The Stovebolt Site Forums The Parking Lot Panels 'N Burbs Rear Shock Absorber Removal

Hi Burb Owners,

Does anyone have good hints or tips on removing the rear shocks on a 51 Suburban? I fear that the top nuts are rusted on with age (the nuts on the front shocks could not be persuaded with penetrating oil or even heat and had to be cut off). Obviously I can't apply heat so close to the wooden floor. I can probably spray some PB Blaster or Kroil Oil up there, but it's an incredibly tight space there and difficult even to get a wrench on it--and I'm not sure I can get enough leverage on the wrench.

I have a compact metal cutting sawzall, and I can get the blade on the nut, but I'm not sure I can get enough range of motion to be able to saw through the entire thing.

Before trying and dinging up the nut, etc., I thought I'd look for some guidance.

Any advice or tips will be greatly appreciated--thanks!

Jim

Two options:
1. Place metal shield to protect wood after wetting wood.
2. Cut and cut and "pie cut" nut with saw and use hammer and chisel or air chisel to complete. After slicing nut a few places, maybe spray penetrant into slots and use socket again. Wish I had a few pics of the nut and area.

I assume by "heat" you don't mean cutting torch, just a torch. Just a torch is less likely to burn wood that has a shield. Bend and shape the shield to fit. Air gap between shield and wood is good.

How about a nut splitter? Nut splitter
Not sure how close the wood floor is though. If it's even a couple inches away, a sheet metal shield would protect it from a cutting torch. The higher heat (and quicker than a propane torch) is going to keep the wood from getting scorched if there's a sheet metal shield between. I have cut nuts off bolts with an OA cutting torch and was able to reuse the bolt if done correctly.

What I meant about using a torch, not cutting torch, is both are OA. Just different adjustment. Was not speaking about propane. I thought he may be cutting with a torch and was worried about "heat" from that.

Yes, a welding tip on an OA torch would be better than propane. The concentration of heat in a small area is better than a wider flame of a propane torch. I'm sure you know you can't cut with a welding tip.

I've watched guys cutting, will heat up the metal first. Then adjust valves and pull the lever to cut. No tip change.

How about a vibrating saw with a metal blade? I have had very good luck in tight areas with that tool.

I suppose that's possible, but there's no lever to pull on a welding tip.

Thanks to all for your replies.

I have a nut-splitter, but I'm pretty sure the restricted space will not allow me to get it up in there (the space is a couple inches from the floor and sandwiched between the frame and the inner wheel well--so barely enough space to get any sort of tool up there (what were the engineers thinking?); and then operating by lying on your back and reaching up through the maze makes it even more difficult).

I also have a vibrating saw with a metal blade, and I can get the blade on the nut and/or bolt, but not sure I can get range of motion to get through it all--it would probably be difficult/impossible to get a chisel/hammer or air chisel in there.

I also have an OA torch and have cut off many a nut and bolt; it may be possible to get the torch up there for applying heat, but cutting the nut without the hot metal falling on me positioned below would really be tricky. Fabricating a sheet metal shield with water applied to the wood and heating up the nut may be the best solution.

There is no rush on my end to get this done immediately, so I think I'll ruminate a bit more on it before diving in. Perhaps there are other Bolters out there who have performed this operation with the body of the suburban still on the frame--anyone who has replaced rear shocks on a 47-53 suburban must have dealt with removing the top nuts on the shocks.

Thanks,

Jim

I don't know how the top of your shocks are fastened but working in garages in my young days I would see them tighten the nut with an air gun and snap it off. It was a very quick method of removal.

I'm not sure if you have already tried this, but, have you already removed the lower nut? If so, will the body of the shock movement (after the lower nut is removed) allow the upper nut to shift and/or loosen?

When we run into a "no room" situation like this we plasma cut the shock dirt shield and then split it so the rod is exposed. Then the rod is cut and a hex nut welded to it so the rod turns in the nut rather than the nut on the rod. You say you have doubts on the nut condition so could you heat and bend a SIX point box end wrench to fit onto nut? Just another option which may or may not work for you.

Thanks for these very helpful ideas. I haven't loosened the lower nut yet, so not sure whether that would help to maneuver the top bolt/nut . I like the idea of snapping it off, if I can get an air tool up in there. I hadn't thought of the plasma cut idea--I have a small plasma cutter, so this might be worth a try. I have the old front shocks lying in a junk pile--I may practice on one of those before trying anything on the truck. In any event, it's still really cold in MN (it snowed yesterday!), so I will be waiting on this for much more comfortable working conditions.

Thanks again!

