Rear Shock Top Nuts

[2002#3]

1974 tii...

 

Clunk in the rear when hitting bumps.  RR shock was loose.  Nut and shaft could be made to go up and down when the car is bounced manually.  However, LR shock nut is screwed the same "distance" (as the R nut) onto its shaft and its shock is tight and secure.  Tightened RR shock nut per Service Manual ("under normal load").  Fixed.  Clunk seems to be NLA.

This situation prompts me to ask you...

How tight or far down or to what degree should the nuts on the tops of the rear shocks be turned?  My guess:  Nicely snug.

 

When I installed the shocks originally, I think I tightened them when the car was not "under normal load", i.e., while on stands.  My guess...not a good idea.  

This situation prompted me to ask you...

Should one read the Service Manual before or after working on a car?  

 

Thanks, gang.

 

Larry

[M2M3M3]

sounds like your RSM's are toast.

 

RTFM?  what for?

[2002#3]

RSMs are new OEM.  

I'm with you, M.  Why start now?

[irdave]

Yeah, just good and snug against each other once the lower one is down.

 

On that stuff (round and no real way to snug it down), if I'm worried, I whack it with the impact a little bit just to make me feel better.

 

There's a manual?

[Mike Self]

I had the same problem--a clunk coming from somewhere aft of the driver's position, so I had a friend drive the car--slowly--over a rough section of street in my plat while I sat in the trunk--it became very evident that the clunk was a loose upper shock mount, just like yours.  

 

IIRC the manual (either factory or Bilstein instructions) said to tighten the upper mount nut "until the rubber grommet bulges slightly."  And don't those mounts have a second lock nut to keep the primary one from working loose?  But I suspect that as the rubber grommets age, they compress, leading to looseness and clunking...

 

mike 

[2002#3]

irdave and Mike,

 

Thanks.  Just as I thought:  tight to the point of a little grommet bulge, and good to go.  Worked for me.

 

Yep, there is a service manual.  Imagine that.  Who knew?  Now, it's just one more thing to clutter my garage shelves and get in the way...

 

Larry