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I have been looking around at Youtube, etc., to find a fairly complete procedure for replacing the rear shocks on my 1995 solid axle Volvo 944.
I found one that implied that I could take out two bolts, one behind a grommet at the top of the shock and one that is exposed at the bottom of the shock and that that was all there was to it. The video did not show the mechanic actually removing the old shock and placing the new shock in its place and that has me worried a little.
I know the shocks are due for replacement--a reliable mechanic told me that. And there is a clunk coming from the left rear that could come from the shock [or elsewhere for that matter but I will start where I know I have a problem].
Is replacement of the shocks that simple? Or is there something else I should be aware of.
Bob
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This is a job for professionals. It took me two days to get the left shock off and three to get the right shock off. A professional would have taken about an hour I expect.
The problem is with the lower shock bolt. It rusts and fuses to the shock absorber's sleeve and when the bolt is turned it tears the sleeve away from the shock.
This leaves you with the bolt still held tightly by the sleeve of the shock.
The sleeve cannot be driven out. Nor can the bolt because it is fused to the sleeve.
On reflection it might have been a good idea to try and grip the sleeve with vice grips BEFORE trying to turn the bolt.
My old shocks came with two rubber discs on each side of the shock. Apparently this is not always the case. Regardless, these two rubber grommets can be cut away and the ears of the sleeve are then exposed.
The ears are about a quarter of an inch in width on each side so the vice grips will have to have fairly thin jaws.
By setting the vice grips in a place where they cannot turn it might be possible to break the bolt loose from the sleeve by simply turning the 17mm bolt head. Be prepared for major gronching however. A large breaker bar and extension will probably be required. If the sleeve breaks away from the shock however, then none of this preparation will be of any use.
Cutting the bolt with a grinder is probably the best option at this point. A small grinder is preferable because the space for grinding is limited. I did some damage to the support bracket because my grinder head was too large.
I think Spook cut off the head of the bolt. This might be preferable because there would be less chance of damaging the support bracket.
I was unable to turn off the nut on the driver's side shock and I ended up cutting it off. This was not really necessary once I came to the conclusion that I needed to cut the bolt to get everything out.
It is a simple job if you have the tools. If you don't, take it to a shop. It will be the best sixty bucks you ever laid out on a car repair.
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Easy job. Use the non-nivomat instructions as listed in one of the posts with the Precautions as listed in the FAQ. Did I mention precautions?
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About clunking..
Check those upper and lower rear shock bolts are tight. Torque setting is 63 ft lb. Can't say I trust every mechanic as they have business to conduct. Confirm by yourself. The rubber bunk cover for the upper bolt is easily removed without jacking up the car (unless your rear springs are worn).
If you do replace the shocks, support the rear lower arms first with some kind of jack. Otherwise the arms would fall down freely due to spring expansion.
Regards,
Amarin.
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The mechanic reported that one of the shocks was leaking so I expect they both require replacing. But thanks for your cautionary note.
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If it clunks going over bumps, it could mean the shock piston is banging or one of the shock mounts is toast. Or even a loose bolt as Amarin suggested.
If a shock is leaking and clunking both, it is definitely time to replace both of your rear shocks...:)
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Here you go...
https://www.brickboard.com/FAQ/700-900/RearSuspension.htm#RearShockInstallation
Never done one but, it sounds straightforward.
Clunking is probably a bad shock piston moving around. Could also be a totally worn out shock mount or one of the suspension bushings. Does it "clunk" going over bumps or under acceleration?
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Follow the FAQ write up.
If you have any issues it will be with the lower shock bolt. It seizes to the metal sleeve inside the shock. In addition to penetrating spray, I have had good luck gripping the sleeve with a pair of vise grips. This allows the bond to break between the bolt and the sleeve inside the shock.
--
Paul NW Indiana '89 744 Turbo 180K/ '90 745 turbo 145K
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I finally had a go around with the shock and received a shock.
After a prolonged battle I got the nut off.
I have been unable to get the bolt out despite much penetrating oil, pounding on the re-installed nut, turning the bolt, etc. I just have not been able to get the bolt to move. It turns but will not move in or out.
When you speak of gripping the 'sleeve', are you gripping it from below the car or are you gripping it from above the bolt. Exactly how would I grip the sleeve? I am unsure of exactly what you mean by the sleeve and would appreciate your input very much.
bob
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Dear muskox37,
Hope you're well. I, too, met with a lower shock bolt that would not budge.
As replacement lower shock bolts (#982849) are about $10, I decided to sacrifice the bolt.
Using a reciprocating saw, I cut through the shock absorber's steel tube, through which the bolt passes. I made the cut beside the shock absorber's rubber grommet. After I cut one side, I was able to push-out the bolt stub.
To the new bolt, I applied a nickel-based anti-seize, to avoid again having to sacrifice the lower shock bolt.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hi Spook,
I think I know the answer to the question, but did you cut through the bolt as well as the shock absorber's sleeve? Or were you able to get enough cut away from the sleeve to allow the bolt to be pushed out whole?
I had to cut away the nut because I could not get it to turn at all so I am left with a small stub of the bolt extending from the frame holder.
