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Front shock install

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Old 10-20-2010, 11:20 PM
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Default Front shock install

i just installed some Bilstein HD's out back and am going to install the fronts. Question is, anything i should know about removing the brake system above the driver side shock mount in order to access the bolts for removal? Will i loose any brake fluid during removal or is is simple as removing the two nuts and moving it out of the way? Thanks!
Old 10-20-2010, 11:34 PM
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You don't have to remove the brake system, you just have to loosen the MC so you can tilt it out of the way. No brake fluid lost.

Another tip, take those bolts and swap them to the passenger side (and take the bolts from the passenger side and put them on the driver's side), if you have to take the shocks out again they'll be a lot easier to access
Old 10-20-2010, 11:34 PM
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Video I made of some of the highlights of the install. In case you need it...

https://ls1tech.com/forums/suspensio...all-video.html
Old 10-21-2010, 07:29 AM
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that's an awesome video. I plan on using it this winter to replace my front shocks.
Old 10-21-2010, 03:49 PM
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thanks for the help guys! ill get it done this weekend!
Old 10-23-2010, 11:36 AM
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i just did the fronts yesterday using the blue knights video and the ls1howto write up, I did the passenger side first which is the easiest and the driver was not hard at all. one tip is if you dont have a long 15mm get one I had to buy one and the 50t torque bit
Old 11-01-2010, 11:53 AM
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i finally got around to doing the install on sat. i got the driverside assembly out, compressed the spring, and removed the nut holding the upper mount on. problem is the mount would not come off. i also used ls1howto and the blueknight video but still couldnt get it off. from what i understand the mount should have come right off after the nut was removed. i used a bunch of pb blaster and even decompressed the spring hoping it would push it off but it held the spring pressure. i didnt know what else to do but put it back on the car. ill try the pass side next sat.
Old 11-01-2010, 12:18 PM
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Originally Posted by WhiteHawk489
i finally got around to doing the install on sat. i got the driverside assembly out, compressed the spring, and removed the nut holding the upper mount on. problem is the mount would not come off. i also used ls1howto and the blueknight video but still couldnt get it off. from what i understand the mount should have come right off after the nut was removed. i used a bunch of pb blaster and even decompressed the spring hoping it would push it off but it held the spring pressure. i didnt know what else to do but put it back on the car. ill try the pass side next sat.
Did you take a hammer to it? Usually all it takes is a good few hits. The shock of the impact will break the rust/dirt holding it all together. I have had some stubborn bolts, but that shouldn't be one of them...
Old 11-02-2010, 03:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Das Nic
Did you take a hammer to it? Usually all it takes is a good few hits. The shock of the impact will break the rust/dirt holding it all together. I have had some stubborn bolts, but that shouldn't be one of them...
i actually put the mount in a vise and beat on the end of the bolt with a hammer and nothing. i was hitting it so hard a actually mushroomed the end of it and had to do a lil grinding to get the nut back on.
Old 11-02-2010, 06:59 PM
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If you have the nut off you have done the hard part. PB Blast and an air hammer impact wrench will break it free, but that is while the nut is on... Worked for me to break the rust between the shaft and isolator, but not for the nut. That required breaking the shaft off with a mini sledge.
Old 11-02-2010, 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by libertyforall1776
PB Blast and an air hammer impact wrench will break it free, but that is while the nut is on... Worked for me to break the rust between the shaft and isolator, but not for the nut. That required breaking the shaft off with a mini sledge.
im not sure i understand what your saying. are you saying to tighten the nut to break the shaft and isolator apart? i used alot of PB but im gettin another can. no such thing as too much! im gonna start with the passanger side on sat to see if its less stubborn.
Old 11-02-2010, 11:06 PM
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^ In my case the nut would not budge, but the shaft was broken free of the rust fusion with the isolator with the air tool. In your case since your nut is now loose, you need some other way to impact the shaft to break it free from the isolator -- did you try prying it with a screwdriver or similar [[carefully]]? Assuming you have this spring compressed with compressors. A couple whacks with a mini sledge should also do the job...

Alternately, you could always bring the whole assembly to a shop to do for you.



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