Jim

If you could get a pair of vice grips (assuming the nut is rounded) on the nut, with the lower mount loose, you could turn the body of the shock to tighten it and break the mounting stud off. If the nut is OK, and as Evan said, you could get a 6point box wrench on there, you could do the same thing.

Just cut off/grind off the heads (or upset end) of the rivets holding the upper shock bracket, knock/press them out and release bracket from the frame. Then you are home free. Bolt it back on. Piece of cake. Easy as pie.
You can slice thru the rod of the shock and remove shock if it helps access. Cut the rod or the outer tube to get to the rod. Drill a hole in bottom to be safe. You won't be cutting the inner piston tube. If bottom of shock is off, there is no energy in shock. No energy in a standard non-air, non overload shock anyway.
Also if you go APE SHIP CRAZY on the bracket, they are available New

Removing the upper bracket to get the shock replaced is just a tad bit drastic, but would work. I'd reserve that until all other attempts failed.

The advantage is:
1. It probably will work.
2. Nothing else has worked.
3. I've removed plenty o'rivet. Not a big deal.
4. Getting the bracket to the bench will enable getting the nut off without damage to stud or threads or whatever.
5. I don't have a clear idea of the working space. I've looked at chassis on the internet as best I can. Sounds like if he ever gets it off, a new fight begins to install new stud/shock. I guess asking for pics was too much to ask for. Even as an engineer who made a career out of fixing problems, If I can't see it, I have to do my best to keep coming up with suggestions.
They can be ridiculed, dismissed, doubted....or they can be tried.
I will leave this to be determined by paranormal activity.

I don't think he's tried everything else yet. Last report was he was waiting for warmer weather.
No report of success or failure yet.
I agree that removing rivets isn't hard, but if it can be avoided, isn't that the best approach?

My impression was that the shock was going to be trashed anyway. Putting a new one on won't be impacted by rusty fasteners.

You both have points. Let's move on.

UPDATE: The weather turned nice this weekend, so I decided to give the shocks a try. I employed several of the suggestions that were offered. Once the wheel was removed and I got a light up in there, I could see that the threads of the shock bolt didn't look too bad, so I wire-brushed them and soaked them with PB Blaster, then I fabricated a sheet metal shield and was able to get it behind the bolt to protect the bed wood. I heated the nut and bolt, but it was still a bit precarious, even with the shield. I was able to get a short 9/16 box end wrench on the nut; unfortunately, when I tried to turn it, the entire upper dust jacket of the shock turned with it. Luckily I was able to jam the box end wrench against the side of the inner wheel well, and I began to turn the dust jacket with a good sized pipe wrench. This method seemed to be working, but the fine threads on the bolt made it slow going. In addition, the pipe wrench was taking its toll on the dust jacket. I kept at it and it kept turning. Finally, I was no longer able to get a bite on the jacket with the pipe wrench. I then switched to a very large channel locks, and continued to turn. The nut stopped moving, but fortunately after several more turns, the bolt snapped off and the top of the shock was free. I had determined that if I couldn't continue to turn the shock with the channel locks, I would cut back the dust jacket to get at the lower part of the bolt; luckily it snapped before that point.

Concerning the suggestion of grinding off the rivets to remove the shock mount, some previous owner of this old truck already had that idea--the shock mount was fastened by nuts and bolts, so a PO obviously used that method to replace the shocks at some point. However, I was working on the passenger side shock and unfortunately I could not get at the bolts and nuts because the gas tank is mounted there, right up against the frame, and in order for me to remove the nuts and bolts of the shock mount, I would have had to remove the gas tank to get to the other side of the frame rail (and dropping the tank and replacing it is not a simple procedure--I know because I replaced the tank a while back). I only had time to get the one side off, so I'm not sure how it will go with the other side; but having done one successfully, I'm confident I can get if off one way or another.

Thanks to all who contributed suggestions--I felt more confident tackling the job, having several plans of attack in case of running into problems.

Jim

Very impressed with your effort, knowledge, determination and skills.
Thanks for keeping us up to date on progress and what finally works for removal and install.
Good job Jim.

Wew hew, congrats!!

I remember when I first started working on cars, I was going to need to open up a 350 in a 1969 Pontiac LeMans to rebuild it. I am trying to remember what component it was, but the bolt holding it on was seized into the block. I didn't have all of the cool tech tools that you guys have today, no plasma cutter, no blah blah blah. I also had no internet! I just had to keep at it and keep trying different ways.

I did finally get the part off, I think it ended up taking 3 months it required cutting the part in order to expose the problem bolt (I want to say it was the water pump). At any rate, my point is, every car project teaches you 10 different ways to do one task. I'm glad one worked for you!!

Jim B.