I now have about a half inch of the sleeve exposed and I tried my trick of gripping the sleeve and turning the bolt head but I cannot get the vice grips to hold fast enough to prevent the sleeve turning when I apply torque to the bolt head.
I have found the seam on the sleeve and have enlarged it somewhat but it is still stuck fast to the bolt at this point.
I will try to borrow or rent a reciprocating saw to follow your technique.
Quite a battle for a two bolt piece of machinery!
muskox37
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posted by
someone claiming to be Spook
on
Tue May 9 08:08 CST 2017 [ RELATED]
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Dear Muskox37,
Hope you're well. From the outset, I was willing to sacrifice a shock bolt - a $7 item - if I could not move it with a hammer and a drift.
The passenger-side bolt came out smoothly. The driver-side bolt would not budge.
I used a recip saw to cut through the shock's ear and the bolt. The cut-end of the bolt and nut fell off. Happily, I was then able to bang-out the bolt stub, so freeing the shock. Had the bolt still not moved, I'd have cut through the other shock ear, so freeing the shock.
A recip saw makes short work of this task, when the shock does not need to be saved.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hello Spook,
Okay, that is what I figured you might have done. Just wanted to confirm. I don't have a reciprocating saw so I borrowed a grinder from a friend and managed to cut through the bolt and sleeve with it. I did some small damage to the support bracket by inadvertently hitting it with the grinder but I don't think it has been fatally weakened.
In my case I moved the shock from one side to the other with the help of a crowbar and this gave me space for the grinder wheel.
Like you I was able to drive out the remnants of the bolt. Now I am going to resume the job at hand, i.e., to install a new shock absorber!
I bought a replacement bolt from a local supplier but I plan to replace it with an authentic Volvo bolt a bit later on.
I will definitely have a reciprocating saw in the tool shed if I try this job again.
Thanks again for your valued input.
Muskox37
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posted by
someone claiming to be Spook
on
Tue May 9 12:43 CST 2017 [ RELATED]
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Dear Muskox37,
Hnope you're well. Most 4", 4-1/2", and 7" angle-grinders will accept a cutting wheel that is 1/16" or 1/8" thick, versus the standard 1/4"-thick wheel. The thinner wheel - applied to the shock's hear from below - will cut the ear and the bolt without touching the trailing arm.
The advantage of the recip saw - electrical or air-powered - is that steel-cutting blades are no more than 3/32" thick, so will fit easily into the available space.
The shock bolts need to be a high-grade steel, i.e. Grade 5. Grade 8 is best.
I presume that the Volvo-supplied shock bolts are Grade 8 or better.
Further, a non-Volvo bolt may not fit precisely, as to diameter. That matters: even a slightly-undersized bolt will allow the shock to shift. Every time the wheel hits a bump, the side of the bolt bangs into the surrounding steel of the trailing arm. Over time, the holes in the trailing arm will go "out-of-round". It will then be impossible properly to secure the shock. In short, get a Volvo supplied-lower shock bolt ASAP.
Coat the bolt's shaft and the threads with a nickel-based anti-seize. This will ease bolt removal next time round.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hi Spook,
A reciprocating saw would not shower sparks everywhere as well. Definitely a better tool for the job.
I got a replacement bolt from a jobber for less than two dollars [compared to the twenty I will have to give to Volvo for a bolt and nut and to ship it here].
I take your point about creating an out-of-round problem with the shock over time so I will change the bolts over when the Volvo one arrives.
It will definitely be smeared with anti-seize compound as per your directions.
Thanks again for you input. Much appreciated.
Be nice to get the 940 on the road again.
muskox37
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Hi Spook,
Nice to see you are still helping out with the 940s, etc.
I finally got the bolt unstuck from the shock absorber's sleeve by cutting the rubber grommets away and turning the bolt [which also turned the sleeve, of course] and as I did that the shock absorber moved to one side of the mounting flange. This exposed more of the sleeve on one side of the shock absorber.
I could then connect my big vice grip pliers to the rusty exterior exposed part of the sleeve.
Doused everything with PB Blaster once again.
Turned the 17mm bolt and it came free from the sleeve when the vice grips contacted a part of the frame and stopped the sleeve from turning.
The bolt was still very stiff but it would move with some pounding on the end of the bolt [which was protected by my putting the nut on loosely].
I bought a new nut but was actually able to use the original after I doctored it a little with some filing.
I finally used the vice grips to pull the bolt away. I didn't like the idea of being under the car when the bolt pulled free of the shock absorber. Turned out my fears were unwarranted because there was little movement when the two parted company.
When I came to the install I had to use a grinder to shorten the 'ears' of the absorber at the upper end because the bracket had been squeezed in over the years by the torque required for the bolt. I also used a bottle jack to push the absorber up into place so that I could shove the bolt into position. So I had the floor jack holding the axle in place, the jackstand was stationed at the jacking point, and the bottle jack just pushed the absorber up slightly.
I am putting it together without the rubber grommets at the bottom end because I sacrificed them to get the shock absorber out. Hope this is kosher.
