How do you torque down the top nut on the rear shock absorber?

[JonT]

Its got the inner stem that must be held while the nut is turned so its impossible to get a torque wrench over it. Whats the trick? I think my manual says 18 ft/lbs.

[greglepore]

I don't believe this is a critical torque-18 ft lbs is firm, but not "tight".

[mmastro]

On mine I used a nylock nut. There is a 8 or 9 mm slot on top of the shaft so you can hold the shaft with an open end wrench while you tighten the shock nut underneath it. You can't torque it but you can get it tight enough.

[john walker's workshop]

there are a lot of things that are not practical to put a torque wrench to. you just have to learn what's tight, by hand.

[Jared at Pelican Parts]

I agree that the top nut torque isnt critical, just make sure it's tight, not tight-tight.

I'd have a friend use a small non-marring pipe wrench on the shock rod from underneath while you tighten the nut above. that is of course if you cant get a socket on the top of the rod...

[stevef]

I added a torque stripe. Doesn't cost anything, everytime I open the front lid I see both stripes and know I am ok

[Jeff Alton]

The rod on mine has a nice allen socket on it. Can't use a socket on the nut, but it sure is easy to hold it while you tighten the nut with a box end wrench.

Jeff

[randywebb]

"there are a lot of things that are not practical to put a torque wrench to..."

Despite the fact that the factory has torque values for almost everything, including stuff that you can't get to -- maybe even they couldn't get to (or maybe they had some funky special bent tool).

You can practice geting your wrist calibrated on a bolt/nut combo off the car if you want. If you do work on your car often enough you'll have a pretty good idea anyway. And remember that a torque wrench is not the most precise instrument around for setting fastener tension...

[JonT]

thanks--I tightened it tight but not TOO tight

[sammyg2]

I just replaced my rear shocks last weekend, I agree that using a torque wrench on this is overkill and darned near impossible with the engine in the car. I did it by feel which is good enough. The nut will keep turning until the washer bottoms out on the innner steel sleeve. you will feel it when that happens. After it contacts the sleeve take it a little but farther until you think it is tight enough, prolly somewhere around 1/4 turn but don't hold me to that.

If the engine was removed you could use a crow's foot on the torque wrench but you would also have to do the math to calculate the lower torque wrench setting because of the additional leverage. Again, overkill.

[rfuerst911sc]

Tighten it until it strips and back it off a quarter turn that'll hold it !!

[HardDrive]

How the heck do you get enough clearance in there to work? I was looking at it thinking that the airbox, blower motor all had to come out. Can you get at the top bolts with fulling half the top end out?

[anthony]

It's tough but can be done. I just replaced rear shocks and I serious think it might have been easier if I could have lowered the engine 3-4 inches (not sure if that is feasible though).

The driver's side was relative easy. I removed the hose that comes off the blower motor for access. I put a set of vice grips on the top of the boge strut and then slowly turn by turn removed the nut with an opened end wrench.

(You know, one of those ratcheting wrenches would make this job a lot easier. I keep meaning to buy a set.)

The passenger side must be a CIS 911 right of passage. I took the top of the airbox off and then disconnected the two oil breather hoses from near the oil tank for access. Once you pull the hoses out of the way you can get to the top of the strut. It's tough and slow going but it's doable. (Once again the ratcheting wrench would have made things a lot easier here.)

The Konis I put on have a allen head at the top of the shock so that made reinstallation a little easier. I put an open end wrench on the nut, put an allen head socket on my air ratchet and then ran it in reverse while holding the nut in place.

[rfuerst911sc]

HardDrive it can be done but it is tight. I recently replaced the rear shocks on my 83SC and it was snug. On my car I have the heat blower removed and its plumbing so the drivers side was easy. The passenger side was another matter you really are working blind and by feel but it's not too bad.When I did my install I had the pleasure of the new nyloc nut "galling" on the shock about 3 turns into the install I ended up cutting the nut off and installing with 2 nuts tightened against each other now that was fun but fortunately it was on the drivers side.

[HardDrive]

Thank guys. Its really the passenger side with those delicate CIS pipes that worries me.