Bergerboy

Hi Again,
Replaced my old worn and tired rear shocks yesterday with new Bilsteins. They look great, and the ride is much improved.
Questions on the lower mounts are bugging me overnight.
The new mounting kit (upper and lower) from Corvette Central came with a cup washer for the lower, which seems to fit perfectly over the rubber bushing.
However, the Service and Assembly Manuals both state something to the effect of "Assemble with flared end curving away from #6 (the bushing)".
This doesn't seem to make sense, but I do want to get the joint correct.
See the photos, and the image from the AIM.
The shocks didn't have instructions for install, nor did the mounting bolt kit.


Also - the lower strut rod shaft, that serves as the lower shock mount stud - at what orientation should this be? It wasn't pointing directly inboard and parallel to the ground when I removed the old shock on one side (it was pointed down a few degrees). This made the new shock install tougher on this side, trying to line up the upper mount with the lower already fed over the angled strut rod shaft.
I was able to loosen the castle nut slightly and realign the stud and shock to get the upper into the doghouse, but not sure about how it should be, and then how far to tighten the castle nut to get good cotter pin engagement. Seem to be almost threaded about 1 turn too much, as the cotter pin is not fully engaged in the castle (only partially), although I do get good torque on it.


Thanks again for the expertise!

Bergerboy

Sorry - here's the photo. Loading is giving me some trouble today.
This shows the cupped washer "cupping" the lower shock rubber bushing. Reversing this per the AIM would seem counter-intuitive.

Alan 71

Hi Bb,
This info is for the original style/configuration shock absorber.
The cupped washer is installed as the AIM indicates…. the 'cup' facing away from the rubber bushing.
The thought is that the shape of the washer loads the rubber bushing as the nut is torqued to the proper specification.
Regards,
Alan

Bergerboy

Thanks Alan - as usual!
I spoke with a Tech at Corvette Central where I bought the part, and all he could offer was to follow what I found in the AIM and Service Manual, to mount the cup facing inboard, away from the bushing (like you show in your photo).
I guess I'll go back and reverse both sides to follow spec, but would like to hear from some experts as to what effect that would have.
Also noticed in your photo, Alan, that your strut rod shaft for the lower shock mount is not directly in line with that lower shock ear. Wondering if that might be a problem, which I was seeing on my left side as well until I loosened the castle nut and re-aligned the shaft to be more aligned with the shock bushing hole. I see the same bulging of the bushing on yours that mine showed as well, until I straightened her out.
Any ideas there?

CanadaGrant

I would be willing to bet there are a lot of people with that cupped washer facing in over the bushing. I know I'm one of them....

MelWff

as the shock moves through it's line of motion, does it pivot back and forth on the lower bushing, and if the curve of the washer is inward would the washer hit the bottom knuckle of the shock preventing movement? Just a theory.