Help with rear shocks installation

[Atreyus]

So my brother and I finally managed to install my new rear shocks, they are in, but when we turn the top nut the entire shock moves, or twists, do we need a clamp or something so we can tighten it? Or is that normal? He's at work now so I have time to run out and get any new tools needed to attend to it. Any info would be great!

 

[theizzardking]

There should be a place to put a spanner under the top mount you hold this while you use the ratchet on the top nut if for some reason you don't have the spot to grab it at the top you can use strap style pipe wrench or a belt in a bind

 

[JohnsD90]

There should be a place to put a spanner under the top mount you hold this while you use the ratchet on the top nut if for some reason you don't have the spot to grab it at the top you can use strap style pipe wrench or a belt in a bind

In your case, theres a spanner holding the Spanner

Its not hard, i think i used an adjustable wrench.

 

[Atreyus]

My bro came home on his lunch and got some tool that had a hard plastic handle and rubber by Craftsman and that did it! Thanks for the info though guys. He said that the front should be easier aside from compressing the springs but I'm not sure, I'm going to have him take it to school tomorrow and have them work on it in the shop.

 

[bitchaaz]

My bro came home on his lunch and got some tool that had a hard plastic handle and rubber by Craftsman and that did it!

No need to get all technical on us....

 

[theizzardking]

lol did it look like this

that's a pipe wrench and to be honest almost every shock since the 70's early 80's has the flat spot on the top for a adjustable or open ended wrench

just a word to the wise using a pipe wrench can damage your shock body and you can't get it as tight by using the proper tools, you should only use that if you're working with older cars that don;t have the flats for a open end or adjustable box wrench.

these are not shocks for us but you can see where you would put the spanner and the guy in the last pic is pointing right at where you put the adjustable then you use the ratchet for the top nut

 

[Elton H]

pair of vice grips on the metal collar on the shock is how ive done it

 

[Nelsonmd]

Apparently you can either use a spanner, or just put your finger on it and it will work...

 

[theizzardking]

lol, nelson :bravo:

@elton

you really just grab the shock with some vise grips? why not use the machines flats they provide on the shock for installation?

 

[BTO]

There should be a place to put a spanner under the top mount

We call it a wrench on this side of the planet.

 

[theizzardking]

We call it a wrench on this side of the planet.

box wrench?
flat wrench?
open ended wrench?
crescent wrench?
spanner?

i guess your right, one of these is not like the other one of these does not belong, lol,

father's English and i live there fro time to time, i seriously do forget what things are properly called sometimes, lol, i still do cringe at how they pronounce aluminum , lol

 

[Pikeman]

Atreyus, you could have also brought it to the Wrench party this weekend. For info on that look into the Need Help Installing my lift.

 

[runrunner]

The problem I had was trying to figure how tight to put the top nut. I think it was either until the bushings started to compress, or until I got sick of dirt falling in my face.

Either way, I think they are tight.

 

[theizzardking]

The problem I had was trying to figure how tight to put the top nut. I think it was either until the bushings started to compress, or until I got sick of dirt falling in my face.

Either way, I think they are tight.

Yeah i know, it seems as if until you see the bushing compress would be right but you'd think they have a torque spec as a go by...

 

[Nelsonmd]

Yeah i know, it seems as if until you see the bushing compress would be right but you'd think they have a torque spec as a go by...

They do, it's 14 ft-lbs

 

[theizzardking]

They do, it's 14 ft-lbs

FTW :cowboy:

heading out in a few to torque mine down,lol

 

[Elton H]

no i dont just grab the shock with pliers

 

[theizzardking]

no i dont just grab the shock with pliers

lol, i didn't think so you seem like a guy who does things right so it confused me the way it was phrased, when i think of collar i think of a completely round metal bit of somekind, lol

 

[Ghostrider]

Good luck getting a torque wrench on the top of that nut. I swear that every design engineer should be forced to actually work on the assembled model. All Toyota had to do to make this job easy was to leave two holes in the bed to reach down with a long socket. The holes could have been covered with a hard grommett and everyone would have been happy. Instead they design something that needs a huge amount of effort.

 

[brian2sun]

Throw in a 1 or 2" body lift and it's cake!