chaadster

The week before last, my rear end started bobbing around. It was a gradual decay, so I was not surprised to suddenly find it unbearable.

A quick call to 928 Int'l had a new set of Boges on the way in no time. I had been satisfied with the stock shocks, so I couldn't see any reason for me to pony up for the Bilsteins or Konis.

Having read up on the procedure, and feeling somewhat comfy after doing a little suspension work on Camboinc's car, I got into the job yesterday. My only fears were the big, lower swingarm/shock mount bolt; I saw one get boogered up pretty good on Camboinc's car, and it took a couple of guys to get it removed. I'd also read about the process, and whether it was better to remove it from the rear or from the front of the car.

Bill Ball said he had success in removing both the fore and aft nuts, and pushing the pin forward. This seemed the most sensible approach if only because it saves a bit of work trying to get all of the suspension bits realigned for the reinstall.

MrMerlin thinks the pin should be totally removed and checked for trueness, which I didn't do, figurin' my tires wear pretty evenly and so alignment doesn't seem to be an issue. Hopefully that decision won't come back to haunt me!

Anyway, using an electric impact wrench and a 22mm socket, I was able to work off the nuts at both ends and get the pin pushed forward easily. That was it, basically, for the removal.

Thankfully, I have a friend who runs an auto repair shop, and he helped me swap the springs onto the new shocks. Pro tools made quick work of a job that would have been otherwise nearly impossible and incredibly frustrating.
My records indicate that the shocks were new in '99, so I guess that nine years aint too bad.

The reinstall was a bit of a PITA for getting the upper mounts aligned. Out of the goodness of her heart, my wife helped with that.

It's late, so I didn't get the car out for a test drive yet, but I'll get it out in the AM an report back.

I was only able to grab one pic before the batteries died on the cam, but it shows the pin pushed forward and the old Boge coilovers on the ground in the front.

Vilhuer

Reason you could push it forward is that you do not have brake shield installed. When its mounted it prevents pin from moving forward. To gain access to one of the mounting bolts I think drive shaft needs to be removed first.

bwoyat

I found it easier to not tighten the top nuts until you've wiggled the pin back in on the lower arm. I used my floor jack as support under the lower arm to get everything aligned and starting from the back worked the pin forward, slipping in the washers as I went along. I used some antiseize and with a little pushing, swearing, etc the pin eventually slides back in. Then I tightened all the nuts to their torque values. Not that difficult. Front's weren't too bad either, just takes time.

good luck

Brent

drnick

your pin seems to be in good shape. ive seen some that are badly corroded..

camboinc

chaad,
good job bro. once you have completed this task, it is much less daunting the next several times around. glad my car was there to practice on for you!

AO

Good Job Chaad! Hope it helps your ride!

Ispeed

If the forward nut comes off first, the large bolt can be pulled rearward and you can leave the brakes fully intact. It saves a lot of time.
I was able to do new Hypercoil springs all around in probably like 6 hours. You pick up a few shortcuts after doing suspension several times on my cars and others.

mark kibort

yes, leave the front nut in tact, and just pull the entire shaft out the rear. ive always done it that way, and nothing else needs to be removed. shocks just pop out.

mk

Bill Ball

The brake shield comes off w/o removing the drive shaft.

Bill Ball

Each to his own. I've found the other way far easier in terms of getting the pin back in. This is just my personal amateur preference after having done it several times both ways. If I were doing this as a professional, I would pull the entire pin from the rear for inspection, as Stan recommends.

Vilhuer

Right. I was thinking about brake disk. IIRR it needs to be removed before shield bolts are accessable. In GTS that can be pain as two small screws which hold disk in go also through 38mm spacer and are deep inside it.

IcemanG17

The rear brake shield is VERY easy to remove once the rotor is off...only 4 bolts....I did it when I refinished my rotors-shields last year......heres a pic

chaadster

Yeah, another +1 to my PO (previous owner) for slathering on the antiseize, though it might have been the guys at AutoEurope in Birmingham, MI who put in new shocks back in '99. Anyway, I had a pretty conscientious PO, and I'm thankful for that!

chaadster

Drive impressions w/ new rear shocks: Very nice!

It wasn't riding all that badly for but a few days, but the improvement is marked, and the car feels much more controlled and stable.

I'm thinking that I should throw in some new front shocks this winter, just to get that feelin' back. I really wanna do the intake R&R, however, and address the WOT switch non-com issue and the hall sender fault. Those will be job #1 this winter.

Which reminds me...I can probably get a good deal on a kerosene heater this time of year, no?!