top & bottom bolt sizes on stock rear shocks?

[nj01mgm]

Hi all! I'm looking to replace the rear shocks on my 01 GM. I just don't know what size the top and bottom bolts are! I'll need to buy at least a long wrench for the top bolt (what size?) and a deep well socket for the bottom bolt (what size?)

Thanks!

[tim marks]

if i recall they are 13mm...i could be wrong though.

[gadget73]

13 up top sounds right, bottom may be a 15mm. Not sure honestly. Its metric whatever it is.

[sly]

don't try getting at it from the wheel well... doesn't work. you'll need to get under and reach at it from in front of the fuel tank. (I made that mistake initially).

[tim marks]

once you break the nut loose on top i have found it useful to use a ratcheting wrench on top and clamp a pair of vise grips on the shaft of the shock and do all of the wrenching down there. it allows you to hold the wrench in one place and not have to worry about cramping your hand up in there and only turning maybe a half of a turn.....just a little tidbit of something that works for me

[nj01mgm]

You guys are great! Metric, that's interesting actually and now it makes sense. My 3/4 socket seemed loose on the bottom, so I bet it is 15MM and 13MM up top. (The new ones are 15MM and 19MM)

I've been reading as much as I can on this - never did shocks before - and it seems that the vice lower twisting as suggested by tim is the way to go. So glad there are places like this!

Well, now I know what I need to buy. A decently long 13MM wrench and a 15MM deep well socket to take off, and a 15MM wrench along with a 19MM deep well to put on the new ones.

THANKS AGAIN!!!! I'll stop in and let everyone know how it went. Any other tips in the meantime????

[tim marks]

liquid wrench is your friend

[nj01mgm]

I've been pre-treating all of the bolts I can reach with deep-creep, which I hope will help loosen thing up before I start. The other thing going for me (maybe) is that the car has only seen 2 Jersey winters so I'm hoping the exposed bolts aren't too corroded. They don't look too bad, but looks can be deceiving!

[nj01mgm]

OK, I went out today with some metric wrenches and the nuts are not 13 or even 15MM! I'm pretty sure that the bottom is going to be 19MM, (just like the replacement - go figure!) For some reason, I didn't even consider metric sizes. I'll post back once I get the job done. Thanks!

[nj01mgm]

Well, I got the front ones changed yesterday without too mush hassle. I found taking the tire off gave me more access to the stud from the wheel well.

I used a regular box wrench, and vice-grips are essential to keep the stud from spinning when you are taking off the bolt. (A ratcheting wrench would have sped up the process considerably)

All in all, I guess it took me about an hour to do each side by myself. not bad for a first attempt. Next weekend - the rears!

[BerniniCaCO3]

Hahaha, unless liquid wrench decides to lubricate its own cap, and spills all over your other tools, melting some electrical tape along the way! :-D

If I were you, just buy a full set! Especially if you go cheap --which really is fine for home use, the quality is not bad-- you might spend $20-$30 on a set of 8-19mm gear wrenches at harbor freight, or the same on a set of 11 long-handled wrenches, or 15 standard box wrenches.

That is a good time! My shocks were 20 years old and firmly rusted in place: even the vise grips (not vice ;-) )were not enough, they were shaving curls of metal off of the old shaft before it would move! Finally ground it partway off, as much as I could reach, and it came loose. After that I went to this forum and was told just to snap the top off :-D

[nj01mgm]

But mine ARE vice grips! Gotta keep them on sly, see?

The ratcheting wrenches would make live so much easier for this job!

BTW, the bold sises for the original shocks are 14MM on the top bolt and 17MM for the bottom bolt. The new shocks I put in were 19MM bottom and 17MM top - I guess its not standardized!