Rear Shocks

[theluckyone17]

I just split my left rear shock in half. Not a pleasant event. Wouldn't recommended anyone try it, actually.

Looking over that factory manual that Rizzo just posted at viewtopic.php?f=3&t=2588 (nice share and thank you!), it looks like I don't have to compress the spring to get the shock out. That's a godsend. I've already heard that the tricky part is getting everything aligned when installing the new one; hence that bit about the scissor jack.

Anything else I ought to watch out for?

[sfeather11]

Unfortunately the spring does have to be compressed after the entire assy is removed. The lower spring plate is welded to the lower half of shock itself. It's what holds the rear end of your vehicle up. The welds on my right rear busted going over some RR tracks a few years ago. I was riding a little low in the corner for a few days until I was able to get a new strut...

Sorry for the bad news!

The good news is that if yours is a 2003, it is a good opportunity to upgrade to 2005 springs and struts for the extra inch of lift!

Peace!

[theluckyone17]

Heh. Figures. Call it wishful thinking. I was expecting to have to compress the springs, which is why I was overjoyed noticing that the FSM hadn't mentioned it. I suppose they just assume you'll be expecting it.

As for the year... it's a 2006. Prior owner slapped a 2" lift in there, too. I've heard that'll make it harder to compress the springs. Seriously thinking about sending it to the local garage, seein' as my garage isn't built yet. Working out in the weather is starting to get to me.

[sfeather11]

Hey there,
I just re-read your post and I might have misunderstood it. The only time you have to compress the spring is after you have the whole spring/shock assembly out of the car. You do not have to compress the spring when it is on the vehicle (although with 2" of lift, it might help to get the lower bolts out). The spring and shock are removed as one unit by unbolting the lower end of the shock and 2 nuts inside the cabin behind the rear seat. Once the unit is out, then you have to compress the spring to get to the shock itself. As for the re-install, I know what you mean about it being a PITA. It sucks trying to line up the lower bolt holes. I tried disconnecting my sway bar to get it to drop down (doesn't help), a buddy standing on it, long screwdrivers, etc. Using the spare tire jack method was the only way I could get it back on. I have a 1" lift spacer which makes it tougher. Was thinking about adding another inch in the rear only, so let me know if it can be done with 2" ! May the force be with you!

Peace!

[theluckyone17]

Now that explanation is more in line with what I had imagined, reading over the FSM. I'll probably stop by the local garage, support my local mechanic, and have them compress the springs for me before I reinstall. I know enough math to be scared of the energy stored in one of those springs if whatever compressor tool I'm using lets loose.

Now, that being said, I'll be very very careful if I decide to take this thing apart myself. I'm not sure what's still holding it together, and what's going to go where as soon as I get the weight off of it:


If I do decide to tear into it, I'll be taking pics. Can't resist the opportunity to tell a story...

[sfeather11]

Wowwww! Now that must've been a party! Be careful with that one!

By the way, what type of lift for the extra 2"? Is it a single (thick) spacer on top of the strut?

Peace!

[theluckyone17]

Yep. You should've heard the clunk when it broke at ~60 mph. Makes a man a bit nervous. I'll be keeping an eye on it as I let the weight off. Betcha I'll be wishing for a longer jack lever

I believe it's a single 2" spacer on top of the strut. The previous owner had it installed, and I haven't been in there to physically verify it. But looking at the rest of the (apparently stock) undercarriage, I have no other idea how they would've done it. I believe John "Mudrat" Bloom did the actual work. I know he put his bumpers and rack on. I ought to ask him.

[theluckyone17]

I got to thinking about this over the last couple days , seein' as I'm hoping to get out and pull that bad shock out tomorrow. I ordered a pair of new KYB shocks from Amazon; one will show up Monday, the other Wednesday, if the estimated delivery dates can be trusted.

Anyhow, I've got a bit of a concern. That spring is kinked on over because the shock itself is broken in the middle. There goes any semblance of lateral stability. With the weight of the Baja on that spring, it's kinking out sideways instead of compressing. So when I get the weight off the wheel, it should straighten out. Problem is: I imagine that shock is bound up internally. Can't imagine why else it would've broken.

