Rear shock-mount nut

[bayellowstang]

I noticed yesterday that the driverside lower shock-mount is loose. The whole shock-mount moves up and down an 1/8th inch or so when the rear-end moves. So I figured I would try to tighten it. I can't get a wrench on the damn nut between the rear and the shock-mount. Does it take a special wrench to put it on? I can't get it to loosen or tighten. Has to be one of the worst designs I have seen on this car.

It looks like whoever put the Megabite jr. LCA's on it, used a set of vise-grips and clamped around the nut and the mount at the same time. Which is probably why the damn thing is loose now. Who knows how long it has been loose for, I always thought it was the exhaust rattling.

 

[revhead347]

Is it a stock shock? Usually the aftermarket ones have two nuts to lock it down. If you just try to turn the nut, it will just spin the shock absorber.

Kurt

 

[Chythar]

I installed my Mega-Byte Jr's myself, but I replaced all the bolts that came with it. It was a used set, and the bolts were a little chewed up. So I can't tell you the size of the nut you have, sorry. To tighten that part up, I had to get a wrench on the nut then tighten it using the bolt head on the other side. There's no room to turn the nut on its own. You'll need to remove the lower shock bolt to get access to that bolt head. In case you haven't done your rear shocks before, be sure to put jackstands under the axle so it doesn't shift when you remove the lower shock bolt. Also make sure the bolt isn't bottoming out on the side of the Jr's bracket. If it is, you may have to grind down the bolt or buy a shorter one.

For anyone else who hasn't seen a set of Mega-Byte Jr's installed, the Jr's have a bracket that goes in between the axle and lower control arm. This changes the angle of the axle and helps reduce squat under acceleration. This bracket requires that you remove the bolt holding the lower shock mount on, and replace it with a longer bolt that goes through the shock mount and into the Jr's bracket.

 

[bayellowstang]

The problem is I can't get a open end wrench on the nut because it's so close to the bracket. Box end is no chance same with a socket.

I'm going to try to find a thin walled wrench or grind one so it fits in there. I have owned the car for 10 years and they were on there when I bought it. So everything is a little rusty and tight.

_____edit______

Got that ****** off. Forgot about the Craftsman extreme grip wrenches my dad bought me. Now I need to go get a new nut and bolt. The idiots that worked on this before I got it was even more half-assed then me. They cross-threaded the nut on the bolt then drove it on with impact I guess.