I ordered some KYB shocks from Summit this week. The front shocks look OK, but the rear's don't look the same as the ones that came off the car. The old shocks mounted at the top using 2 bolts through a bar with 2 "ears" (I'll post a picture because I can't seem to describe it). The new shock just has a bushing with a hole in it. It came with a bolt setup also, but that doesn't seem to help me. Am I supposed to move the mounting bar from the top of the old shock and put it on the new one? I bet that's a real PITA to get moved over...if I could do it at all.
Also, the new shock seems like it would be upside down once installed. The old shock hat the larger section on the top, fitting over the thinner section. The new one seems reversed. I guess that's OK, but it seems that all sorts of dirt and water would collect in the tube...just doesn't seem right to me.
I'll post pics of the old and new shocks side by side. I'll also post a pic of the upper shock mount (view from wheel well).
Do I need to send these back? They are KYB KG5521's if that helps.
It looks like your missing the plate that bolts into the two threaded holes. It's a round plate that accepts the rubber sleeves that go onto the shock's threaded stud.
You are missing the plate that the 2 vertical bolts go to the body with. Then the shock will thread through the trunk throughthe plate. Either get the plates for PY, Ames or go to a 78ish Grand Prix rear shock that has the 2 mounting ears. That's what I did so there would be fewer bolts.
2012 Mustang Boss 302 #1918, Competition Orange. FGF replacement 2006 Mustang V6 Pony, Vista Blue. Factory ordered. 2019 BMW X3 (Titled to the wife, but I'm always driving it for her. So I'm claiming it) Old projects, gone but not forgotten: 1967 FB 400, original CA car. After 22 years of work, trashed by the guy who was supposed to paint it. I had to sell it. 1980 Turbo Trans Am 1970 Mustang fastback, 351C 4Bbl, auto 1988 Mustang GT, 5 speed 1983 F-150 4x4, built 302 1994 Chevy K2500 HD 4x4, 454 TBI
OK, that looks totally different from how my old shock was mounted. Someone must have changed things a bit sometime. One thing I notice straight off is that my car has several leaf-springs, instead of the single-leaf in the diagram. I noticed when I was looking to order shocks that there was a difference between single and mulit-leaf rear spring suspensions. Aside from the number of leaf-springs, are there other differences on how the shocks mount?
OK, another problem. The bottom mounting plate on my car is totally different from the one on that diagram, and in my shop manual. I'll post a picture of what I have. The one I have has a plate where the shock mounts through. One pic is with the shock off, the other is the opposite side with the old shock still in place.
I guess someone in the past replaced this bottom mounting plate for some reason. I wonder what I should do now. I'm tempted to just run the new shocks upside down. I can take the mounting bar with the 2 eyes from the old shocks, and install them on the new ones. That would allow me to mount these, just like the old ones were. The only difference I can see is that the shock would be upside down, and dirt could accumulate in the shock itself. But I'd be lucky to put 1,000 miles per year on this car...it's just for sunny days on the weekend.
Maybe I'll do this for now to get me back on the road and get the correct mounting plates for later and just reverse the shocks then.
Rear mounting plate. Shock Removed.
Other side, shock still in place.
Can I install this mounting bar in the new shock and run them upside down?
Is this for your 69? , Your set up looks like my 69 shocks & plates. The link above shows the parts for a "67" And "68-69" .I think your new shocks are for a 67.
It just dawned on me today that when I was trying to ID my rear end a while back, someone said it was a chevy rear end...not Pontiac. I bet they replaced the springs along with the axle...all in one shot. I wonder if I have some later model chevy mounting plate on the underside of those springs.
I guess I'll have to replace those plates and get the upper mount plates. I don't think I can run the shocks upside down. Maybe in the very short term, but I don't think it's a really good idea long term.
I would not run the shocks upside down. It could affect the dampening. Your lower plates look like what were on my 2nd gen Camaro.
Robert, thanks for the info...that was extremely helpful! I looked at some pics online of 70's camaro rear suspensions and you're right, that is the same setup that I have. I guess someone swapped a 2nd gen camaro rear into the car a while ago.
I guess I can either change the shock mounts back to firebird mounts and use the shocks I have...or just buy some 2nd gen camaro shocks. Those look just like what I took out. I think just buying new shocks is cheaper...anyone want new KYB firebird shocks??
Looks like shipping would be about $15. Not 100% sure on that because the shocks are still mounted to the car and I need to pack them up and weigh them to get an accurate quote, but I took a pretty close guess.
I paid $85 for the shocks from Summit. They've only been mounted to the car...I haven't even taken the car out of the garage yet. So, I'd discount them 25% and do $60 for the pair. How would that sound?