help with changing front shocks!

[blind_elk]

Bl4cK32, i am thinking! im thinking of who i can call to help me out! lol.

i want the axle to go down, not go up.  if it goes up it makes the gap even greater and it will be harder to put on.  any other ideas?  i really hope this thread is closed soon.

heres a pic of the current situation.

Take the spring compressors off. Get a long bar (as I said previously, sledge hammer handle seems ideal (hammer head towards you), but axe handle, crowbar would work) and lever the control arm down - lever between sway bar and chassis rail. 5 minute job.

Ok, put car up on jack. put large block of wood under axle. Let down car till axle rises. Think man!...

Think Bl4ck32, that's pushing the arm in the wrong direction, turtle needs more room, not less.

[blind_elk]

Just having a look at the 'gap' photo - are you certain these are for your 33?

When I was playing with the shocks in my 32, there was like 1/2" (1" max) misalignment between shock and mount, not 2"!

And the eye usually only goes on 1 way (it has a taper that matches the taper on the mounting pin) - well, it does on 32s.

[Bl4cK32]

Sorry man, but i posted after an 11 hour shift at work. But yer, the gap is way bigger than when i did mine. I only had a mate stand on the hub, and fronts only took 15 mins per side. That is a huge gap to close up.

[_turtle_]

yer i thought it was a huge gap, but then i didn't take a look wen i took the originals off how big a gap there was. i was just very relieved to get it off.

i was actually worried i had the wrong shocks, but then i compared it to the old one and they're both the same. i'm still trying i've taken apart everything and putting it back just incase there was something doen wrong.

[_turtle_]

ok all hope of doing it myself is gone. i've given up. thanks for everyones help.

man, what a DIY disaster!

next time i'll have to watch someone else do it first then try it out myself. for someone who knows wot they are doing, i think it should be a pretty straight forward job.

[blind_elk]

OK, stupid question time!

Are you changing all four corners, or just the fronts? In which case, you're not trying to fit the rears on the front? (I know 32s, the fronts and rears are waaayyy different, and can't be confused, but not so sure about 33s)

Otherwise, I'm "legless blind_elk" (still no-eyed deer)

[_turtle_]

haha, i'm lost but not that lost. they're definitely for the front! backs are very different too on the r33.

btw u go pm blind_elk

[blind_elk]

Told U it was a stupid question!

[_turtle_]

keeping them coming there could be something really dumb that i've done.

[blind_elk]

Thought of another one on the way home - the top mount is in place, so the shock is as high as possible.

[51jay]

The gap is about the same as it was on mine.

Helps if you have a friend

Longish about 6 ft 2x4 timber hook it up under the chassis rail whereever you can fit it and resting on top of the brake caliper.

friend levers down on this forcing the suspension arm and therby the bolt down to meet the shock eye.

you pop it on at the right time.

Invest in a trolley jack $80 for the 1800Kg one at supercheap

Repco equivalent is slightly better.

This job would be difficult for a lone worker with very limited experience

Good Luck

[blind_elk]

Well, it's back on. But, I'll let _turtle_ tell you all about it.

[_turtle_]

hahahh ok guys, i knew it had to be something stooopid. guess what? the car was only jacked up on the left side, so the right side was still holding it up and hence the big gap! didn't even think about it. how did i work that out? BIG THANKS to blind_elk who came over and helped me out. took us about 5mins to do the job after he came over lol.

thanks again to blind_elk. so changing the shocks is as simple as everyone says

[_turtle_]

i think im game enough to change the shocks on the right side today

[drifting_sam]

hey man whats up,what car ya got

[_turtle_]

umm, this thread is very old and the problem has been resolved. cheers.