How Many of you Degass Your Shock Oil?

[MonsterAir]

I've watched plenty of vidz on youtube about reassembling shocks and the "right way" to get the air out. Some just pump the piston up and down then let air bubbles settle and some I seen use a hand pump contraption that looks pretty neat so I decided to make my own with some things I have laying around. Cast iron pot, some thick plexy for a lid and a cheap visit to Home Depot for the fittings. Hooked up a vacuum pump I borrowed from an HVAC buddy and now I have a serious degasser. Able to pull a full vac with this setup...... Im about an hour in and they are still bubbling up! Those guys in the vidz I seen that think just pushing the piston up and down is releasing all of the air are very wrong. There seems to be air in the oil before even putting it into the shocks. Even the hand pump degasser I seen probably wouldn't get all of the air outta the oil being I don't see it getting down to a full vac. So I'm wondering how much of the air are we ideally trying to pull out of the oil?

 

[WoodiE]

I just pump the shock piston up and down to get the bubbles out.

Got any pictures of your contraption you made?

 

[the_deadman_corp]

I just pump and let sit for. Few mins. Works just fine.

 

[MonsterAir]

Didn't take any pics plus can't seem to figure out how to post um here. Says file to big but I don't have any programs like paint to resize them, chromebook. I'll try and make a youtube vid when I get the chance. Took over an hr for the bubbling to stop. I tried just pushing the piston up and down then letting the bubbles settle up top but when repeating the process more bubbles would appear where as after pressure vacing them that wouldn't happen.

 

[atom3624]

I 2/3 fill, pump the piston (maintaining in the oil), leave a bit, then place into one of those Hobbythek partial vacuum pump things - they come up on offer perhaps 2 or 3 times / year.

Al.

 

[MonsterAir]

Hey guys, shock/air question for ya. A few weeks ago I degassed my shock oil and could have sworn I removed all air bubbles. Recently broke a shock cap and when I went to replace it there were tons of bubbles in the oil. These shocks could def use a rebuild, about 8 yrs old. Is it possible for air to be getting in there when the shock compresses if the o-rings/seals are worn?