Replacing Rear Shock Absorbers

The rear of your car must be jacked up and supported by the rear axle housing for this job. To make it easier to replace the rear shock absorb ers, remove the rear tire-and-wheel assembly first. Although this is not always necessary, in many cases the shocks will be more accessible. Do not remove the brake drum. Find instructions for your make and model car in the following pages.

American Motors, 1968-78

1 Remove the lower mounting nut, washer, and grommet. Take off the two bolts holding the upper shock absorber, and remove the shock and bracket. Take out the upper mounting nut and grom-met holding the upper bracket to the shock absorber. Discard the shock and hardware, but keep the bracket.

On cars with leaf springs;Hornet, Gremlin, Rambler;slide a new retainer and grommet onto the lower mounting stem. Extend the new shock so this stem extends through the hole in the spring plate. Install the grommet, retainer, and nut, and tighten the lower mounting nut to eight foot pounds.

On cars with coil springs;Matador, Ambassador;extend the new shock absorber after the upper mounting bracket has been attached so the lower cylinder lines up with the axle tube. Attach the bolts and retainers, and tighten the lower mounting bolts to eight foot pounds.

3 Repeat these steps on the other rear shock absorber. Lower the car and test the shock absorber as described .

General Motors, Buick, 1968-78

1 Removing the shock. Get under the car and disconnect the single bolt, lock washer, and nut from the lower end of the shock. Now, working through the wheelhousing, reach in behind the brake drum and disconnect the two bolts, washers, and nuts from the shock's upper mounting.

2 Installing the shock. Position the new shock absorber so the holes in the unit's mounting plate align with the holes in the car's frame bracket. Attach the upper mounting hardware finger tight, then align the lower shock bushing with the hole in the bracket that is welded to the rear axle tube. Insert the bolt through the bushing, and place a washer on the threaded end. Slide the bolt through the hole in the bracket, then insert a lock washer and tighten the nut with your fingers. Torque the upper mounting nut to 20 foot pounds. The shock's stud must not be allowed to rotate when the bolts are being tightened. Hold it with a box or open-end wrench. Tighten the lower nut to 65 foot pounds. Again keep the shock stud from rotating by holding it with a box- or open-end wrench.

3 Repeat the operation on the other side, then lower the car and test the shock absorber action as described .

Soaking bolts or nuts

We spray the shock absorber mounting bolts or nuts liberally with penetrating oil, then let the oil soak in and lubricate the rusted threads.

General Motors, Cadillac, 1968-78, all models except Eldorado and Seville
1 Take a 12-point, 1/2-inch box-end wrench and bend it to a 45° angle one-inch back from the center of the box-end diameter. With this wrench, grasp the shock absorber mounting nuts at the rear frame kickup. Remove the upper retaining bolts and nuts, and unbolt the shock at its lower mounting, holding the stem next to the grommet so it does not turn. Remove the retaining nut, then take the shock off its mounts. Work the upper mounting of the new shock absorber onto the frame kickup.

2 Install the upper retaining nuts and bolts. Using the homemade wrench de-scribed previously, grasp the upper mounting nuts and tighten the bolts to 12 foot pounds. Guide the shock's lower stud into its mounting bracket, and install the retaining nut. Tighten the nut to 50 foot pounds.

3 Repeat these steps on the other side, then lower the car and test the shock absorbers as described in Chapter 12. See the illustrations for the Buick, 1968-78.

General Motors, Cadillac, 1968-78, Eldorado, and Seville
If you have one of these models, you should leave the testing and in­stallation of the rear shock absorb­ers to a qualified Cadillac service technician. The rear shock absorb­ers in the Eldorado are not standard units. The 1968-70 models had two shocks for each rear wheel;one vertical and one horizontal. Models since 1971 and Seville have auto­matic level control systems.

General Motors, Chevrolet, 1968-78, Monte Carlo, andChevelle
1 Reach up and disconnect the upper shock absorber mounting by re-moving the two retaining bolts. If the car is a station wagon, reach in between the tire and the frame and put a wrench on the nuts located between them. Reaching with an extension, detach the upper mounting bolts as you turn the bolts and the nuts in opposing directions. Remove the old shock absorber.

2 Work the new shock absorber into position and install the two upper mounting bolts finger tight. Position the lower attaching stud in the axle bracket and attach the lock washer and nut with your fingers. Tighten the upper attaching bolts to 12 foot pounds. Hold the lower attaching stud with a wrench and tighten the nut to 65 foot pounds.

3 Repeat these steps on the other side, then lower the car and test the shock absorbers as described in Chapter 12. See the illustrations for the Buick, 1968-78.

General Motors, Pontiac, Oldsmobile, 1968-78, all models except Firebird, Ventura, and Safari wagons

1 Disconnect the lock washer and nut from the shock absorber's stud. Working through the wheelhousing, reach in behind the brake drum and disconnect the two bolts, washers, and nuts from the shock's upper mounting.

2 Position the new shock so the holes in its mounting bracket align with the holes in the frame. Attach the upper mounting hardware finger tight, then set the shock's lower end so the holes line up with the holes in the mounting bracket. Tighten the upper mounting nuts to 20 foot pounds and the lower to 65 foot pounds. In the Toronado, tighten the upper nuts to 25 foot pounds and the lower nuts to 75 foot pounds

3 Repeat the operation on the other side, then lower the car and test the shock absorbers as described in Chap­ter 12. See the illustrations for the Buick, 1968-78.