My fun rear shock replacement experience

So, I got some cheap shocks to replace my factory original worn out shocks. I did all the reading up I could to go in ready to snap the usual bolts.

I do the fronts first with no issue, they came out and back in. I didn't even remove the wheels and could have done it without lifting the front end.

On to the rears, I've been spraying PB on the bolts for a week now hoping it would help. I go at the first bolt turning maybe 1/8th of a turn then tighten back up 1/8th. Go to loose again and snap, it didn't even take any real amount of pressure to just pop it. The other 3 were the same, they just snapped like they were made of plastic and were all rusted. I have no real rust anywhere else but these bolts were well rusted.

Having no air compressor I go buy a small sledge and nice punch and start pounding away at 1 bolt. Nothing happens... I beat on that thing on and off for an hour and no sign of it giving. I call a buddy who has a compressor to see about driving over shock-less to get these things pounded out. He didn't call me back so I beat on them for another hour with no result.

I then decided to cut up the rear and have a go at it that way. The interior came right out and using my dremel I cut the holes accordingly. I see the nut is all rusted and has a huge weld covering 1/4 of the nut. The whole corner is a thick weld. I beat on it from the top for a while again no result. I tried a break bar thinking maybe I could twist it loose. The nut just rounded off like it was made of clay. The nut seemed to be such a soft metal but sure wouldn't budge from the BFH and was mushrooming my punch.

I then took my dremel again and with a cut off wheel cut under the weld then with a pry bar it popped right off. All the reading and pictures I've seen showed only a few small tack welds not a heavy weld like on mine. After the nut came off I saw the usual pin spot welds though. Not sure if they just made extra sure on mine or what but it was a pain.

After I got the first one figured out the other 3 came out pretty easy and my access holes got cleaner ha. I'm looking now to cover them in a way I can get a socket in there later when needed.

Things would have been easier with an actual grinder/cut off wheel but the little dremel sure is useful!

I had more luck using an air hammer, they pretty much fell out after that.

Glad you got them out.

May I suggest stainless steel grade 8 replacements, and a liberal application of anti-seize?

Also, something to think of when you get hardware, try not to have any exposed threads of the bolt when assembled--less chance of them rusting or being damaged.

joe_peters said:

Glad you got them out.

May I suggest stainless steel grade 8 replacements, and a liberal application of anti-seize?

Also, something to think of when you get hardware, try not to have any exposed threads of the bolt when assembled--less chance of them rusting or being damaged.

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yanno i've heard from more than 1 person including a mechanic that grade 5's are better than grade 8's in the sense that they will bend instead of sheer off like a grade 8 will. of course i went with grade 8's but thats just what i heard.

im sorry you had to cut up your interior. i just used a 3 lb sledge hammer and a fatty punch not from harbor freight. and they came out within 10 swings each =). i reversed the bolt so the nut was on the outside but i def feel your pain... sometimes pb blaster just doesnt work on everything...

When I did mine I had three of the four rear bolts break. I just drilled them out and tapped them.

MaxxXJ said:

yanno i've heard from more than 1 person including a mechanic that grade 5's are better than grade 8's in the sense that they will bend instead of sheer off like a grade 8 will.

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no, bend force is lower than break force, and grade 5 will bend and shear before grade 8 will even bend

good call, i'll write that down and remember that next time my friend and i have the grade 5 grade 8 discussion =).

I did get some quality grade 8 hardware, they are a tad longer than need be but I wasn't sure of the exact size... I also dropped the bolts from the top hoping that would make life easier. I also put anti seize so hopefully they will never be a problem in the future with my added access holes in the top.

As for getting them out. I swear I beat on them with a 3lb sledge as hard as I could in that position. I'm a big guy so I was putting a lot of umph into those suckers and no sign of them breaking. Maybe I'll post a pic of the weld nuts to see if they are common or something different. Again 1/4 of the nut had a thick weld along the edge plus the smaller tack welds under it.

Well at least you guys aren't retarded like me, and put your impact wrench on forward drive to back the bolts out. I broke 3 until i realized my mistake, switched it to reverse, and then of course the 4th bolt comes out no problem.....

the air hammer made REALLY quick work of the welded nuts though

I just finally fixed my last shock today. I had one of the upper bolt break and fixed it in no time but on the passengers side the lower mount stud snapped off. I cut the rest of the stud off and drilled through the shock mount but it took forever! I then taped the hole for a 1/2" bolt and used a 1/2"x5/8"x1 1/2" metal spacer from lowe's to put it back together