Front shock removal, any tips????
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Front shock removal, any tips????
According to UPS my Bilstein front shocks will be here tomorrow, I have removed and replaced the rear shocks, they are a piece of cake. Is there anything special to do to the front? I don't have to drop the control arm or anything do I? Just unbolt and use plastic tie straps like the back? Thanks! :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (racer44)
Glad to see you are about to get them. I got your money yesterday - thanks.
I did take the part of the controll arm closest to the firewall loose and they just slipped out without even compressing them. I do not know why no one has ever suggested this. Perhaps because of alignment issues, but it is the front side of the arm that has shims - the rear side is just bolted flat.
You can do the strap / compress thing as well, but that is what I did with success.
I did take the part of the controll arm closest to the firewall loose and they just slipped out without even compressing them. I do not know why no one has ever suggested this. Perhaps because of alignment issues, but it is the front side of the arm that has shims - the rear side is just bolted flat.
You can do the strap / compress thing as well, but that is what I did with success.
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (KingTut)
Thanks Jim, glad you got the money! Just to make sure I know what you are talking about as I don't have my car jacked up right now and cannot see under it. Are you talking upper or lower control arm? Did you just loosen bolts or did you remove? I have to get an alignment right after anyways so that isn't an issue with me! Thanks again. :cheers:
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 21
From: Roswell GA
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (racer44)
Upper Control Arm - the shock sits right in the middle of it - I did remove the bolts, 49lbs Torque I think I remember. Because the have bushings, that allows the front to move a little as well.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 824
Likes: 0
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (racer44)
If you fully jack up the lower control arm to compress the shock and then tie the shock down with wire or a strap to keep it compressed during the removal phase you should not have to pull the upper control arm loose. It makes the whole process infinitely easier.
One word of caution on re-installing the front shocks. Make sure you jack up the lower control arm and compress the shock at least 1 or 2 inches before tightening the nut on the top stud. The rubber isolater between the shock and the chassis compresses quite a bit. If you don't have the shock compressed sufficiently (or at all) the stud threads will carry the spring load on the lower control arm and either completely strip or gall so badly that the nut boogers up and seizes the next time you try to remove it ---> big headache.
I'd also recommend dumping the factory interference lock nut at the top and using a nylock nut instead. Use an M10 x 1.5 metric nylock nut, should be able to find them and any local fastener house. At the very least throw some anti-sieze on the stud threads before using the OE nut. Re-using the OE nut is a risky proposition too.
Mark
One word of caution on re-installing the front shocks. Make sure you jack up the lower control arm and compress the shock at least 1 or 2 inches before tightening the nut on the top stud. The rubber isolater between the shock and the chassis compresses quite a bit. If you don't have the shock compressed sufficiently (or at all) the stud threads will carry the spring load on the lower control arm and either completely strip or gall so badly that the nut boogers up and seizes the next time you try to remove it ---> big headache.
I'd also recommend dumping the factory interference lock nut at the top and using a nylock nut instead. Use an M10 x 1.5 metric nylock nut, should be able to find them and any local fastener house. At the very least throw some anti-sieze on the stud threads before using the OE nut. Re-using the OE nut is a risky proposition too.
Mark
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 2,858
Likes: 0
From: Northern Calif/ San Juan Island, Wa
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (TeamZ06)
[QUOTE]If you fully jack up the lower control arm to compress the shock and then tie the shock down with wire or a strap to keep it compressed during the removal phase you should not have to pull the upper control arm loose. It makes the whole process infinitely easier.
Wire ties worked out great for me.
[Modified by jetskifast, 9:17 PM 4/24/2002]
Wire ties worked out great for me.
[Modified by jetskifast, 9:17 PM 4/24/2002]
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,132
Likes: 1
From: Morganton, NC, USA
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (LG Motorsports)
Geting to the nut at the top end of the shock rod is a lot easier if you loosten up the fluid resevoirs on top of each wheel arch. It's only a couple 10 mm nuts and the resevoirs can be moved to the side without disconnecting the hoses. For very little effort, it makes working on the shock rod nuts very easy as you have to hold the rod to loosen and tighten the nut. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 25,013
Likes: 79
From: Manitoba/San Jose del Cabo
Cruise-In III Veteran
St. Jude Donor '11
Re: Front shock removal, any tips???? (2kbluestreak)
Good tips guys, thanks. The removal and installation of the Bilsteins went smooth, very happy with them. :cheers:
