Rear shock replacement

[barnesjtsl]

My drivers side rear shock is frozen in place. Is this a safety issue?

Can anyone point me toward a post with detailed instructions on replacing the rear shocks?

Thanks,

John B

[baltobernie]

Yeah, a frozen shock absorber is a safety issue; a little bit of washboard road and you're sideways. It is a straightforward procedure ... you do need a spring compressor or a lift, and all the usual warnings about the energy stored in a spring are not to be ignored. But the best tip I got was from Denise, who says to always stuff a rag into the cavity between the shock and trunk, to keep from losing not only hardware, but tools down this black hole! (this applies to boot hook replacement, too)

[TulsaSpider]

I just replaced mine last week and they are, in my opinion a medium hard job. Some of the mounting bolts, especially on the drive's side are a pain to get to. I did not use a spring compressor. I removed the top nuts on the shocks, one side at a time and had the body up on jack stands. I had a hydraulic jack under the axle then when i lowered the jack it lowers the axle, the spring lowers and shock as well. I do not have a brake compensator either . That might get in the way at this point. Another set of hands is nice doing the reverse process.