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Leaking Shock


GritsGuy

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Our 2019 ST has a leaking rear shock.  Took it to the dealer yesterday.  The shock is on backorder with no ETA on a new one.  Was wondering if I should just order a couple of Bilsteins and replace them myself.  Anyone else done that here?  What's involved?  Looks like 2 bolts on the bottom and a nut on the top.  I haven't chanhed shocks on a vehicle in years.  
Thanks!

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Right Rear on our 2015 Edge Sport is leaking, have a pair of Bilstein's sitting on my workbench waiting for a free evening this week.  I will post how the job went but like you said it looks pretty straight forward.  2 bolts on the lower control arm, 2 bolts on the shock upper mounting bracket to body, then the top nut on the shock itself.

 

 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Finally got after the rear shocks on our 2015 Sport over the weekend .  Pretty easy job overall.  Only a couple of tips,  first support the lower control arm before you take the shock off, no need to lift it up just keep it in place when you do the R & R.  Second install the lower shock mount bolts first, once the lower bolts start threading into the shock mount only thread them in 4 - 5 turns.  It much easier to get the top shock mounting bracket lined up if the bottom bolts are loose.  Once all bolts are started tighten up up.  

 

Steps for the job.

-Get the car up in the air safely

-Remove rear wheels

-Remove shock mounting bolts 2 upper that bolt upper mount bracket to body and 2 lower.

-Remove shock you may have to compress the shock a little to get the upper mount bracket away from the body.

-Pry off black plastic cap off of upper shock mount bracket to expose upper shock mounting nut.  Do this with a small straight blade screwdriver

-Remove upper shock nut and remove shock from upper mounting bracket

-Install upper mounting bracket to upper shock mount and tighten nut to 35 ft lbs

-Replace black cap it only fits with the "wings" parallel to the length of the upper mounting bracket See Photo

-Apply a small amount of red loctite to mounting bolts.

-Install shock resting it on the lower control arm while you get the lower mounting bolts started (See above)

-Compress shock a little to get  upper mounting bracket in place at body mount (there are 2 screws sticking out from the body mount that will keep the upper bracket in place while you start the upper mount bracket bolts.

-Install upper mount bracket bolts. 

-Snug up mounting bolts then tighten upper to 76 Ft lbs and lower to 35 Ft lbs. 

-Double check your work

-Replace wheel tighten lug nuts to 150 OMG Ft lbs.  Liberal application of anti seize to the threads and the nut to wheel tapered face make removal much easier. 

-Test drive for your own satisfaction

-Crack open a cold Shiner of Dr Pepper.

 

Extra points to anyone who can identify the yellow car in the background.  It's 50 years old  with the 2021 model years.

 

 

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Ride with the B6's I would say is just a little stiffer than stock, which I prefer.  The Edge Sport ride is pretty firm from the factory, I didn't want that to deteriorate with a weak shock.  I have had really good luck with Bilstein shocks over the years so it was my first choice.

 

Yes it's a 1971 VW Squareback.  My Dad bought the car new, he parked it in his garage in '85 with the intention of getting back on the road.  Well after Dad passed last year I trailer it down to Texas in the same condition when it was parked 35 years prior.  Dad also had a 1991 Toyota Pickup that had been stationary since 2012, so I trailer it down to Texas too.  Now the fun begins

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