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When changing shocks on my 86 non Z51 do I need to support the half shaft or anything else when the car is jacked up? I plan on jacking the vette and pulling out the bolts, but want to make sure I don't have to support anything.
I always raise the control arm slightly to take any pressure off the shock. That helps to take any weight off the shock so it can be removed from the mount easily. The range of shock travel is usually less than the distance the control arm can move.
The front shocks can be replaced without jacking up the car off the ground. Raising the body a few inches is enough.
On my '89, the shock is mounted on a plate that uses two bolts. I supported the back end on a jack stand and used the jack under the "knuckle". Loosened the nut at the bottom of the shock. Unscrewed the two bolts fore and aft of the top of the shock, lowered the jack 'till the shock/plate cleared the frame, then removed the nut at the bottom of the shock.
One of those things that once you do the first time, it becomes REAL easy!