Rear shock install - DIY with pics

[gump1119]

This is my first DIY thread, forgive me for my newb mistakes

*Disclaimer: Always use jack-stands when you are working under a vehicle! Unless your friend's Mk3 is using ALL of them. In which case, do what I did and just don't actually put yourself "under" the vehicle

So after a recommendation from Chuck, I decided to pick up some Bilstein HD rear shocks to tighten up the back end a bit more. They were $280 shipped from Tirerack but I opted to throw in the extra $5 and get 2-day shipping for a weekend install. RSB + rear shocks will hold me over until the end of the year or so when I can afford some coils or something.

Time required: Less than 2 hours.
Tools Required:
Floor-jacks, 1 to lift the car and a small one for the wheel hub (see Step 4)
Jack-stands (see above)
Lug wrench
Torque-wrench
Sockets, 17mm and 21/22mm should do the trick (I used 22mm, seemed to fit ok but it might have actually been a 21mm bolt). A small extension comes in handy too.
TORX screwdriver, size T25.

Step 1: Jack up the car. Best way to do it is from the rear (that's what she said?) so you can lift both sides at once. This takes pressure off the sway bar and makes life easier. Here's what I did. I'm sure the R32 gods will smite me down if this is somehow bad:

It's a tight fit between the jack-handle and the exhaust but there's enough clearance to lift it up. Don't forgot to lower the jack-handle all the way down before you lower the car or you will wreck your muffler.

Step 2: Remove the back wheels using your preferred method. With the back wheels removed, your victim is revealed:

As you can see, the top of the shock is covered by the plastic wheel-liner/service-panel thing. This is where the TORX screwdriver comes in.

Step 3: Remove plastic liner. There's like 8 or so screws and you have to take them all out to remove the liner. After they are all out, pop the inside lip of the liner out of the wheel well and pull it down in a rotating motion from the top. When you reinstall it at the end, put all the screws in but leave them loose so you can position the liner to line-up with all 8+ holes. Removing/installing the wheel liners takes up the most time of this whole install, seriously.

After removing the liner, you will see this:

Step 4: Remove the shock. It is only held on with two bolts. The small one (17mm) at the top and the bigger one (22mm) at the bottom.

After removing the bolt most of the way, I could tell there was pressure on it still from the weight of the hub. I used a small floor jack under the hub to take the pressure off the shock and bolt. This also comes in handy when you are lining up the bolts for the new shock.

Then I removed the bottom bolt. Order doesn't really matter that much but the second jack is important either way.

Step 5: Out with the old, in with the new.

Re-install in the opposite order you took everything out. Use the small floor-jack to make sure you line up the bolts for the shock. This is especially important with the bottom bolt. The little tie-rods or whatever-the-hell they are called don't like being lined-up. This puts pressure on the bottom bolt which makes it VERY possible to cross-thread it. Just finangle the bottom bolt with the small floor-jack until it is lined up and finger tighten the bolt. If it feels like there is a lot of resistance, you are probably cross-threading it. Take your time and it will eventually line-up and go in "easily" (there will be some resistance no matter what because of the crooked tie-bar things).

Once both bolts are in loosely, start tightening them down. Once you get it hand tight, grab your torque-wrench. The upper bolt should be torqued to 45ft-lbs and the lower bolt should be torqued to 81ft-lbs. If you don't have a torque-wrench, stop working on your car on your own before you break something. Or sell your new shocks and buy one. Alternatively, most auto-parts stores (pep-boys, advanced auto) will rent you a one.

When it is all said and done, your car will probably be sitting 2-3 inches higher until you release the e-brake. Even then, it will still be an inch or so higher because your springs have had no pressure on them for over an hour. Just drive around for about 5 minutes and it should be good. Then rip on it and get the back end loose! Also note, the Bilstein HD shocks are for stock-springs. If you are going to run Euro spec or any other lowering springs, get the Bilstein Sports.

Driving Impressions: Rear is noticeably stiffer. Not as drastic a difference as getting a new RSB but still noticeable. Makes it a bit more neutral into corners with a slight increased tendency for oversteer. I actually broke the back end loose on the second turn I took after I installed these Reduces body roll and even squat under throttle a little bit too. Definitely a worthwhile upgrade if you plan on keeping stock height or are looking for mild suspension upgrades to hold you over for a while until you can afford coils


Modified by gump1119 at 2:26 PM 5-14-2009

[haf1zur]

hmm, i never needed to remove the plastic arch lining on mine, was plenty of room to take the bolt out

hafizur

[VeeRsixx]

Thanks for posting this, as it is very timely for me. I am just about to install HDs at all 4 corners on the stock springs.

It's too bad the gas-charged dampers jack the car up so much until they settle..

If i don't like the way the stock spring / HD combination works, i will just change over to the euro suspension.

Who is this Chuck that you speak of ?? just kiddin'.. i have been taunting him about getting the fronts installed.

[speedbump2]

Quote, originally posted by VeeRsixx »

...Who is this Chuck that you speak of ?? just kiddin'.. i have been taunting him about getting the fronts installed.

Alright, already!
I just got my race quality strut bushings & bearings a couple of days ago.
So they should be in soon.

--Chuck--

[xphiledan]

nice writeup! driving impressions?

[gump1119]

Quote, originally posted by xphiledan »

nice writeup! driving impressions?

Driving impressions added!

Summary: do it!

[bacon612]

Forgive my misunderstanding about shocks and coilovers but would installation of Coiovers on a stock R32 be the same?

[gump1119]

For coils, you would have to swap out the springs as well. Makes it a little more complicated but overall the back is still much easier than the front as far as I've read.

[speedbump2]

Quote, originally posted by gump1119 »

...a slight increased tendency for oversteer...

That will mellow out after they settle in and your ride height goes back down.

--Chuck--

[GabeB@GNGmotorsports]

Nice writeup Gump! Are you ready for your new toys next week?

-Gabe

[Slampig]

[R32R1]

Quote, originally posted by 401R32 »

troll

[autoxmack]

Good work!

So anyone got this for the front? The only thing I found was in the MKIV forum and all the pics were broken.

[speedbump2]

Quote, originally posted by VeeRsixx »

...Who is this Chuck that you speak of ?? just kiddin'.. i have been taunting him about getting the fronts installed.

Just so you'll stop bugging me, they're going in tomorrow.

Gump, have those rears settled in yet?

--Chuck--

[VeeRsixx]

Excellent !

Thanks Chuck-- i look forward to your findings..

[4motionvr6dub]

I hate to bump this, but I've been looking at a few rear suspension DIYs that suggest replacing both shock bolts. Here the OP didn't mention anything about replacing the bolts, and it looks like he just reused them. So my question is, do you HAVE to replace the shock bolts, or will you be ok just reusing them?

[wunderdub]

They're not torque to yield if I remember, but they're part of the car that keep an important element of a car together. I reused mine and torqued to spec, however next time I will replace. Loctite it as well

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk

[BOUDAH]

I hate to bump this, but I've been looking at a few rear suspension DIYs that suggest replacing both shock bolts. Here the OP didn't mention anything about replacing the bolts, and it looks like he just reused them. So my question is, do you HAVE to replace the shock bolts, or will you be ok just reusing them?

I have reused bolts on the rear shocks before. If they re ORIG and this is the first time you are doing this, just swap them for new ones. why not.

[4motionvr6dub]

This will be the first time I ever touch the rear suspension, so I guess I'll be replacing those bolts as well as the control arm nuts/bolts