Quote:
Originally Posted by BillGrissom
I ran into the "can't get wrench on inner, lower shock absorber bolt" problem a few weeks ago. Same trick - unbolt shock top nut and lower spindle to pull shock out of top hole and pull toward wheel, then you have room. I changed shocks w/ the wheels on (lazy), but is easier if you remove the wheel.
Not sure what is so threatening in the post 4 photo. The spring isn't compressed and nothing is going anywhere. To be safest, it is always good to loop a chain thru the spring when working w/ big springs. Even nylon rope would help keep it from getting too excited.
The toughest job you will have is replacing the lower ball joint, but there are many posts on how to remove from the spindle (easy, big hammer) and install the new one (hard, big C-clamp tool w/ just the right shell adapters, heat and hammer).
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The spring actually is still compressed. It's hanging on my the inner most bolt on the spring plate. I tried whacking it with a rubber mallett (from the opposite side of the car!) but no dice. I even wedged a pry bar to try to get it to lift up, but nothing. I even considered removing the guide rod bolts to allow the LCA to droop all the way but I wasn't too keen on keeping my face right there for any amount of time. Remember, I want to finish this job without losing half of my face. Just to be safe, I'd much rather the project go on hold while I source the proper tool for it. Even if I get this one off with creativity, and do the other side the same way, I'll still run into the problem of getting the back in. And it's not so much the getting them back in that would be the problem, it would be getting the compressor plates back out!
Hopefully I'm able to source the right compressor quickly. As for the LCA bushings and lower ball joint, I'm just going to take the parts into Blue Ridge and have them remove and press in the new units. I'm not the most accurate with my hammer swings and I don't have a press...yet.