Rear Shock Fiatsco

[dulcimerbob]

I got some new shocks for the Titanic ( my 76) and happily went to work on installation this AM . Started on the rear. Got the top nuts with no problem . Then I saw the monsters , the bottom bolt nut combination that goes thru the eye of the shock. Only accesible with an open end wrench and rusted beyond regognition. No problem says I PB Blast. No way. Wd 40 Ha! Propane torch nope. I have finally decided that the only way out of this is to cut the nut and /or bolt off and replace it with a new one. Before I start die grinding or air chiseling are there any suggestions for alternatives? I thought of selling the car but that's a bit rash at this point and I refuse to give up witout a fight. I haven't even looked at the front ones yet . I'm glad I don't have close neighbors or I'd be in jail for disturbing the peace.

Thanks

[mdrburchette]

If heat doesnt do it a die grinder will! I just had to remove the shocks to replace the rear springs on my Lemons racer and had a fit trying to get one bolt through the shock. I had enough room to use a socket on the nut and bolt head. If you can get a socket and ratchet in there you might be able to get some leverage to break that nut free.

[dulcimerbob]

Did you use a flexible socket ? The design is such that even a box end wrench wont fit in the space. Maybe your car has different shock mounting method. Thanks for the reply.

[2ndwind]

Do you have room to use a nut splitter? Faster than a die grinder.
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200396173
http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... 4573_34573

[dulcimerbob]

Nope. The worst design I ever saw absolutly no room for harrdly anything other than an open end wrench, a knuclebuster from way back. I donated blood a few times yesterday. I'm going to try the fronts today . Maybe worse haven't looked . Thanks

[mdrburchette]

What's in the way? There's plenty of room between the shock mount and the brake shield. If I can find my camera, I'll take a pic of mine. Maybe there's a design change somewhere...but I'm working on a 78 so I wouldn't think so.

[mdrburchette]

Okay, here's a pic:


What I did was support the car on jackstands so the rear end can drop. I used a floor jack to support the rearend while I unbolted the top shock mounts. I then lowered the rearend and moved the springs up the shock so I could acess the mounting bolt on the bottom. I was able to use a socket on the bolt and on the nut to keep the whole thing from turning. Did this help any? In the pic, the spring is in the way, but once the top mounting nuts are removed and the shock is able to slide down, I had plenty of room. One thing I did run into was when I tried reinstalling the lower shock bolt, I had to use the jack on the right side of the car to get the angle just right for the bolt to feed through everything. That's what held me up yesterday.

[Luddite]

That's what I did too once you release the brake compensator, the rear end drops so low that the springs flop right out. 3 seconds with an impact wrench and the loser bolts were home free.

[dulcimerbob]

Thanks , seems I just haven't moved the spring far enough. However the pics show a lot less rust than Titanic has. Today I started on the front shocks which have the bolt easy to get to . Still had to cut the bolt off used impact tool, PB Blaster still had to cut. I have a rusty mess under my car.

[mdrburchette]

That must be the only part of the one and only pic of my car that isn't completely rusted. We just had to create a place for the right trailing arm to attach to. The front and rear floorboard was completely gone and the trailing arm was just holding on by a thread.

[dulcimerbob]

Thanks for all the support. I managed to get one front shock on yesterday and soaked the other front bolt with PB and left it overnight. About to go back to the wars and hopefully get it all done today front and rear. Thanks again.

Bob

[dulcimerbob]

I got both front shocks on and started on the backs again and found the source of my misery. The drivers side lower shock attachement point has a small rusty crack which has caused the mount to be pulled up forming a cupped area deep enough to keep a socket from fitting the nut. That will have to be adressed before shocks. Solid metal on all sides so I am off to a repair shop next week for massaging the metal back into place and welding. Thanks for all the help.

[mdrburchette]

Thanks for the update.

[dulcimerbob]

OK , I mentioned in an earlier post that my shock mount had a crack in it and had dropped slightly maybe 1/8 " so the bolt was inaccessable . Any ideas on raising the area back up and stabilizing it ? Nobody really wants to fool with this rusty little car in the local shops so I must handle it . I can weld and have few large hammers. No lift , just jackstands. All help appreciated.

[spiderrey]

can it be removed and replaced, not sure what part your talking about.