How I change my rear shocks.

Post suspension issues and questions here

Moderators: kamzcab86, CalAltaDubber

Post Reply
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Briano1234 »

Well I am in the middle of replacing the wheel bearings on the front, and as I had to wait, I decided to do a how to.

I picked these up today, rears, they were free LLW's are great aren't they.
Image

Open the top of the car, the trunk, pop the seat latch and fold the rear seat back.
Image
Image

Loosen the Lug bolts:
Image

Remove the Zeppo tops off the shocks.

Image

I jack the car about 18 inches, and support it on the pinch welds infront of the tire.
Do not use the axle or strut :)

Image

Take the tire off.
Image

Loosen the 17mm bolt and nut that hold the shock in the mount, If they don't loosen, you will need to use pb-blaster and some muscle possibly heat.

Image

Once the nut is loose, then take it to the bitter end of the bolt but leave it attached.
Now smack it with a hammer, if it dosen't slide out, you are going to have to use a hacksaw, or sawzall
or a torch to get the bolt out of the shock.

Image

You can try to cut the head and nutted side of the bolt flush with the mount and use a cresent wrench
to bend the mount free of the bolt.
Image

Image

With the bolt out, you need to jack the shock up to unload the tension on the top mount.

I use a 17mm wrench to loosen the top mount and a 17mm socket to free it.

Remove the cup, then the rubber mount. Then you will see the Shock piston retaining nut.

Image

Back under the car.

Remove the jack and allow the shock to "bottom" out, as the top will be out of the hole and you can get to the nut easier.

Place a 17mm ratcheting wrench on the nut in the "lefty loosey" mode and a pair of vice grips on the flat of the very top.

Image

Image

Loosen the nut, when it gets ready to pop off it will but the spring isn't under as much compression and
will all come apart. DO NOT DO THIS ON THE FRONT IT WILL KILL YOU.

Take off the rubber mount, spring perch, and the spacer.

Work the spring off the shaft.

Image

Spray the top of the boot stop with wd-40, and let it see for a minute, then twist the boot stop on the shaft.

Using a large pry bar, pry it off the shaft.
Image

On original struts they used a little clip to hold it, the replacements have this evil stop that the boot can ride over.

Image

Force the strut back up the mount and in to the free hole and you can now work it out and toss it.
Image

When going back I place the shock in the mount and let it drop, I then place the lower spring perch on, the strut cap, boot stop, then I put the spring back on, seat the perch add the top perch, then rubber mount, now I force this back up the strut hole, and hold it in place with a jack

From the top of the car I start the nut and tighten it about 20 turns, then drop the assembly back down, to tighten the top nut fully using the same technique of speed wrench and vice grips till I can't tune it any more at all.
Image

Image

After I verify that the perches and springs are correct I re-position it in the hole and jack it up so that I can place the bottom bolt in the mount and tighten it.

Remember that I said to "mummify" the bolt so that it would never be an issue again. Well here is the bolt after 5 years on the car.
Image

Here is the bolt wrapped with Teflon tape ready to be Never-Seized.
Image

Looks brand new,,,, :)

Wrap the bolt from the heads to the threads with teflon tape, and cover it with never-seize.

Place the bolt in the mount, and tighten the nut.

Jack the whole frame assembly up to take the strain off the top.

From the top, replace the rubber mount, then the cup (cup up), and now the nut. Tighten the nut fully
Till you can't get it any tighter.

Image


Replace the Rubber cap
Replace the tire.
Tighten the lugs
Jack the car.
Remove the jack stand.
Lower and repeat for the other side.
Last edited by Briano1234 on Thu Jan 21, 2016 8:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
User avatar
kamzcab86
Queen and Popette of Cabbydom
Posts: 1277
Joined: Wed Sep 11, 2002 3:54 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1986
Location: Arizona
Contact:

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by kamzcab86 »

Nice write-up. I'll add it to C-I during next update. :thumbup:


Oh, and nice lunchbox. :wink:
User avatar
Calimus
Grand High PooBah
Posts: 2892
Joined: Mon Sep 02, 2002 11:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1989
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes
Location: Cartersville, Ga

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Calimus »

I had no idea you had "Nerd Love" Brian. I feel special now. :mrgreen:
16' Challenger ScatPack
05' Yamaha FJR1300
02' Honda VTX 1800C
Ken
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1988
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Ken »

This will come in handy
Last edited by Ken on Wed Jan 20, 2016 11:50 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Ken
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1988
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Ken »

thank you for everthing. your guide and pics are very helpful.thank you
Ken
Posts: 14
Joined: Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:40 pm
What year is your cabby?: 1988
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Ken »

:beer: thank you for everthing. your guide and pics are very helpful.thank you
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Briano1234 »

Your welcome. Added the mummification of rear shock bolt picture.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
marius12
Posts: 16
Joined: Mon Jan 16, 2017 2:51 am
What year is your cabby?: 1987
Do you own a Cabriolet?: Yes

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by marius12 »

Nice write up. I'm planning to replace my rear shocks next month so this will be helpful.
User avatar
Briano1234
Whats that smell?
Posts: 4105
Joined: Mon Mar 21, 2005 5:45 am
What year is your cabby?: 1992
Do you own a Cabriolet?: No
Location: Duluth, Ga
Contact:

Re: How I change my rear shocks.

Post by Briano1234 »

The lower rear bolt is the headache, Sawzall and short blades work.
Mummify it and it will never bugger you again.
Briano

Yes as matter of fact, I have the Luck o'the Irish...everything I touch turns to fertilizer of the bovine variety.
You can lead a user to a link, but you can't make him Click.... :screwy:
Post Reply