Abstract: During manufacture of the draft gear and before it is inserted into the railway car, the piston is positioned in the cylinder in a preshortened position. Part of the fill of flowable, normally solid material is inserted into the cylinder about the piston rod to hold the piston in the preshortened position and the remainder of the fill is inserted between the piston and the closed end of the cylinder. The part of the fill inserted about the piston rod may be in the form of a collar or in the form of particulate material introduced through a port radially opposite the piston rod. This holds the piston in the preshortened position so that the draft gear can easily be inserted into the railway car. After the railway car is put into service the part of the fill about the piston rod breaks down and the piston returns to its normal operating position.