DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

well today i replaced my rear shocks, and couldnt find a how-to so i made one.

tools needed

breaker bar
ratchet
penetrating fluid
18mm socket
19mm socket
21mm? socket (i used a 13/16 socket since i didnt have a 21mm)
torque wrench
ratchet extension

EASE OF INSTALL:
easy. took about 15 mins per side

STEP 1
jack up the car and take the wheel off. if you dont know how to do this, then just kill yourself.

STEP 2
get the penetrating fluid and spray it on both the top and bottom bolts

wheel off and penetrating fluid in there


STEP 3
get your breaker bar and the 18mm socket. Loosen off the bolt, then take your ratchet and take the bolt out.



The axle will drop once you take the top bolt out, dont worry about it yet
STEP 4
Get your breaker bar again and the 21mm socket and loosen the bottom bolt. get your ratchet and take it out. the shock will fall out now.



STEP 5
take your new shock (mine is a fe5 shock) and put the top bolt in. dont tighten it yet, as you still have to move the shock to get the bottom bolt in.

STEP 6
get your jack and jack up the axle. put the bottom bolt in and jack until it lines up. tighten the bottom and top bolts. torque spec for the top bolt is 66 ft/lbs and the bottom bolt is 81 ft/lbs.




STEP 7
take the jack out, and put the wheel back on. torque the wheels and your done.

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

i hope someone finds this useful

BlackARCA06

iTrader: (5)

Even though doing the rear shocks is stupid easy, Im sure someone will find it helpful. Nice write up

jzehren11

iTrader: (6)

great write up!

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

those bolts are ******* long lol

BlackARCA06

iTrader: (5)

Yea, I used a impact.

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

i dont have one, so breaker bar and ratchet had to do

xdjstylz330x

quick question on this tread....since im doin this friday, and this did help visually...would changing out the spring to the lowering springs be easier. Never done this before hence the noob question (one shot deal)???

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

you take out the bottom bolt to do springs. the axle will drop, relieving the pressure on the springs

K-Train04RL

iTrader: (1)

the rear springs come out very easy when doing the rear shock replacement. just grab em out, swap the rubber pieces to the new spring put back in.

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

but you have to drop the axle, which involves taking a bolt out of the shock

lol he deleted his post

drumrush

iTrader: (8)

i did because i read it wrong lol. i though he was asking if swapping shocks and swapping springs did the same thing lol

K-Train04RL

iTrader: (1)

i thought it was implied to do the swap while doing the shocks.... atleast thats how i meant it lol

drumrush

iTrader: (8)

and yeah its easier to do both at the same time because you need to take out a bolt either way

when swapping springs only you just remove the bottom bolt

xdjstylz330x

ya, misunderstood at first. When axel drops while changing the shocks, i can swap the springs out too...(duh)..i just ordered B&G springs. So now imma wait till they get in to do everything. i gotta change front and back everything..Struts/shocks/sprinigs..BRAKES..lol...im at 88k miles and still running stock drums..never changed em yet. Parking brake works, still locks up when ebrake is pulled. And now i come to see that my brake fluid is black. FML

MoePwR

omg thank you so much. you saved me such a hastle cause i had to buy tools and i wouldve had no clue what socket sizes they were!! just did this today only did one and litterally took 15 min and that was slow. definitely no more than a 10 minute job and lifting the rear axle wasnt needed just so you know. it dropped out and the new one fit right in place. mightve just been luck though! thanks again

DiabeticKripple

iTrader: (2)

glad to help

buildmeanempire

iTrader: (5)

Just wondering but on the bottom bolt, is there supposed to be a gap between the shock bushing and the head of the bolt? Mine is making a noise over bumps now. I checked it out to make sure everything was good and found about a quarter inch gap between the bushing and bolt head. Is the right or should I get some washers? I also tried to see if the bolts were loose and they are not.

I replaced the fronts and rears about 4 months ago with KYB-GR2's

GreenySC2

when i swapped mine out yesterday i didnt notice a gap, i can check later something might be bent its sounding like

buildmeanempire

iTrader: (5)

I got that figured out. I forgot that there is metal in the center of the bushing so the bolt head doesn't even touch the bushing.