Question about dampers

[beejay]

Been replacing the front dampers/shock inserts on the E30. I've got the shock screwed into the strut and am about to compress the spring and reassemble the top end. Problem is that the spring is about 15inches long and in order to screw the top mount to the end of the shock I have to compress it to about 6 inches long. I can extend the shock out, which would improve the situation, but it just springs back. Is this normal for gas dampers? (which I'm pretty sure is what I ended up buying)

[Mr2Mike]

Every gas damper I have seen pushed the damper rod all the way out due to the internal gas pressure (some of them with quite a bit of force).