typhoonorchid

Here is a blog post overview of replacing all shocks and springs on my box. Hope someone finds this useful.

https://motoluvr.blogspot.com/2022/1...-update-4.html

RichBinAZ

Interesting, are the rear spring seats rubber or hard plastic? Kind of looks like rubber that may have compressed over time - were new ones available?
Were the new rear springs longer than the old ones? (sag).
Do you have your own spring compressors or did you use autozone's loan a tool thing?

Probably will end up doing the rear shocks on the lads box at some point - when he complains that the back end is bouncing around.

MileHightC

Rich,

If you talking about the rear springs I don't think you need a compressor as you can just take off the shocks and let the torsion beam hang, which will allow you to pull out the springs.

armygreenxb

Nice job. I did this a few years ago with KYB parts and OE rear springs and insulators. The rears are cake. FYI for anyone that will try this in the future - you can remove the top bolts on the struts without removing the cowl.

RichBinAZ

Good to know about the rears. Might be replacing those shocks in the near future. I think I saw a leak in the left rear shock at one time, but it still damps. Not bad for 160K miles - still on the OEM suspenders.
Depends if he wants to keep it or not. Keep hearing rumors about a new hybrid, perhaps a plug in hybrid.
The paint is starting to peel after being left out of the garage for a while now (Arizona sun does that). He needs a house with a 3 car garage, but they are a bit pricey right now!!!
I suppose a car cover is cheaper.

typhoonorchid

just letting the rear axle assembly hang, wasn't enough to get the springs off, in my case. I didn't want to press down super hard, as the rear brake hose could be stressed. I bought a spring compressor kit a year or 2 ago, from Harbor freight, for maybe $20-30. I didn't see an obvious difference in the height of the old and new springs. The rubber mounts were not dry-rotted, or torn so, thinking they were fine, I reused, rather than pay the dealer for new ones.

typhoonorchid

True.... but if you want to tighten them back down with a torque wrench, it needs to go.