bolt size shocks

Hi All,

I just received my new shocks (sensa-tracs) and want to get at replacing the old ones sometime next week. Now, haven't done this before but certainly want to replace all the bolts with fresh new ones.

Were can I find the size of the bolts so I can get new ones at fastenall before I take the shocks off? Does anyone know?

I found on this forum that the upper rear bolt is a 5/16-18. Any other sizes known?

Thanks for any input!

Tim

No-one has told me yet - so when you find out, would you please let me know? I can then add them to my listing on WiP (which is exactly why I'm doing that...)

5-90, if even you don't know those bolts then I don't expect much luck from my inquiry. I will just take'm out and get new ones once after inspection. I will certainly let you know what I find.

As far as he rear uppers go, good luck getting them out. My guess is that those bolts/nuts will be whatever size you replace them with...the crappy carbon steel stock ones snap off pretty often. I ended up popping the nuts out with an air hammer and fishing new 1" bolts with lockwashers through a couple of weeks ago when I did my shocks. The nuts were just spot welded in there. The front upper nuts had to be cut out with a dremel; they were locked tight and just spun the shock pistons. Front and rear lowers were ok once some PB blaster was used. Good luck, and sorry I didn't answer your question at all.

Widgetjeep said:

As far as he rear uppers go, good luck getting them out. My guess is that those bolts/nuts will be whatever size you replace them with...the crappy carbon steel stock ones snap off pretty often. I ended up popping the nuts out with an air hammer and fishing new 1" bolts with lockwashers through a couple of weeks ago when I did my shocks. The nuts were just spot welded in there. The front upper nuts had to be cut out with a dremel; they were locked tight and just spun the shock pistons. Front and rear lowers were ok once some PB blaster was used. Good luck, and sorry I didn't answer your question at all.

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Well, at least now I know what I am up against. Can only hope that a long life in CA has kept corrosion at bay....

dutchjeep said:

Well, at least now I know what I am up against. Can only hope that a long life in CA has kept corrosion at bay....

Click to expand...

Except you're coastal. Last time I had to change shocks (wife's 89 Limited,) it took me about an hour and a half and no real snags worth mentioning (on all four.) This was before I decided to start noting screw/bolt sizes tho, so I don't have any notes from the project.

If you get a bolt sticking, STOP. Grab your PB Blaster, a centre punch, and a hammer. Fetch the screw head one and only one solid whack (using the centre punch to direct force,) and then spray with PB Blaster. Let it sit for about a half-hour, and then try again.

TTT. Are the bolts 3/8"?

5-90 said:

Except you're coastal. Last time I had to change shocks (wife's 89 Limited,) it took me about an hour and a half and no real snags worth mentioning (on all four.) This was before I decided to start noting screw/bolt sizes tho, so I don't have any notes from the project.

If you get a bolt sticking, STOP. Grab your PB Blaster, a centre punch, and a hammer. Fetch the screw head one and only one solid whack (using the centre punch to direct force,) and then spray with PB Blaster. Let it sit for about a half-hour, and then try again.

Click to expand...

Sorry for late feedback. Finally came around to replacing shocks today. Went pretty smooth. Coastal air didn't do any harm so far.

Anyway, as I promised (5-90, will also pm this to you just to make sure), here's what I found for bolt sizes.

I was expecting SAE bolts but I ended up believing they are metric. Now, keep in mind that I am european, so whenever I doubt I tend to turn to what I understand best ...metric. And I screwed up before.

Rear end:
upper bolts: 30mm m8 bolts (1.25 pitch, is standard)
lower nuts: m12

front end:
upper nut: don't know came with the shocks
bottom nuts and bolts: 30mm m8 nut and bolt (but you can use 5/16 standard just as well since you are replacing both nut and bolt)

Now, I expected SAE screws and was surprised when I found metric on the rear shocks. Those m8 bolts are very similar to 5/16, but the thread won't match. So I opted m8. Please correct me if wrong.