[V8] Trying to do shocks -apollo 13

[Seamus O'Carey]

Your info worked great once the shock was in place, but I was also having
trouble lining it up with the hole AND getting all of the accessories in
place (bump stop, dust boot, etc.).

The solution I came up with: I found an old dumbbell for weightlifting in
my basement. I pulled all the weights off and discovered that the bar
itself had an inner diameter big enough to fit over the threads and tapered
portion of the shock, but small enough that it would not fit over the rest
of the shock piston. The outter diameter of the bar is exactly the same as
the outer diameter of the shock piston.

So what I can do is slide the bar over the top of the piston and use it to
maneuver the shock into position. I can then slide the accessories over the
dumbbell handle and onto the shock piston without them getting stuck where
the piston wants to rest against the body of the car.

I hope that makes sense. I'll get pictures later.


On Sat, Apr 27, 2013 at 6:15 PM, Scott Justusson <qshipq at aol.com> wrote:

>  Without air tools or the strut tool, you can do this apollo 13 style,
> just had to do a field strut insert on a 91 200 a few weeks ago.
>
> IME it's a brutal dance of working on the ground vs partially/up.  If the
> new shock is in, put the top nut on the upright, so now the shock is anchored
> down.  Right now you should have the top thread leaning to the
> outside/back of the steering plate.  With the wheel (pointed straight
> ahead) use a 7mm allen with an extension inserted in the shock top
> (assuming stock shocks) and push the shock towards the inside of the car
> while lifting (hopefully you have gas shocks going in).  Now you should
> have the threads fully above the steering camber plate.
>
> Remove the 7mm, and insert the upside down cupwasher and put the camber
> plate and top washer then nut, tighten the 22mm with a gun, or several
> threads.  You should now have the top  camber plate on the shock, but not al
> igned with the 3 holes.  Jack the car until the plate almost touches the
> studs  Take a 22mm short socket and 6in extension over the top nut and push
> towards the inside of the car while slowly lowering the jack (a second set
> of hands is good, but not necessary).  Once all 3 washers and nuts are on
> the camber plate, you can set the camber plate in the position you want using
> the 22mm with extension.  Tighten the ouside nut first once the 2 inner
> slots are equal distant in the holes.
>
> Mission complete
>
> HTH
>
> Scott J
> 92 v8 Auto ABT Chipped
> 91 v8 Auto for sale
> 91 200tq A-13 field strut inserts
>
>
>
>
>  -----Original Message-----
> From: Seamus O'Carey <cheshirecatsbox at gmail.com>
> To: V8 <V8 at audifans.com>
> Sent: Sat, Apr 27, 2013 6:25 pm
> Subject: [V8] Trying to do shocks
>
>  The manual says to turn the wheel until the shock is centered with the
> hole, but that doesn't happen. It's always pointed toward the rear of the
> car and turn the steering back and forth only make the shock move back and
> forth in an arc off-center of the hole.
>
> I finally got the old shock out anyway and the new shock is in, but I may
> have pulled a pectoral muscle trying to get the mount in place. It's
> *almost* there, but I'm exhausted, in pain, and dripping with sweat and
> nothing I do seems to get the holes in the mount to line up with the bolts
> on the body.
>
> I haven't heard much from this list lately and my last post went
> unanswered, but if anyone sees this feel free to throw out some ideas.
>
> Seamus
>
>
>