Armstrong damper removal from rear strut

[dfysh]

Hello all,
I am trying to remove the old Armstrong damper internals from the rear strut tube. I have removed the top threaded insert, several layers of rubber/fibre/metal washers but the remaining internal parts and piston will not come out. I have removed what looks to be a set screw on the side of the strut but still - no go. Is there something else I need to do or is it just time to be brutal? I have been somewhat brutal with heat applied but don't want to continue unless I am sure that I am on the right track

Thanks in advance,

Don

[dfysh]

After much frustration I solved the probelem. It turns out that my assumption that the shocks in the rear struts were original Armstrong was wrong. After I had removed the threaded bushing all advice I received indicated that the shock absorber internals shoukld just slide apart. However, the piston would move only so far until it hit something solid. It turns out that there was a second threaded bushing in the strut tube that I did not recognize. Once I put a pipewrench on this bushing it unthreaded nicely and then the after-market Koni insert slipped right out. The key to recognizing the second bushing was a seam between the top of the tube strut and the bushing and the thickness of the bushing. The actual thickness of the strut tube is not that great, while the thickness of the Koni retaining bushing is about 1/4 inch.