How to replace shocks
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 1,057
Likes: 253
From: US-ARMY 1974-1996 Retired ; Oklahoma, City ; Atlanta, Ga: Hephzibah, Ga
How to replace shocks
Looking for some direction on how to install a set of OEM shocks on my 2005 Vette, FE1 suspension (non-Z51). I ordered them from Gene. Is there a special tool needed except from your basic tools. I have no car rack so I will be using jacks. I did a search but found no installation information.
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 3,755
Likes: 190
From: Baton Rouge LA
St. Jude Donor '14, '16
Looking for some direction on how to install a set of OEM shocks on my 2005 Vette, FE1 suspension (non-Z51). I ordered them from Gene. Is there a special tool needed except from your basic tools. I have no car rack so I will be using jacks. I did a search but found no installation information.
On our cars shock changes are pretty easy. All you have to do is get the car in the air, remove the wheels and then place your jack under the ball joint on the corner you want to work with and then unbolt the shock (bottom first). Use the jack to get the shock in a neutral position so that the bolt just slides right out then remove the top bolts.
What I did next was just grab the bottom half of the shock and push up with the help of my legs and the shock compressed enough for it to clear all of suspension without taking anything else apart.
There are a few good DIY's here on the forum with some pictures as well but I had never done shocks before and I was done in about an hour and a half.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 1999
Posts: 6,522
Likes: 1,310
From: Windermere FL
I did mine a few weeks ago. The rears are no problem at all. The fronts are bit harder.
Remove the tire on the front and the use a scissors jack or hydraulic jack on the bottom of the A-Arm to jack up the spindle until it begins to live your main jack off your pucks. This will compress the front sock.
Then use some safety wire, which is some single strand wire that you can get at most auto parts stores or Home Repo and wrap it around the top and bottom of the shock and tighten it up by twisting the wire together with a pliers until the wire is taught. Remove the shock bolts. Now lower the spindle jack. The shock should stay compressed and you should have plenty of room to remove it.
When you put the new ones in, compress them and wrap them with wires if they are not already strapped in the compressed position. They should go in really easy compressed. Jack up your spindle again and get the bolts on. Then you can cut the straps or safety wire.
Remove the tire on the front and the use a scissors jack or hydraulic jack on the bottom of the A-Arm to jack up the spindle until it begins to live your main jack off your pucks. This will compress the front sock.
Then use some safety wire, which is some single strand wire that you can get at most auto parts stores or Home Repo and wrap it around the top and bottom of the shock and tighten it up by twisting the wire together with a pliers until the wire is taught. Remove the shock bolts. Now lower the spindle jack. The shock should stay compressed and you should have plenty of room to remove it.
When you put the new ones in, compress them and wrap them with wires if they are not already strapped in the compressed position. They should go in really easy compressed. Jack up your spindle again and get the bolts on. Then you can cut the straps or safety wire.
