RockyMtRebel previously posted:
"Dented the stabilizer tube just a little so I ordered a new one just to be safe as it was pretty cheap and looks very easy to replace. Here’s a picture of it, do you think it’s fine or should be replaced asap?"
Another one who thinks its fine....its hard to tell from the pic, but guessing its a twin tube design and the outer shock body only has some fluid behind it, The piston rides up and down inside the inner tube - so it would have to be a pretty big indentation to dent the outer tube into the inner tube and deform the inner tube. In theory, the dent will affect how fluid flows around the dent in the outer reservoir from the inner reservoir, but that affect is really, really minor - and even moreso on a steering stabilizer shock as compared to a suspension shock. I just replaced the twin tube shocks on my cj - due to clearance issues, I get dents bigger than that in the shock body the first day it goes wheeling, and I've never had a significant problem. I also usually run without the rubber boot - its not a huge issues, although grit and grime that sticks to the exposed piston will cause the seal to fail sooner as it slides in and out. As long as there is no fluid seeping out of the seal, it should be good to go for awhile.