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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Queens NY | Want to replace the front shocks. Am I gonna have to drop the lower control arm, any tips would be great.forgot to mention its on a 1958 Royal.
Edited by finman 2015-03-28 2:52 PM
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1102
 
Location: Hayward, Calif | Finman, I replaced the front shocks on my 65 NY'ER, I would think it is the same basic set up. But it was a royal PITA. The shock wants to naturally extend itself which makes it impossible to install. I tied a heavy mechanics wire around the top, compressed the shock and tied the other end of the wire around the other end of the shock. It was still pretty tight going in. As I remember I had the car jacked up with no weight on the wheel. Just make sure the car is on some good jacks so it doesn't fall on ya. Once installed, cut the wire and pull it out. Jerry |
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Expert
Posts: 2490
Location: Kansas City, KS | I've done it the same way as 59_iin_Calif described above. The shocks have to be compressed in order to remove or install them. Sometimes, I also have to remove the rubber bump stop from the underside of the upper control arm. This gets another 1/4 inch or so of travel for the lower control arm. It's still a tight fit. Worse case scenario is you'll have to separate a ball joint, loosen strut rods, and crank the torsion bars, but I've yet to need to go that far. |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8947
 
Location: WHEELING,WV.>>>HOME OF WWVA | some front shocks are or was sold with compression strap installed . after install , you just cut the strap but a piece of tie wire works great -----------------------------------------later
Edited by 60 dart 2015-03-29 4:33 AM
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Expert
Posts: 3575
Location: Netherlands | Gas shocks will decompress when released/disconnected. But they can be compressed/pushed in again with a good grip or some leverage on it.
Then with a quick action it can be removed from the shocktower before the shock extends itself.
If the old shocks are to be trashed anyway, grinding down the top post extending through the shocktower makes removal easier.
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Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Queens NY | The shocks I have , have the strap on. Im sorry for not really being clear enough its the removal that is the problem. Seems like I have no clearance to pull it out. Mounting to the top of the lower control arm wasn't the greatest idea. Yes,. big block I already cut the top posts off.Thanks.
Edited by finman 2015-03-29 11:16 AM
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 580
| finman - 2015-03-29 11:13 AM
The shocks I have , have the strap on. Im sorry for not really being clear enough its the removal that is the problem. Seems like I have no clearance to pull it out. Mounting to the top of the lower control arm wasn't the greatest idea. Yes,. big block I already cut the top posts off.Thanks.
I just put front shocks on my 1958 Coronet last month or so.
I had jack stands under the frame, front tires off.
When the shock is unbolted it was just a matter of pushing the shock upward to compress it then quickly drop it down and remove.
My new front shocks did not have the retaining straps on them so when I installed them I compressed them against the floor and quickly put them in place.
I actually got both sides in on the first tries.
You should have no problems especially if the top posts are cut off which mine were not.
Edited by local2Ed 2015-03-29 9:36 PM
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front shock removal
