Replacing Shocks/Struts

[skizot722]

OK, so whether you want to call them shocks, or struts, how difficult is it to replace the rear two? Is it a pretty involved process, or can someone do it at home in their garage? Also, I searched a bit, but the LVC search engine is kind of weak, so I was not able to find any articles where someone detailed the procedure.

Many thanks!

 

[NYC LS8]

Not hard, but you do need a godo spring compressor. That goes for both the front and rear.

 

[skizot722]

Does anyone have a write-up on how to do this? And how many hours would you estimate are involved to do both of the rears? Also, how difficult is it to use a spring compressor, because I always hear people talking about how dangerous they are. I'm pretty good with my hands, and have done a lot of work with my '72 Chevelle, but I've not done anything more than replace the valve cover gaskets on my LS (and HID retrofit of course ).

 

[02LincLS]

It’s pretty easy and self-explanitory. I did this a while ago so anyone correct me or add stuff if needed.
On the front, you need to spray the sway bar end links and get the threads good and CLEAN or else just replace them.
Place a jack under the control arm (so that it doesn’t fly down later)
Remove the lower shock mount bolt.
Mark one of the 4 bolts on the top of the "strut tower" so that the same bolt goes back in the same hole. Then go ahead and remove those.
Slowly lower the jack holding the control arm up and the whole shock and spring should fall out (assembled).
Note the alignment of the spring with relation to the shock- the new shock must sit the same exact way.
Use the spring compressor to compress the spring just about all the way, going evenly on both sides so it doesn’t fly out and kill you.
Remove the nut on the end of the shock.
Pull the old shock out and put the new one in.
Tighten the nut on the end of the shock.
Slowly and evenly release the spring compressor, making sure everything is aligned as it was before, and that the spring is seated properly on the rubber. Spraying silicone on the rubber can help you slide things into position but the spring will need to be compressed a little to move it.
Then simply put everything back together in reverse order that you took it off.

In the back, you don’t need to remove sway bar links, but there is only 1 way to maneuver the spring/shock assembly out from within the suspension- but you CAN do it so just take comfort in that. It took me about a day to do all four (springs) but I could probably do it in 4 hrs next time (I’m putting in euro shocks)

 

[TDUB]

Yeah it's not really that hard. Me and a friend of my brothers took it down to a bus garage that he was working at the time and spent a night doing it.