Quick Rear Shock Sanity Check

[dance_party]

Just a quick sanity check before I do anything I might regret later.

New rear shocks are in the mail and should arrive by Friday... until then, can I remove BOTH shocks at the same time so that all I have to do is put the new ones in when they get here?

OR... is replacing the rear shocks something that is better to do one at a time? (That is, leaving the other side in place until one is done.)

 

[Bootheel Boy]

You can remove them both at the same time. The upper bolts are known to break. I’d put some type of penetrating oil on them for a few days before trying to remove them.

 

[Dr. Internet]

I have just finished this after waiting three months for the temperature to drop below 100! Saturate the bolts with penetrant. I used Kroil. Do not use a 1/2" drive air or electric wrench. The bolt heads will just snap off. Getting the broken stud out is a project. I suggest you use a hand ratchet with a 3/8" drive socket. Turn it a little bit, then turn it back. Keep going back and forth. Apply more penetrating oil. Give them a hour to sit. Then they should come out. If you hit a spot of resistance, do not force it. The bolt will break. Give it some more oil and work it back and forth until it frees up.
Good luck.

 

[egclassic]

I have just finished this after waiting three months for the temperature to drop below 100! Saturate the bolts with penetrant. I used Kroil. Do not use a 1/2" drive air or electric wrench. The bolt heads will just snap off. Getting the broken stud out is a project. I suggest you use a hand ratchet with a 3/8" drive socket. Turn it a little bit, then turn it back. Keep going back and forth. Apply more penetrating oil. Give them a hour to sit. Then they should come out. If you hit a spot of resistance, do not force it. The bolt will break. Give it some more oil and work it back and forth until it frees up.
Good luck.

This is spot on and exactly what I did and it works. The Key is take your time on the bolt removal, resist the temptation of backing them all the way out too quickly.
Use a "Good" penetrant, not wd-40 or liquid wrench. (I also used Kroil but I know its not always readily available to most).

 

[JustDandee]

you cant tell who has broken bolt PTSD issues… soak the living hell out of each and every bolt before you even think of taking a wrench to it! .

 

[dance_party]

Thanks for the responses!

Yesterday I was investigating a clunk coming from the rear passenger area. I found that one of the upper bolts was backed out about a quarter of an inch and decided it might be a good idea to tighten it. That didn't go as planned and I broke the head off.

I won't be driving anywhere until I fix it, so I figure I'll get a head start on removing the other three bolts before the new shocks arrive. I'll "soak the living hell out of each and every bolt" with Kroil and then follow the instructions above. Thanks again!

 

[Dr. Internet]

Thanks for the responses!

Yesterday I was investigating a clunk coming from the rear passenger area. I found that one of the upper bolts was backed out about a quarter of an inch and decided it might be a good idea to tighten it. That didn't go as planned and I broke the head off.

I won't be driving anywhere until I fix it, so I figure I'll get a head start on removing the other three bolts before the new shocks arrive. I'll "soak the living hell out of each and every bolt" with Kroil and then follow the instructions above. Thanks again!

Sorry to hear about the broken bolt; welcome to the club! There are many, many vids on YoutTube on how to remove these broken bolts. good luck!

 

[macleanflood]

You can drive it just fine without shocks.

-Mac

 

[dance_party]

You can drive it just fine without shocks.

-Mac

In that case, I should minimally take it for a spin around the block without them, just for the educational experience.

 

[Mike_H]

Start removing the bolts by tightening them too. Don't go crazy...you're just trying to get a little bit of motion started. You need to give the dirt and corrosion a place to fit in between the threads...as that will be what binds the bolt up and causes it to break. At any hint of bind...stop and reverse direction.