How difficult to replace shocks?

[Sophia]

I purchased 4 OEM replacement shocks for my 2006 xlr. Do I need any special tools besides socket and torgue wrenches to do this job myself? I do not want to pay nearly $500 installation fee if it is simply removing tire and removing the 3 bolts. I'm pretty handy and think I can do this myself but thought I would ask here on the forum before I get myself into something I am unprepared for. It looks like I may have to remove a small tank to get to the bolts on the drivers side according to one video I watched. Has anyone done this themselves that can give me some pointers? Thanks so much. I Love my car, but mechanics love to watch a dumb girl come in driving one of these. They start salivating for cash.

 

[IAN]

Hi Sophia.

Get some friend that have the know how, if not, get a service station of your area with a strong customer satisfaction, the replacements of S/A is some thing usual done every days.
Usually their labor rate are well acceptable for your available money.

It is not because you are a lady that your dumb, some of the boys also dont have the know how and they get trap the same. Yes, the XLR is an expensive boys toy.

Good luck.
IAN.

 

[Sophia]

Great suggestion. I will get a repair manual.

 

[Sophia]

My concern is removing the tie rod from the lower suspension knuckle to get the rear shock off. Can I do this with my wrenches or do I have to have their special tool? I am guessing this is a clearance issue. (No room for the wrench.)

 

[Sophia]

Looks like I back off the nut and hit it with a hand sledge...or use a pickle fork. Worst case I can rent a ball joint separator. I think I am going to attempt the install. Wish me luck.

 

[Fireduck69]

Back off the nut and hit it with a hammer.
Unbolt the two bolts at the top A arm to allow the rest of the suspension to swing out of the way. Put a floor jack under it first to allow you to take the spring pressure off after you unbolt it.

 

[Gord]

My concern is removing the tie rod from the lower suspension knuckle to get the rear shock off. Can I do this with my wrenches or do I have to have their special tool? I am guessing this is a clearance issue. (No room for the wrench.)

Hi there,
It's a steel tie-rod end in an aluminum knuckle. Easy as pie unless Conan the mechanic has been in there prior.

As others have mentioned, you do back off the nut a bit and give it a whack, but it shouldn't need to be a big whack at all. I'd actually recommend hitting the tie-rod end -or- the attachment point of the knuckle (yeah - at right angles!) with a piece of hardwood in front of whatever hammer you choose. A moment of penetrating oil and a spec of heat prior is actually the best plan.

If you did all that, you could probably free the tie-rod with a good hand-slap or soft hammer downwards on the tie-rod itself. Do recall to clean both contacting surfaces well prior to reassembly. Never forget, the next person in there just might be... yourself.

 

[Sophia]

Hi there,
It's a steel tie-rod end in an aluminum knuckle. Easy as pie unless Conan the mechanic has been in there prior.

As others have mentioned, you do back off the nut a bit and give it a whack, but it shouldn't need to be a big whack at all. I'd actually recommend hitting the tie-rod end -or- the attachment point of the knuckle (yeah - at right angles!) with a piece of hardwood in front of whatever hammer you choose. A moment of penetrating oil and a spec of heat prior is actually the best plan.

If you did all that, you could probably free the tie-rod with a good hand-slap or soft hammer downwards on the tie-rod itself. Do recall to clean both contacting surfaces well prior to reassembly. Never forget, the next person in there just might be... yourself.

Got it. Thank you!

 

[Sophia]

Back off the nut and hit it with a hammer.
Unbolt the two bolts at the top A arm to allow the rest of the suspension to swing out of the way. Put a floor jack under it first to allow you to take the spring pressure off after you unbolt it.

Floor jack....will do. Thanks

 

[Gord]

Hold your horses...safety first boys and girls! ;-)

Floor jack....will do. Thanks

Morning,
All this talk about suspension and floor jacks brought to mind something... safety!

Not knowing your mechanical background and aptitude, and with mention that this project is to dodge costs, it's really important to not only have the right tools, but also to work safely. If you do not have jack stands, you will need a pair at least. They're inexpensive - they will hold the car firmly while you're working near / under it.

