Problem re-installing rear shocks. Too long!

[PhoenixGTS]

My car rode a bit lower on the driver's rear than the passenger rear so I decided to swap the rear shock/spring assemblies to see if it had any effect. Clovis were a little hard to get off, but dis-assembly was straightforward. Now I am trying to re-install and even though they are Eibach lowering springs, the whole assembly is about a half inch too long to get the second bolt in. Big problem is that the control arma will not droop anymore. What the heck is keeping the suspension from drooping a bit more so I can get these shocks in? The service manual does not indicate there should be any problem. Suggestions? The one clovis is too tight together which is making it difficult to get on, but that is another issue. Should have left it alone.

 

[bwhitmore]

I had the same problem when I installed my Eibach's. It's as if the spring under no load is too tall, like it needs to be compressed a bit while putting the whole assembly back in. I think I started with the lower bolt first. Got it through, then pushed the assembly down from the top with a large screwdriver inserted at the top of the mount with a towel careful not to mar the finish, until I could push the upper bolt through. I know it is a major pain in the a$$. You think the rears are tough, the fronts are almost tougher to line up with the bolt holes...

 

[Tom F&L GoR]

Michael, without Eibach's it's usually even more difficult. bwhitmore has the right idea, though. On a Gen 1, I attach the lower end of the shock, then wedge the upper end against something. With a long bar stuck through the lower control arm, lift up to compress the spring more than you need. Then when you let go of the bar, then spring will expand, but slowly, as it works against the shock. As it expands, you'll have a moment in which it's the correct length and you can get the bolt started into the ear on the frame and the shock eye.

You can also try putting the bar through the lower control arm and sitting on it to move the lower control arm further down. The rubber bushings are torsional springs and pretty stiff. Once the lower arm is "lower" you may be able to get the upper end bolt in place. Good luck.

 

[cgmaster]

I am not looking at my suspension at the moment but check to see if there is a stop that the suspension is hitting. If there is not then your suspension bushings could be binding. Both of your shocks should be the same exact size so they should go from side to side with no differences.

 

[newredrt10]

Are you lifting one side of the car at a time or do you have both wheels off the ground. If you are doing one wheel at a time, the suspension will keep the wheel from droping down fully.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Good news and bad news.

I have good news and bad news for my follow up.

Good news is I went back at it and found a secret. Although I could not feel an actual bump stop or anything blatent that keeps the suspension from drooping further, I yanked the upper control arm bolts and that allowed the suspension to drop far enough that the shock fit height-wise and just needed a little coaxing to line up. By putting upward pressure on the suspension it was fairly easy to get the upper control arm bolts back in. Only draw back is the upper control arm bolts went from inside-out, but once the shock was in place they will no longer fit that way so I re-installed them from the outside-in. They are very long and I was worried the end of the rear side would be too close to the spring, but it looks like it has plenty of clearance.

Bad news is the whole PITA project did nothing to the height of the car. It is still low on the driver's side. To make matters worse, after a short test drive, it looks like the passenger side may actually be an eighth inch higher now! After reading the manual instructions that you are not supposed to tighten the shock or control bolts until the weight is on the car because tightening them while the suspension is drooping can affect the height of the car, I am now thinking I should have tightened the driver's side while drooped and maybe I would have gotten some height out of it (guess I could try that later). But how in the heck is the torsional rigidity of the rubber bushings of all those suspension points able to overcome the weight of the car that is held up by such stiff springs? Seems ridiculous to me. Honestly, some days I do not like this car. The lack of "German engineering" is a sore spot sometimes.

 

[GTS Dean]

Re: Good news and bad news.

When you remove the shock/spring assembly from your Viper, you should begin by loosening the A-arm nuts to allow some freedom of movement. If you loosen them too much, you may lose your alignment settings (lower wishbone cams). If you don't own a service manual for your car - shame on you. If you own one and haven't ever read the suspension chapters - shame on you.

Once you reinstall the shock assemlies, you are supposed to ballast the car as shown and THEN, you torque all your suspension and shock pivot bushings to the proper torque setting. This seemingly insignificant PITA makes a HUGE difference in how your car drives. The factory bushings have a MAJOR amount of engineered preload in them to make the car manageable. Failure to follow the full procedure IN DETAIL is asking for scary handling.

 

[opnwide]

Re: Good news and bad news.

I've gotten an extra inch or so by disconnecting sway bar. It takes one nut per side and a strategic tap with a soft hammer to knock it loose.

 

[cgmaster]

Re: Good news and bad news.

I would definately recomend you get the car properly aligned. When they do it properly they will check all ride hights before doing the alignment. Also the suspension bolts need to be tightened properly or you will have serious problems with the factory rubber bushings. I would get someone who knows what they are doing here.

 

[PhoenixGTS]

Re: Good news and bad news.

When you remove the shock/spring assembly from your Viper, you should begin by loosening the A-arm nuts to allow some freedom of movement. If you loosen them too much, you may lose your alignment settings (lower wishbone cams). If you don't own a service manual for your car - shame on you. If you own one and haven't ever read the suspension chapters - shame on you.

I got a manual the week after getting the car (even mentioned it above "the service manual does not indicate"). The upper control arm pivots are simple straight-through tubes so no effect on the alignment and safe to R&R. Me next step is to find/build a spacer for the driver's side spring to get some height out of it. Once I do that, I can get an alignment.

 

[GTS Dean]

Re: Good news and bad news.

Just remember that the upper wishbone bushings need to be torqued to spec under load as well.