simplifying shock removal?

[91grandmarquis]

ahaha, yeah just cut those bolts.

[1987cp]

And... these are easier on most cars, right? Just not the old wagons?

Probably. A lot of vehicles (leaf-sprung vehicles, anyway) seem to have used eyelet-style rear upper shock mounts, which has to be lots easier to service, as lower eyelet mounts are fairly easy to remove (especially if a convenient bolt design is used instead of the stupid stud-with-a-spacer affair I removed from my P72). And I'm pretty sure some coil-sprung vehicles (Fox-bodies and '60s Rancheros, anyway) have convenient access panels to get to the rear upper shock mount. The Panther setup, while it sort of works, is just plain retarded in this regard.

[gadget73]

Fox cars just stick the top of the shock right up into the trunk. Takes like 15 minutes a side to do shocks on a Mark VII.

[91waggin]

I'd not heard of ratcheting box wrenches before. Went to harbor freight, and, I don't think I could have done the rear shocks without one. It was a lifesaver.

Told you.

that would be the problem for me... lack of proper tools. I need to put a set of ratcheting box-end wrenches on my wish list though. *puts on to-do list*

The set I have is from harbor freight and it's the multicolored set. They have lasted 5 years no problem, other than the anodizing wearing off on some of the more often-used ones. IIRC, it cost in the neighborhood of $20. Very very much worth it

[91waggin]

(can't reach with a normal-length wrench IMO)

I didn't have a problem, I don't think. Maybe my forearms are small enough to get in there.

[1987cp]

Fox cars just stick the top of the shock right up into the trunk. Takes like 15 minutes a side to do shocks on a Mark VII.

That sounds much better. Enough space to do the snap-the-stud-off routine, then?

I didn't have a problem, I don't think. Maybe my forearms are small enough to get in there.

Yeah, small arms have got to help. Mine are that awkward combination of too big around to fit places, too short to reach things, and not strong enough to compensate for the other shortcomings. :p

I'm told some people (those who are skinny and have long arms) can actually do a brake job without getting their gut filthy! You can imagine what I looked like at my job where I'd sometimes spend 3/4 of my day at a pipe threading machine. :banana:

[91waggin]

I'm told some people (those who are skinny and have long arms) can actually do a brake job without getting their gut filthy! You can imagine what I looked like at my job where I'd sometimes spend 3/4 of my day at a pipe threading machine. :banana:

Well I can't do a brake job without getting EVERYTHING dirty.

[gadget73]

That sounds much better. Enough space to do the snap-the-stud-off routine, then?

If you really need to, but being in the trunk the threaded bits don't tend to rust, so its probably not required. I seem to remember about a foot of clearance above the top of the shocks. It took me longer to get my fat ass in the trunk than it did to buzz the nuts off with the impact gun. Probably could have done it with a ratchet without much trouble as well.

[BerniniCaCO3]

Yup! set of 7 on sale now for $20, normally just $25 anyway I think.
I'm sure the set at lowes for $60, made in USA, is better built. But I haven't had too much from HF break on me just yet.

I didn't need the extra long ones, but, I wouldn't say I had no problem. My wrist was definitely sore by the end of it!

[1987cp]

Sounds like you had less trouble than I did! I think I ended up throwing a nonratcheting wrench in there and turning the shock body with a pipe wrench.

[1990LTD]

any other general bits of advice so as to not kill ones self replacing shock absorbers?

[1987cp]

Self-replacing shock absorbers? :confused:

[1990LTD]

Self-replacing shock absorbers? :confused:

I mean so I don't kill myself when I'm replacing them.

[1987cp]

@ both of us


But yeah, I expect you're highly unlikely to die during the procedure. Even if you do pull the rear springs, they come out easily by hand just by tilting the axle from side to side with a jack.

[1990LTD]

What is the best spot to jack the center of the car to get the whole of the front or rear off of the ground? So I'm not doing a side at a time (going to the other side with the jack while the other side is on a jackstand doesnt seem safe to me but I could be wrong)