88 Plymouth Horizon with probable original shocks. Both removed, springs compressed, nut and spacer and upper spring perch removed. Now, how to get a double ring off of the shaft so I can slip off the Chrysler rubber bump stop and plastic stone guard. I have to get the Chrysler rubber bump stop and plastic stone guard off of the shaft so I can slide the shock out of the spring. Does this stuff come off or do you have to destroy it to separate the spring from the shock?

About 3 inches from the top end of the rod is what appears to be a large and a small ring sitting in a groove in the rod. The rubber bump stop won't slide past these two rings. There is a groove molded in the bump stop that sits on these rings so it was the factory design. The large and small rings appear to be continuous and don't move on the rod. Do they come off somehow?