tires and wheels Rear shock replacement problem

[spikemcl]

Ok let's say I am not a mechanic.

so I put the car on a lift and replaced the rear springs and shocks. I used the lowering springs (1.5) inches from Ireland. after driving around for a month (not daily) I noticed my rear wheels look funny and I think i did something wrong. I notice that the bolts for the springs stick up too much in the trunk. and the wheels are knock-kneed if you look from behind (hard to see in the pics but clearer from a distance.

what did I forget or not do when I replaced them? do the shocks have an upper washer and a lower washer that need to be enclosed with nuts?

thanks

[John_in_VA]

It's called negative camber.

[M3M3]

but that nut is way too loose on the top of the shock. it should be tight against the washer. you assembled some thing wrong.

but if you lower the car, you will gets lots of negative camber..wheels angled in.

[AlanM]

Lowering an independant rear suspension car will induce some negative camber, which is a good thing in the amount you have. This can be adjusted out with camber pins to a degree, and also adjust the rear tow in/out.

It looks like you did not put the washer and rubber on top of the shock before putting it up into place. Must make the rear bounce around a lot. The damper would not work properly in this case.

[BillWilliams]

Crank that nut down. There may be a allen fitting in the top of the shock bolt.

If you have racheting wrenches, slide one down over the nut, hold the top of the shock with an allen wrench and crank it down.

Lowering the car causes the wheels to splay out. (As said, negative camber)

[spikemcl]

Alan you are right, i thought that rubber thing was to try to replace the one which holds the shock rod thing in place within the car body. I will put that thing in tomorrow. tell me though, the washer goes on the shock rod first, then the rubber thing or the rubber thing then the washer... am I supposed to put a nut on it too?

you are right it does move a bit on a couple bumps...

thanks

[c.d.iesel]

the shock not installed correctly is one issue

but you also seem puzzled about the negative

CAMBER angle of the rear wheels? which for street use is

extreme. Your SPRINGS control ride height which effects

the rear camber - not the shocks. So you have an

issue maybe with the spring or spring pad.

most likely your missing the large washer that

is under the body, which sits on a clip on the shock rod.

That's why your threaded rod has come up out

of the mounting hole so far. A washer below the rubber

and a washer on top. Maybe your missing the C ring

on the rod so the rod just presses up past the lower washer?

[BillWilliams]

[c.d.iesel]

well now Bill - you might be confuzzing the issue

with this photo. Your lower washers are BELOW

the locating C-rings. That would cause the same

condition that we're trying to correct.

They should be ABOVE the tiny C-rings

The Lower washer usually has a grove machined

on the bottom side which the C-ring locates into. . . . . .

[BillWilliams]

Then I need to check that.....

[jgerock]

Since you have lowering springs and shocks that have a built-in bump stop,

you'll need to remove the stock rubber bump stop (if not already removed).

I didn't remove mine at first but then removed it after some FAQr's told me.

Here are the parts for each HD shock...not sure if Sports are the same. Install the rubber bushing in the shock tower, then add the metal sleeve. One washer installs from below, one above.

[BillWilliams]

Jim, did yours have that C-clip Uncle CD talks about?

I debating about pulling mine off and see if they do. I the photo I posted above, I am not sure how that bottom washer got to where it is if there is a C-clip on the shock

[c.d.iesel]

(nt)

[rctid]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it a trade-off? Increasing offset and tire size will, as you note, change your scrub radius and lose steering balance / feel. But you also gain traction through a larger contact patch and reduced roll from stiffer tires. Obviously there is a limit to the trade-off, and the intended use of the car dictates where you want to be in that range, but the "horrors" of plus-size tires aren't wholly unmitigated. Not to mention they look much better than the stock steelies.

[cj]

The bit of rubber on the shock shaft is not a bump stop. It prevents the foot valve in the shock from bottoming. To add, the shock tower is not designed to take load. Even if it's occasional due to bottoming out. It would be a bad idea to remove the stock bumpstop.