Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too long?

[coolspot007007]

I've looked at a few of of the guides on here but once the spring and shock have been assembled and donut is on etc. should I be able to just put the shock up into the turret, top mount on (loose) to hold it in place and then bolt up? I can't even get the bottom hole of the strut to line up with the top hub hole am I missing something? I can't compress the strut/get the hub low enough for them both to line up. Do I need to compress the shock with a jack to line it up?

 

[DrR]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Are you only jacking up one side of the car? Need to have both wheel off the ground when doing it, as the ARB pushes the wheel up thats off the ground, making it seam the shock is to long.

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

No car is on axle stands both sides.

 

[DrR]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Just life the hub up, should move about loads? Have to be careful the driveshaft doesn't come out to.

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

There doesn't seem enough travel on the hub to get them to mate up. Pushing it as far as possible down it still seems about an inch too high.

 

[DrR]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Really don't know what to say, i've done it 4 times on my 1*2s over the years and was easy, and i'd never changed suspension on any car before.

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Here's my problem

 

[Dblock]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

you need 2 people mate. one person pushes down on the wishbone(i think) and the other pulls it. Have the nut ready to go in then hammer it in. Thats the way I did it. Needs a fair bit of force to go back in.

 

[Curtis!]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

And you have all the top mount in the right way and up through the hole?

Either way, jack handle or breaker bar in the wishbone will get it down!

 

[montana]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

get some weight on the hub eg your bodyweight ! it takes a bit of force to get it in position , get a mate to help if you can , they will be able to slot in in when low enough

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Will try a bar on the hub later, or get a mate round at the weekend if I still can't do it.

 

[Emma.]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

I had this problem getting mine back together. You need a bit of leverage under the shock. We just used a bar lifted it up a little, hammered a bolt in, hey presto.

 

[Fred@BTM]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

lever the lower arm down, simples

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Got it sorted but both inner driveshafts popped out with how low I had to take the hubs. Passenger side went back in no problem but drivers side was completely separated. How much of an issue is this? A quick look in the haynes suggests I need pin for the drivers side at the very least but it's not looking too clever at the moment just pushed back in place.

 

[Fred@BTM]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

they dont have pinned shafts

 

[coolspot007007]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Course they don't, haynes book of lies FTL. Assumed it might be the same for the 172 :dapprove: Anything I need to do with them then?

 

[marcushookdale]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

if your on your own, undo the 2 bolts on the ball joint, on ur wish bone, undo the track rod end, then bolt shock to hub, then put ball joint bolts back, and track rod end,
i put some bearings in the hub , at the weekend for a mate, and put it all back together , with no probs, and i aint no mastermind round a car, but basics i'll have ago,

 

[marcushookdale]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

just make sure your drive shafts are pushed in thats all,

 

[jack_davey]

Re: Fitting shocks, should I be able to put the shock in and bolt up hub, seems too l

Just use a prybar to pull the wishbone down, and then slide the bolt in with your other hand...simple!