Front shock removal question.

[OIF1VET]

A little tip for future removal, swap the torx bolts on the drivers side with the regular bolts from the passenger side. You can take them out with a box wrench(ratcheting ones are great!) and not have to loosen and pull out the master cylinder again. I did this on both my cars when I had them apart. I bought a heavy duty spring compressor but the hooks are so large it's difficult to get it apart and back together without them being in the way. NAPA will charge about $30 to remove the springs for a pair.

Good tip on the Torx bolts.. Thanks!!

[OIF1VET]

2002 Pontiac Firebird | Camaro, Firebird (VIN F) Service Manual | Suspension | Front Suspension | Repair Instructions | Document ID: 716134
Shock Absorber Replacement
Tools Required

• J 34013-B Strut Spring Compressor
• J 34013-114 Shock Compressor Adapter
• J 34013-88 Strut Compressor Adapter
• J 39549 Ball Joint and Tie Rod End Separator
• J 39642 Modular Shock Nut Removal Tool Set
• J 34013-115 Modular Shock Alignment Rod

Removal Procedure

Thank you!!!

[TSTONE]

welcome

[OIF1VET]

what springs do you have?

QA1's with 315 LB spring rate..

[OIF1VET]

Drivers side shock is out, spring removed, I just unscrewed the ride height nut until I could spin the spring by hand and dropped it out.. Took about an hour.. Tomorrow I'll do the pass side, going to be a pain because I have to park my car close to the garage wall on that side, only have about 2 feet to work between...

[GETGONE]

Tomorrow I'll do the pass side, going to be a pain because I have to park my car close to the garage wall on that side, only have about 2 feet to work between...

PLENTY of room! I had less than that when I did both my SS and the V6 in my little 2 car garage with a vehicle on the other side. Just need to have it jacked up enough so you can crawl under it.

[OIF1VET]

PLENTY of room! I had less than that when I did both my SS and the V6 in my little 2 car garage with a vehicle on the other side. Just need to have it jacked up enough so you can crawl under it.

LOL, I'll take your word on that.. Glad I decided to have the shocks rebuilt, the drivers side is shot(sure the pass side is too).. I can compress and decompress the full travel of the shock with no resistance.. So I guess I have been riding my springs the last 2 years, explains the bottoming out problem I have...

[GETGONE]

YEAH! I thought something was messed up with your car when you launch that nose jumps up REALLY high for a street car. I couldn't find that bump at Stanton you were talking about. Nothing felt that bad to me at the end of the track. Guess we know why now!

[OIF1VET]

YEAH! I thought something was messed up with your car when you launch that nose jumps up REALLY high for a street car. I couldn't find that bump at Stanton you were talking about. Nothing felt that bad to me at the end of the track. Guess we know why now!

I don't know if you saw it, but here's the vid where I bottomed out hard 3-4 times just after the trap.. Turn it up and you'll hear it.. Even though the steering wheel didn't move much I had a handfull, believe me....

[GETGONE]

Holy crap! How did you drive around like that for 2 years?!?! That's crazy bouncing! I couldn't stand driving my V6 around for 2 weeks while I waited for my replacement shock to arrive when one of the Tokico's blew out on me!

[OIF1VET]

Holy crap! How did you drive around like that for 2 years?!?! That's crazy bouncing! I couldn't stand driving my V6 around for 2 weeks while I waited for my replacement shock to arrive when one of the Tokico's blew out on me!

Well, believe me, I got to know every bump in town and SLOW down before I got to it..

[Formula Z]

if you need some help, wait, since you know how to do it now, i need to replace all of mine before spring, haha.

[OIF1VET]

if you need some help, wait, since you know how to do it now, i need to replace all of mine before spring, haha.

Yours will be different from mine.. I was able to skip some steps because I could release the tension on the spring while still mounted in the car and just slip the shock and spring out.. Pretty sure yours will have to come out as a whole unit, spring/shock together and then get a spring compressor to remove the spring.. We'll figure it out.. Let me know.. If you're bored tomorrow I have another side to do...

[Formula Z]

sounds good, what time?

[OIF1VET]

sounds good, what time?

How's noon sound?