So I've got two concerns:
1. The shock itself is split in half entirely. Normally the shock acts as a limit for the spring. If it didn't, we wouldn't have to compress the spring to put a new coil over shock assembly together. So now that the shock is broken in half, the spring just keeps expanding as I get the weight off that wheel. Am I likely to have enough room to get a pair of those spring compressors in there, giving me enough slack to get the shock out?

2. If the shock isn't split in half entirely, but holding on by a thread... and it's bound up... what're the odds that it's going to make disconnecting the bottom of the shock a PITA?

Any thoughts? Can't tear into it until tomorrow morning, so I may as well be sitting here thinkin' things over.

[sfeather11]

Hmm, I hear what you're saying about the spring limit. Once you unbolt the two lower shock bolts, watch out! Before you start taking the weight off, could you tie wrap (or steel hose clamp) a few of the links together to hold the spring together temporarily? At least until you can get the compressors on the spring and/or get the bottom of the shock off.

It could be also that once you start lifting the weight off, the spring may just keep expanding until it gets to its full uncompressed height since there is no more shock limit to old it together. If that is the case you are golden. Just keep lifting the vehicle until the suspension reaches full travel...?

Peace!

[theluckyone17]

Got in and made an attempt today. I'm not happy.

The shaft in the middle of the shock is definitively bent and broken. Couldn't be more obvious, since the spring and shock are still in the Baja and the shaft is sitting on my dining room table.

I took some half-#(% precautions regarding the compression on the spring and managed to get the lower bolt *almost* knocked out of the rear arm. The end of the bolt is sitting about half way through the hole. Now it's bound up, and bound up good. Because of the broken shock (and thus no limit to the spring's travel), I can't get enough pressure off the bolt to unbind it, allowing me to knock it out. I'm not all that comfortable getting up close and personal with the bolt, since the spring's sitting there ready to let loose as soon as the bolt's freed up. I can't seem to get both sides of a strut compressor on there... best I could do was about 60 degrees apart. There's just not enough room to work in there.

I'm seriously considering slapping the wheel back on, dropping it on the ground, and having somebody flat bed it the quarter mile to my local shop.

[sfeather11]

Man, any way you could tie something around the top of the spring and the upper shock so it doesn't shoot across the garage once you get the bolt out? You could also stick a screwdriver thru the top hole of the lower shock mount so it doesn't fly away. maybe even pry up a little bit to release thhe tension on the lower bolt??

[theluckyone17]

I buttoned it up for the night, then posted over on the US forums, seein' as it's not Baja specific and I'd get more eyes. Someone pointed out that the bottom half of the shock is travelling with the bottom bolt, helping it bind. I'm going to take another shot at it later this week (after work), and see if I can't get it set.

Main thing will be to make sure the spring doesn't let go, and if it does, it'll be tethered to something so it doesn't fly too far (like ratchet strapping it to something on the other side of the Baja). I'll be staying out of its way if it does let loose.

I think I can use some more straps to get the bottom half of the shock back into the approximate proper position, so I can jack up the bottom of the shock and get the pressure off that bolt.

Gonna be fun ;oD

[bajaguy]

Video it in case something exciting happens! =D

[theluckyone17]

Nothing exciting happened. After taking all those precautions, it was pretty anti-climatic. There wasn't enough weight on the spring to say so, and it just sorta hung there after I pulled the bottom half of the shock out. Definitely boring.

Anyway, once I got the old shock off the passenger side, I did notice there's a difference in the length between the bottom shock mount and the spring perch. Got talking to John Bloom tonight, and I think he pointed me in the direction of the answer: RockAuto lists the KYB 341276 as being applicable to the 2003 Baja, before Subaru lifted them. For the 2004-2006 Baja's, RockAuto is listing a Monroe 71113, which seems to have a bad reputation online. I expect I'll be shelling out for the OEM shocks later. The change in ride height wasn't enough for my wife to notice, but I do. I'll be waiting for warmer weather, though.