Hey, how do you remove the rear shocks upper part? do you just unbolt the 2 small bolts from inside the fender or you have to remove the trunk lining etc?

 

correct, the two bolts from the top of the shock.

 

those are sooooooo rusted it's going to be insane.

If you have to change the bolts themselves, then you have to access some sort of plate with the 2 bolts from inside the trunk I guess?

 

Ok I blasted the crap out of them with Releasall, so tomorrow it's going to be easier for my shocks job. thx.

 

Ok, I did the 4 shocks today. 3 out of 4 were shot. Eh.

Replaced with KYB.
The front is fine. I just have a slight issue with the back. The KYB came with the rubber bushings to replace the old ones. They were slightly different and harder than the OEM ones, and the metal insert was a bit different too. I put them on, but it seems that I hear a slight thumping noise now.

Better to just keep all the OEM rubber bushings???? Anyone had an issue with the KYB bushings?

I have the OEM in a bag, so worst case, I can just put em back on. I just dont feel like disassembling all that again. Other than that, the ride is good.

Do I need an alignment now?

 

drive 50 miles then get an alignment would be a good idea

 

Less noisy after a couple of KM. Seems that all the rubber just "set in". Handling is so much better than with the dead shocks :| Car felt like a boat, now feels like a racecar, and with the front motor mount replaced, accelerated without jerking.

 

I'll be doing the same with KYB's on my 04 as soon as my strut mounts get here (struts and mounts cheap on Amazon, but damn slow). I'm curious, did you replace the boots or just reuse them? I'm planning on reusing mine.

 

quick followup question to this . For the rears , i see 2 bolts coming from the top if i look in the Wheel Well. I pull the carpet from the trunk but i don't see where i can do the the top , so my question is , is it just the two nuts that need to be removed from the underside in the wheel well or do i have to get to the top of the shock tower.

 

there is (2) 14mm bolts from underneath that you are seeing.

there is a 17 or 19 IIRC on the bottom of the strut

 

so all i need to do is take off those 2 14's from underneath and the one at the bottom of the shock and that's it ? nothing needs to be unbolted from inside the trunk or anything

 

no nothing at all , but becareful when you removed the botton of the bolt, because the spring will try fly out , so make sure you place a jack stand under there and slowly loose the bolt and let the control arm sit on the jack stand and slowly take the struts off or else the spring may try to fly out on you. so be careful