Installing Shocks..Advice??
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Lewis Center OH
Installing Shocks..Advice??
I have an 89 Vert and just bought new Bilsteins for it. Purchased through Van Steel. Great price. Paid 289.00 for all four after forum discount and that included shipping. So I am going to be installing them soon and was looking for any advice, hints or "look out for" issues that anyone may have encountered. Thanks guys.
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From: Peoria Arizona.. Resident Gold Cylon
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Bergen County, NJ
Take your time, its a fairly straightforward job.
Also, I put some polishing wax on them before installing, to help them repell dirt & keep them clean.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
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From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
I just removed and installed the front shocks on my 89 last week. A floor jack will be helpful on the front shocks too! This is because the shock limits the downward movement of the wheel suspension. I would recommend you place the front of the car on stationary jacks and use the floor jack to remove the tension on the shock. Loosen the upper shock bolt and then lower the wheel assy using the floor jack. Then do the rear shock replacement.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Littleton CO
My fasteners didn't require any extra effort to remove. Hopefully you will be as lucky.
Unless one is installing them without lifting the car (I've heard of people doing this for the front, at least), it would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible to get both ends of a shock installed without using a jack to flex the spring and lift the control arm.
The FSM states to maintain the suspension at the proper trim height while tightening the fasteners. My car was already on stands for other work when I did the shocks, so I used the jack to flex the spring until the car just barely lifted off the stand at the corner I was working on. I figure that this got me close enough to the normal ride height to torque the fasteners without worry.
I just removed and installed the front shocks on my 89 last week. A floor jack will be helpful on the front shocks too! This is because the shock limits the downward movement of the wheel suspension. I would recommend you place the front of the car on stationary jacks and use the floor jack to remove the tension on the shock. Loosen the upper shock bolt and then lower the wheel assy using the floor jack. Then do the rear shock replacement.
Unless one is installing them without lifting the car (I've heard of people doing this for the front, at least), it would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible to get both ends of a shock installed without using a jack to flex the spring and lift the control arm. The FSM states to maintain the suspension at the proper trim height while tightening the fasteners. My car was already on stands for other work when I did the shocks, so I used the jack to flex the spring until the car just barely lifted off the stand at the corner I was working on. I figure that this got me close enough to the normal ride height to torque the fasteners without worry.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Lewis Center OH
My fasteners didn't require any extra effort to remove. Hopefully you will be as lucky.
Unless one is installing them without lifting the car (I've heard of people doing this for the front, at least), it would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible to get both ends of a shock installed without using a jack to flex the spring and lift the control arm.
The FSM states to maintain the suspension at the proper trim height while tightening the fasteners. My car was already on stands for other work when I did the shocks, so I used the jack to flex the spring until the car just barely lifted off the stand at the corner I was working on. I figure that this got me close enough to the normal ride height to torque the fasteners without worry.
Unless one is installing them without lifting the car (I've heard of people doing this for the front, at least), it would be exceedingly difficult if not impossible to get both ends of a shock installed without using a jack to flex the spring and lift the control arm. The FSM states to maintain the suspension at the proper trim height while tightening the fasteners. My car was already on stands for other work when I did the shocks, so I used the jack to flex the spring until the car just barely lifted off the stand at the corner I was working on. I figure that this got me close enough to the normal ride height to torque the fasteners without worry.
So where is the best place to put the jack stands?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2003
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From: Littleton CO
Not sure about "best", but I use the frame just in front of the rear wheels and just behind the front wheels. Take a peek under there as you jack it up, and the spots should be fairly self-evident.
I use the labelled jack locations on the rocker panel for lifting with the floor jack, but I don't trust them for longer term use with the stands.
I use the labelled jack locations on the rocker panel for lifting with the floor jack, but I don't trust them for longer term use with the stands.
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From: Overland Park Kansas
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I just removed and installed the front shocks on my 89 last week. A floor jack will be helpful on the front shocks too! This is because the shock limits the downward movement of the wheel suspension. I would recommend you place the front of the car on stationary jacks and use the floor jack to remove the tension on the shock. Loosen the upper shock bolt and then lower the wheel assy using the floor jack. Then do the rear shock replacement.
That is the biggest diff between a "normal" car and the vette. The shock does prevent the wheel from completely drooping while up in the air. Sam's suggestion is what I did.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2001
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From: Orlando FL
St. Jude Donor '08-'09
Piece of cake. I did all mine in under 2 hours with manual tools.
A floor jack REALLY helps to compress the spring up enough to get the the bolt/stud on the top of the shock to go through the hole so you can tighten the nut over it.
I didn't have a breaker bar handy, but it would have been useful. if you have air tools, those would be a big help in loosening and tightening the top of the shocks, those take forever to screw on and off.
A floor jack REALLY helps to compress the spring up enough to get the the bolt/stud on the top of the shock to go through the hole so you can tighten the nut over it.
I didn't have a breaker bar handy, but it would have been useful. if you have air tools, those would be a big help in loosening and tightening the top of the shocks, those take forever to screw on and off.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 169
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From: Lewis Center OH
Piece of cake. I did all mine in under 2 hours with manual tools.
A floor jack REALLY helps to compress the spring up enough to get the the bolt/stud on the top of the shock to go through the hole so you can tighten the nut over it.
I didn't have a breaker bar handy, but it would have been useful. if you have air tools, those would be a big help in loosening and tightening the top of the shocks, those take forever to screw on and off.
A floor jack REALLY helps to compress the spring up enough to get the the bolt/stud on the top of the shock to go through the hole so you can tighten the nut over it.
I didn't have a breaker bar handy, but it would have been useful. if you have air tools, those would be a big help in loosening and tightening the top of the shocks, those take forever to screw on and off.
So do you think I could use two floor jacks? One to jack up the car enough to get the wheel off and another to release the tension under the spring?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,118
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From: St. Charles, MO Route 66 Corvette Club
YES! Put the first floor jack under the center of the front crossmember and raise the car just enough to get ONE wheel off. Then use the second floor jace on the side with the wheel removed. The car will try and rock on the center jack until the other wheel touches the floor. You do have to raise the suspension about two to three inches in order to release the tension on the shock and remove the hex nut on the top rod. The nuts on the top of my shocks were very easy to remove.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
Two floor jacks would be nice, or use any other type of jack along with the floor jack. If you can't get the nut off, you can use a nut spliter tool. It fits over the nut and when you turn the screw, it advances a hardened chisel point into the nut and splits the nut. Or use a grinder with a cut off wheel to cut off the nut.
If you use the PB Blaster in advance you should be okay.
If you use the PB Blaster in advance you should be okay.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 5,107
Likes: 171
From: Dublin CA
Two floor jacks would be nice, or use any other type of jack along with the floor jack.
You can use vice grips to hold the top threaded rod on the shock with a box end wrench on the nut below to loosen the nut. If you can't get the nut off, you can use a nut spliter tool. It fits over the nut and when you turn the screw, it advances a hardened chisel point into the nut and splits the nut. Or use a grinder with a cut off wheel to cut off the nut.
If you use the PB Blaster in advance you should be okay.
You can use vice grips to hold the top threaded rod on the shock with a box end wrench on the nut below to loosen the nut. If you can't get the nut off, you can use a nut spliter tool. It fits over the nut and when you turn the screw, it advances a hardened chisel point into the nut and splits the nut. Or use a grinder with a cut off wheel to cut off the nut.
If you use the PB Blaster in advance you should be okay.