Replacing rear shocks? 'How to tighten the top nut?'

[carfifti4]

I am finally finding the time to do some needed maintenance on the 02. One of the items is replacing the rear shocks. Very simple? Just remove some nuts and the use of a floor jack and I am done. Well, here I am posting. I find that while tightening the top nut it spins the shock shaft. Does that make sense? The old worn out Blisteins had a flat side at the tip to allow the use of a second wrench to hold it in place while you tighten the nut. The new Blisteins don’t have the flat spot. Anyone have a trick they would like to share that would allow me to tighten the top shock nut without spinning the shaft?

BTW,

Maybe this should have been a separate tread. I entered ‘Rear Shocks’ in the search box and got back everything but shocks. I remember seeing a posting about how to better use the Forum Search feature. Can anyone point to it?

Vincent

[BillWilliams]

wrench into the top of the shock.

Mine did, inserted the allen wrench to hold the shock and used an offset closed end wrench to tighten everything up.

[cj]

The top of the shaft may have provisions for an allen wrench.

Cris

[carfifti4]

DAH!!!! There is allen wrech hole at the top. I am going to stand in the corner for a while.

Thanks.

[BillWilliams]

isn't this board great on car issues

[Guest Anonymous]

You have another FAR more user-friendly option...I use it religiously - on both BMWs and Porsches:

THROW THE NYLON LOCK NUTS IN THE TRASH and use TWO non-locking nuts on EACH shock. You can sufficiently tighten the lower one - then spin a second nut on as a "jam nut". Use two wrenches to cinch 'em.

The allen key thing works for a while - but every once in a while - it'll crack around the hex shaped hole....and then you're off to Sears for new tips for the Dremel tool.

Make sure car is weighted on the ground - and you're actually tightening the bushing using the threads - and not the bushing being deformed from the shock "hanging".

HTH!

Paul Wegweiser

[John_in_VA]

(nt)