the valve and the fluid will come out from there, but you will still have to remove the link to pump the shock dry. I haven't looked to see whether or not you can even take out the valve at the bottom in situ because it is the length of the shock. By the time you do all of this, you might as well just remove the whole assembly and work on the bench.

 

[karls59tr]

Thanks for the info