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Rear shock replacement.. bolt question


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Hi All..

So I'll be replacing the struts/shocks on my GT wagon this weekend. I gave it a go last night, but got stuck on the rear shock bolts. I tried supporting the shock with a second bottle jack.. then putting a wrench on the bolt and jacking that up with my floor jack. All it did was make noises and lift up the assembly. Is there something I'm missing here? What about the other side of the bolt... do I need something supporting there?

Any other tips?

Thanks

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Pay the man.

 

IMO your better off to take it to a shop and pay them to install the shocks on a older car.

 

Think about it before you go to far and break something and can't drive the car.

 

 

I guess you sprayed the bolts with PB Blaster, do you hace torch ? to heat the nuts up ?

305,600miles 5/2012 ej257 short block, 8/2011 installed VF52 turbo, @20.8psi, 280whp, 300ftlbs. (SOLD).  CHECK your oil, these cars use it.

 

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Yes you need something on the other side.

 

Support the bottom with a jack. Wrench/ratchet whatever on one side and use a breaker bar on the other side. I blasted mine with PB blaster didn't need any heat but ymmv.

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When I did mine, I got stuck on my last rear shock. I only had wd-40 on hand (I was dumb but w/e) so that didn't help me any. I ended up putting a 3ft pipe on a 18" breaker bar before the bolt came lose. Then it made a horrible scraping/rusty sound. But it came lose and nothing was broken so it worked out in the end.
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When I did mine, I got stuck on my last rear shock. I only had wd-40 on hand (I was dumb but w/e) so that didn't help me any. I ended up putting a 3ft pipe on a 18" breaker bar before the bolt came lose. Then it made a horrible scraping/rusty sound. But it came lose and nothing was broken so it worked out in the end.

 

Ok.. so I got a huge ass breaker bar on order from Amazon. When you were going at it with the BB... did you have anything hooked onto the other end of the bolt? Thanks!

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Yes, the nut on the other end will just spin if you don't.

 

Thank you! That's the info I was afraid of. How does one hold a wrench in place on the opposite end while applying the huge amount of torque to get that bolt going at the same time?

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Put a flat tire wrench tool thing or a breaker bar on the head of the bolt, lower car just high enough that the handle rotates into the ground.

 

Put a closed end wrench on the nut, then push it with your feet. Don't kick it, or it'll fly off. Add gradual more and more pressure, and it should break eventually.

 

Then to get the bolt out of the there, you can either wedge it out, or if you use a ratchet, you can ratchet the head of the bolt until it unscrews out. I don't recommend trying to hammer/mallet it out, the force of the strut pulling up on the bolt will be too much.

 

When you are re-installing, you can use a hammer if you line it up right. You will need a jack to compress the strut/spring and line up the strut bolt hole with the control arm. Once it's lined up, spray it with WD40 and ideally the bolt should slide in. I usually ratchet it in cuz it's usually not perfectly aligned (the strut hole likes to turn and twist to not be straight at the mounting hole). Then once you start ratcheting the bolt in, you could use a mallet to push it all the way thruogh.

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^ I would add that pulsing the wrench is better than constant pressure. Metal is elastic and will bounce back if you let it, constant pressure can cause it to deform faster (if you're not on it perfectly)

 

i personally got mine (and others) to break free with the jack-up-on-a-wrench method, but i jacked it up FAST. If it doesn't rotate the bolt for you and just lifts the car... it could be seized :(

 

Good luck though! Work safely since there'll be lots of pressures involved.

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If your ordering stuff from amazon. Get some AeroKroil

 

[ame=http://www.amazon.com/Kano-Aerokroil-Penetrating-aerosol-AEROKROIL/dp/B000F09CEA]Amazon.com: Kano Aerokroil Penetrating Oil, 10 oz. aerosol (AEROKROIL): Automotive[/ame]

 

the best penetrating oil I've ever used. I wish I had it when I did my suspension.

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