If you lifted say, the front end with a hydraulic floor jack one side at a time, eventually installed a pair of jack stands under something solid (near the lower A-arm mounting points are I believe the recommended spots), you would be plenty safe.

To recall: loosen (break free) the wheel nuts while the tires are still on the ground. Bonus when the car is airborne: now you can turn the steering wheel left and right and that permits a lot more access behind the disc brakes, so getting to the tie-rod ends and suspension is that much easier.

I have to say it (it's bothering me!) Don't go anywhere near or under a car supported only on a hydraulic floor jack. They of course have valves and seals and handles other people might touch or bump as they walk by, so really, only jack stands are acceptable for this sort of task.

If your floor jack can't lift the car high enough to get jack stands underneath, 1) get a higher lift jack or 2) lift and add some blocks of wood (i.e. 2 by whatever) under the still attached tires, and then go again. Raise the hydraulic jack with a block of wood that's wide and long enough to span the jack's wheels completely. Those jacks move as they lift so do think ahead.

And some safety specs. And maybe a hat. You see, the first whack of a hammer or even a bump with the end of a wrench is probably going to cause all sorts of dirt to fall out of the fender and amazingly...that dirt always seems to fall in to an eye. It's...it's almost like human eyes are dirt magnets - or worse, little steel splinter magnets!

Voila. Mild lecture done, sorry if it's redundant. I appreciate anyone making an effort to DIY but it would bother me to no end to find out a simple oversight caused someone harm.

 

[Hudson River Steve]

I replaced all four shocks on my 05 base last spring and did not need to remove the tie rod ends. As I recall I simply removed the two lower bolts and the nut on the top and wrestled the old shocks out and the new shocks in. Access/clearance was tight but doable.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Sophia]

I hear you loud and clear on the safety issues, and appreciate your insight and reminders. Yes, I have jack stands that I WILL use. I will also wear my safety goggles and reread your pointers once again before I start. I am hoping I don't have to deal with the ball joint as the last gentleman indicated, but if so, I will keep safety in mind and where goggles. Today I replaced the xlr's ignition coil packs for 132 dollars from Amazon and 20 minutes of my labor. I am on a good roll. Chilton DIY manuals rock. Thanks to the gentleman that suggested that! $29 for a year subscription. Best deal in town. I already got my money back. I'll be doing the shock install next weekend. I'll let you know how it goes! Thanks everyone.

 

[IAN]

Glad that you got a worshop manual, and please to see that you are handy and have that ability to work on cars.

Steve has a good point, myself when I had the OEM S/A replaced, my repairs shop had the suspension off from the lift, in order to remove the pressure from the suspension and creating the necessary space to work.

The worshop manual is your best advisor and it is good decision.

Good luck

 

[scott8060]

Hi Sophia,
Not a hard project just time consuming. I replaced my magride last year with coilovers. That being said the most difficult part was ---the nut on the top of the shock has some super duper lock tight on them from the factory....at least on my car. I had to very carefully use a hand held butane torch to heat the nut stems up to melt the thread lock. Took maybe 30 seconds then off they came. Hope this helps too.

 

[Sophia]

Got it. Thanks for the heads up. If I run into that issue, and can't get at it with a breaker bar, I do have a torch.

 

[xlrlist01]

Acetone works very well on thread lock. It takes about a minute to work its way in. (And yes, acetone is nail polish remover, that is what I use, on a q-tip.).

As no one has mentioned the electrical plugs, I assume they just come off with no problems.

 

[Sophia]

Thanks for the tip....nail polish remover - that I have! The electrical connection I assume is the usual pinch and pull apart connection.

 

[long Tall Sally]

yes

 

[Hudson River Steve]

My 2005 had a clip that needed to be removed to take off the electrical connector. Similar to what GM uses on their fuel/oil/transmission cooler lines.

Sent from my SM-N975U using Tapatalk

 

[Sophia]

Thanks for the tip.