Installed the shocks...

[Keenan]

Just wanted to fill you all in. I was originally afraid of somehow breaking the shocks, but I said ahh what the hell, leaned on the shock and it compressed. The front was a pain because I had to hold the shock and keep it compressed, but not too difficult. the rears took me about 15 minutes apiece, including taking out the old ones. Now I have a question about the rears...

They are already installed, but didnt come with any shock covers to protect the shocks from grime. Should I order a cover for the bilsteins, or are they fine? Also the lock hex nuts refuse to go down b/c the piston turns when I torque. Im taking the car for its alignment tomorrow, will the shop have a speialized tool that they can do it easier then I would be able too? Thanks for all your help. I now have a few projects in mind .

-Keenan

[sokoloff]

Isn't the top part of the piston squared off so you can get a small wrench on it to hold it while you turn the lock nuts?

Len

[Keenan]

yes it is. but I probably just have a very old pair of needle nosed pliars. Im going to head to my school's autoshop and see if they can lend me a pair for a few minutes, its nothing major. Im wondering If I should put some kind of cover on the shocks though. The pistons exposed...

[Ara T.]

You can just go out and buy an adjustable wrench if you don't have one. You can use that to hold the top of the shaft while you torque the nut.

Geez, shock-absorber work sounds so dirty.

[ctaylor738]

I use a pair of small vise-grips.

[joshhol]

Vice grips suck, but that's about the only thing you can use. You cant fit a socket over it because it is oblong. Why cant they be more like the tie-rod end makers that put a recess in the top that fits an allen wrench tip. That way you can tighten up the tie rods without the ball joint spinning round and round in the boot.

I wouldnt worry too much about the shock covers. Seems like the rears just dont come with them and the old ones dont have them. Besides, the part of the piston exposed is up in the chassis and cant be seen from underneath the car.