Everybody here has been really helpful. I almost gave up at one point but after rereading the posts I took courage and continued the job to its rightful finish. Thanks to all and I hope my experience will help anybody else trying this job on.
Bob
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Dear muskox37,
Hope you're well. I do not understand your statement, "I am putting it together without the rubber grommets at the bottom end because I sacrificed them to get the shock absorber out."
At each end of the shock absorber, a rubber grommet surrounds the steel tube, through which passes a shock absorber mounting bolt. Removal of those grommets - part of the shock absorber and so factory-installed by the shock-maker - makes the shock "junk".
To what grommet do you refer? The diagram in Volvo VADIS - a superseded dealer parts/service database - shows no separate grommet at either end of the shock absorber. The shock absorber bolt goes through holes in the steel support arm.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hi Spook,
I am not talking about the factory-installed rubber grommet that comes with the shock absorber.
What I am talking about is a pair of rubber doughnuts that are about a quarter inch wide and that are mounted on each side of the shock absorber ends. So the bolt passes through the support arm, through this special grommet, through the shock absorber, through another special grommet, and then passes out through the other side of the support arm. This is also the case for the upper bolt.
I would guess that they were installed to prevent the shock absorber contacting the support arm sides and causing a rattle or thunk. The old shock absorbers are original Volvo equipment and who knows how old they are.
The fact they are not shown on the VADIS diagram is good to know, i.e., they are not essential.
These grommets are about an inch in diameter, about a quarter inch wide, and have a hole in the centre that takes the bolt. Happy to hear you have never heard of them.
Bob
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Dear Muskox37,
Hope you're well. Thank you, for the detailed descriptions: most helpful.
The grommets you described are not present on KYB KG5565 shocks, as an example
Their inclusion on the shocks you installed - likely meant as a kindness - bespeaks disregard for Volvo's engineers. If Volvo engineers had wanted such grommets to be present, they'd have allowed room for them. As long as the shock bolt is properly torqued, there should be no movement.
Hope this helps.
Yours faithfully,
Spook
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Hello again Spook,
I didn't make myself completely clear. The four grommets I have been describing were already installed with the original shock absorbers which are identified as Volvo branded shocks.
The shocks I am installing are Monroe branded and do not have these grommets as part of the package. Upon reflection it would make sense that if these grommets were essential, Monroe would have provided them in their kit.
I pared the grommets down in width to fit them to the sides of the new shocks [because of the decreased width of the support brackets] but it is probably not essential to have them there. Won't hurt either, however.
Once again, thanks for your valued input.
muskox37
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The metal "sleeve" has rusted to the bolt and is preventing it from being pushed out.
The sleeve is rolled from flat steel so there is a seam where the two edges come together. You need to get a chisel on the end of that seam and force the sleeve open enough to get some penetrating fluid in there so the impact you are applying to the bolt will allow it to slip free.
As crazy as it sounds I have had good luck getting at the seam in the sleeve after using a torch to burn away the rubber that surrounds the sleeve. With the rubber gone you can see the sleeve and you gain about 1/2" of room on each side of the bottom of the shock (the shock can then be moved left and right at the bottom exposing most of the length of the sleeve. That will give you enough room to rotate the bolt to a good position to place the chisel directly on the seam. A few good hammer strokes and the sleeve is going begin to open up enough to break the bond of rust between the sleeve and the bolt.
As was mentioned a good coating of antisieze will make the job easier "next time"
Good luck,
Randy
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Hi Randy,
I finally got the bolt unstuck from the shock absorber's sleeve by cutting the rubber grommets away and turning the bolt [which also turned the sleeve, of course] and as I did that the shock absorber moved to one side of the mounting flange. This exposed more of the sleeve on one side of the shock absorber.
I could then connect my big vice grip pliers to the rusty exterior exposed part of the sleeve.
Doused everything with PB Blaster once again.
Turned the 17mm bolt and it came free from the sleeve when the vice grips contacted a part of the frame and stopped the sleeve from turning.
The bolt was still very stiff but it would move with some pounding on the end of the bolt [which was protected by my putting the nut on loosely].
I bought a new nut but was actually able to use the original after I doctored it a little with some filing.
I finally used the vice grips to pull the bolt away. I didn't like the idea of being under the car when the bolt pulled free of the shock absorber. Turned out my fears were unwarranted because there was little movement when the two parted company.
When I came to the install I had to use a grinder to shorten the 'ears' of the absorber at the upper end because the bracket had been squeezed in over the years by the torque required for the bolt. I also used a bottle jack to push the absorber up into place so that I could shove the bolt into position. So I had the floor jack holding the axle in place, the jackstand was stationed at the jacking point, and the bottle jack just pushed the absorber up slightly.
Everybody here has been really helpful. I almost gave up at one point but after rereading the posts I took courage and continued the job to its rightful finish. Thanks to all and I hope my experience will help anybody else trying this job on.
Bob
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It's pretty simple. I'd use some penetrating oil when you take it all apart. Antiseize on the reinstall. An alignment tool or big Phillips screwdriver is helpful for keeping the spacer sleeve aligned when reinstalling the lower bolt. Do one side at a time. You might need a hammer and a drift to knock the lower bolt out.
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