Shock Replacement

[kool-aide]

I'm going to do the front struts in a couple of weeks.

Where could i pick up replacement nuts for the rusted ones? Size? Grade? Etc?

thanks.

[TedsB4Csled]

The car was in FL? Can't be that bad, you wanna talk about rust got to New England! The salt will corrode, rust and deform everything. Nuts may be ok(sounds perverted). No need to compress back, just front coil over. Don't forget alignment after!

[kool-aide]

yeah we do 3 year alignment package on our cars.

well if Mrr23's customer had rusted nuts, then guaranteed mine are two.

I figure why not buy a couple before I get started. At least this way I'm ready for the unknown.

[TedsB4Csled]

Let us know how it goes!

[kool-aide]

okie dokie.

my projects are like most, 10 trips to the parts store in the middle of the night, :>.

[TedsB4Csled]

okie dokie.

my projects are like most, 10 trips to the parts store in the middle of the night, :>.

Tell me about it!

[mrr23]

just so I am clear.

like it was discussed, i think, early, you lift the car so the weight is not on the suspension while doing this. I mean it makes since.

correct.

It sounds like the only place you use the spring compressor is the front? I'm not swapping springs, just replacing shocks/struts.

correct.

Ok, so where is the best place to get a new nut? I have a 99 w/ 101k on it, that nut will be beyond rusted, fused. Something you can find at Auto store, Hardware store?

when you buy new shocks, you get the nuts as well.

does any one think this is really a 4.6 hour job, 3.2 front, 1.4 rear? Ok, don't count the time you spend on the rusted front nuts.


thanks

kool-aide

the rear should take less than 30 minutes. the front should take no more than 2 hours, unless the rusted nut becomes an issue.

[mrr23]

Yes, I'd like to get the torque specs too.

Do you need to compress front springs to get front shocks in?

yes. the front shock and spring are assembled together, just like a strut. here's a pic of them together

[TedsB4Csled]

ThanX

[kool-aide]

yeah i read the Haynes last night. Wow that is a lot of work. Mrr23 may say 2 hours cuz he's a pro. Me, 3.2 no way, i see 6 hours in my future and a lot of swearing.

Mrr23, thanks for the info on the nuts. Now all i need are the rental tools, woo whoo.

[mrr23]

or pick a day to bring it by my shop.

[chuckie669]

Hopefully someone can help me. This is starting to get aggravating. What do I need to do to remove the upper control arm from the spindle. I have everything else off but I cannot get it to separate. Should I have the Lower control arm under a jack so that it has some of the tension relieved or just hanging. I've tried everything short of the tool listed in the chiltons guide which is a $200+ dollar rental. Any help is appreciated.

[mrr23]

i use a 10lb hammer and strike the upper control arm upward until the upper ball joint seperates from the spindle. a $10.00 ball joint seperator tool and a 10lb hammer works as well.

do not need the lower control arm supported.

[chuckie669]

haha.... I came back on to reply. I went and hit it with a hammer and it came right off. Now all I got to do is figure out which springs go on the front and which are for the rear. I got four new BMR's and two are quite a bit larger than the others.

Thanks!!!!

[mrr23]

that's the easy part. the larger diameter go in the rear.

[chuckie669]

One more question while I got you mrr23. Should I worry about having any kind of gasket where the shock and spring meet? The old stuff has a rubber lining. On the new shock/spring it's going to be metal/metal and it has me concerned.
EDIT: NM... Once again the hammer shows me the way. Is there anything you can't do with the hammer

[TedsB4Csled]

Don't you love shiny new parts!

[mrr23]

on the old shock, you'll see that hard plastic insert sitting in the perch. take it out and put it in the new one.

[chuckie669]

I definitely do. Taped up the new springs so I won't scratch em up, and the piece of shit Oreilly spring compressor is already broken. The design of it caused it to torque under the pressure and I couldn't loosen it. Needless to say it's ruined three hours after purchasing it...

[TedsB4Csled]

I definitely do. Taped up the new springs so I won't scratch em up, and the piece of shit Oreilly spring compressor is already broken. The design of it caused it to torque under the pressure and I couldn't loosen it. Needless to say it's ruined three hours after purchasing it...

Screw Oriellys! Sorry man.