How do you access the rear plug on a convertible when doing spring install?
- Thread starter KDR83
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AbsolutHank
Enthusiast
It's not in that area...it's in the wheelwell. You have to remove the rear most wheelhouse liners on the rear wheels. Leave the front half in place
So you don't need to access anything from the trunk?
AbsolutHank
Enthusiast
That's correct!
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With both rear wheels at full droop and the portion of the fender liner above the shocks removed you should be able to wrestle the OE shocks out of the car.
If not, loosen the rear sway bar bolts at the bushings on both sides. This should help.
Dan
If not, loosen the rear sway bar bolts at the bushings on both sides. This should help.
Dan
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
According to the factory manual:
1. Drop the windows and unlatch the top.
2. remove the 14 tack strip nuts from around the bottom of top after removing the window defroster connector.
3. Flip the rear of the top up.
4. Raise the carpet up and remove access plug.
1. Drop the windows and unlatch the top.
2. remove the 14 tack strip nuts from around the bottom of top after removing the window defroster connector.
3. Flip the rear of the top up.
4. Raise the carpet up and remove access plug.
ulllose
Viper Owner
I don't think it is even possible to do without removing the inner liner. Once liner is removed you can then remove the access plug so the shock can be raised up and then removed. I have no idea how you can remove the shock without doing that.
Sonoman
Enthusiast
The statements above from the service manual sound more like accessing the fuel pump module!
Some of the instructions in the Viper service manual are rather amusing, however. They have you removing the front belly pan to drain coolant from the radiator, which is totally unnecessary since the drain valve is right near the edge of the front pan and even has a stem to attach a rubber hose.
It is possible to remove a rear shock by dropping the upper control arm mounts and leaving the fender liner (and rubber plug) in place. About the same amount of time either way. BTW, the shock is not removed through the hole where the rubber plug was, it just allows space for the top of the shock to move up a few inches so that the bottom of the shock can then clear the half-shaft and be removed.
Some of the instructions in the Viper service manual are rather amusing, however. They have you removing the front belly pan to drain coolant from the radiator, which is totally unnecessary since the drain valve is right near the edge of the front pan and even has a stem to attach a rubber hose.
It is possible to remove a rear shock by dropping the upper control arm mounts and leaving the fender liner (and rubber plug) in place. About the same amount of time either way. BTW, the shock is not removed through the hole where the rubber plug was, it just allows space for the top of the shock to move up a few inches so that the bottom of the shock can then clear the half-shaft and be removed.
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I"ve done three or four cars now all from underneath the car.
Thanks, that's all I needed to know!
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
The instructions for the fuel pump module and shock assy removal are similar. Apparently the top covers the access to both of them. There's always shortcuts from the factory manual. I'm just providing input from a source that I have handy on my shelf.
Sonoman
Enthusiast
I agree-- the service manual is a good place to start and certainly a good purchase if you are going to work on your own car. Seems like the tech writer blew it here though... you would definitely need to remove (or at least peel back) the inner fender liner to allow the top of the shock body into that plug hole, so why bother un-tacking the convertible top? The rubber plug is sized to pop out the bottom... Strange indeed.
viperbilliam
Enthusiast
Would you be able to pull the plug back on from the bottom?
Sonoman
Enthusiast
Yep, sorry I don't have a photo of it out... they're just 3" round pliable rubber plugs with a flange that overlaps around the edge of the hole at the bottom side... definitely designed to pop out the bottom, and since that's where you are working when you're replacing a shock, it's just as well! This is speaking of an '05 model-- I can't say whether there was some re-design from when the first Gen 3s came out to 2005.
