Rear Shock Fitting

[Garry 1]

I have just got some Billie Grp N tarmac rear shocks.

 

My method of fitting shocks in the past has been to:

 

1) Fit the shock to the end that is lowest to the ground (nearest the front of the car)

2) Compress the shock by hand to its smallest.

3) Quickly let go, swing it round to the top mounting point and try to get the mounting bolt through it as it passes the rear most mounting point. If I miss or the shock twists, I have to try and compress it down again (which can be a pig of a job) and start again.

 

The above method has worked in the past is on normal/fast road shocks but I am a bit concerned about the stiffer ones now I have.

 

Any body got any tips?

[Dream Weaver 2]

I fitted my SBC shocks last week and had to use that method as well. It was a nightmare as they de-compressed really quickly each time I tried, and I put my back out compressing them

 

According to my MOT chap new dampers come with wires or something to hold them in the compressed state.

[Rippthrough 98]

Put the top on first, put the jack under the bottom, combined with a crowbar to get it in the right place, then push the bolt through, can't compress 'em by hand!

 

While we are on the subject though, anyone have the open + closed lengths for the rear shocks?

Edited May 29, 2007 by Rippthrough

[sonofsam 5]

Put the top on first, put the jack under the bottom, combined with a crowbar to get it in the right place, then push the bolt through, can't compress 'em by hand!

 

I did my Koni's by hand although last time I used a bit of wood with a notch cut out the top

and staked it against the ground, think I'll use the jack method next time

[Garry 1]

Put the top on first, put the jack under the bottom, combined with a crowbar to get it in the right place, then push the bolt through, can't compress 'em by hand!

 

I didn't think you could put the top end in first because of the captive bolt that is in the bottom end, ie you would have to bend the shock body to get it over the end of the bolt, if you know what I mean

[Rippthrough 98]

I didn't think you could put the top end in first because of the captive bolt that is in the bottom end, ie you would have to bend the shock body to get it over the end of the bolt, if you know what I mean

 

The bolts come out on mine (306 tho) if you take the wheel off?

Edited May 29, 2007 by Rippthrough

[Rippthrough 98]

I did my Koni's by hand although last time I used a bit of wood with a notch cut out the top

and staked it against the ground, think I'll use the jack method next time

 

 

I could do my Gaz by hand too, but the new ones are pressurised to 350psi

[Garry 1]

Going on from what Dream weaver wrote about wires:

I am thinking I could compress the shock to the correct length by measuring the existing ones on the car, then by wrapping a heavy duty cable tie around the outside of the shock to hold it there. Fit it and haypresto!

[oli-pug 6 2 Cars]

group n billies are a b#stard to compress by hand! what i did was connect them to the bottom bolts and then get someone to lever the trailing arm downwards using a crowbar while i fiddled trying to line the top holes up

[C_W 3 1 Cars]

Yea the bolt on the rear beam taps out.

 

I fit mine to the boot floor, compress it using upwards a jack (Konis, so very hard to compress by hand) and then quickly line it up and tap the bolt back through the shock and brake pipe guide.

[Richie-Van-GTi 74 2 Cars]

small ratchet straps from wilkinsons are about £2.99 a pair, use these to get a controlled press on the shock so you can match it up to the right length easily

[Garry 1]

Well I did it, the cable ties wouldn't hold the shock though, alhough they did seem to slow it down enough to line up the bolts before it went too far.

 

PS The lower bolts that hold the shock to the trailing arm do come out, mine were just caked in rust/crap.