Ok I got new shock mounts/pads ($40 each) and bushings ($14 each) for the back. So now I have new shock mounts front and back and new bushings on all 4 shocks. The back shock bushings were gone at 71K miles !!! Mounts were ok no wear.

I did the powerflex bushings on the upper A arm front also + roll bar bushings front.

Heres how I did it
0/ Loosen wheel nuts jackup BOTH side of car and put axel stands under the car.
1/ I used the undo the four bolts on the plate under the diff at the back (19mm i think) Bend the plate down from the back about 2 inches, use a block of wood to hold it down. This allows the lower arm to come down enough to get the rear springs/shocks out. That way you don't need to attach spring compressors.
2/ Remove the brake caliper (2 15mm bolts) and speed sensor (1 8mm bolt clean it while its out WD-40 and brass brush it) hang them out the way.
3/ Remove lower hub bolt the concentic one 18mm header and nut is 7/8th I think. Mark the position of the head of the bolt as it is used to adjust Camber angle.!! Important!!
4/ Remove 4 1/2 inch nuts that hold the top cup of the shock.
5/ Remove bolt at the bottom of the shock its inside the bottom spring cup.
6/ With a bottle jack on the bottom of the shock at an angle, push the shock up until you can put a screw driver through a spring loop/shockbushing and hold that shock compressed.
7/ Leaver the spring out just enough so that you can get ur hand to the top of the shock and disconnect the CATS wire plug that is connected to the top of the shock.
8/ Yank the spring out while pressing down on the bottom arm.

NOTE THE BRASS NUT ON THE TOP OF THE SHOCK WHERE THE CATS PLUG IS ATTACHED FITS AN ALLEN KEY INSIDE. DO NOT TURN THE NUT WITHOUT THE ALLEN KEY TO HOLD THE SHOCK STRUT. IT MUST NOT BE TURNED AS THIS WILL BREAK THE WIRES THAT GO DOWN INSIDE THE STRUT!!!

Note to push the bushing out I just used a vice. To get it out I had the old casing from the front bushing or u can rent a ball joint press to press the middle out and then a hack saw to cut through the casing and tap that out. To get it in use a socket (WD40 the rubber bits and gentle turn push socket over) and hammer to get it started then the vice (with the socket!!) to get it 90% in then the old casing to recess it. Or easier find someone with a press LOL

I would also switch the left with the right side i.e. springs and shocks especially in the USA where all the fast corners tend to be right hand so you see wear much heavier on the left side. Same if u do the front suspension..

8.5/ To get it back in COMPRESS THE SHOCK
9/ Put the shock in first attach the plugs for CATS and attach just one nut 1/2inch (the one closest to the side where the spring came out) tighten just a few turns so the strut is hanging down.
10/ Put the rubber pad on the bottom cup spray with WD40.
11/ Slide the shock mount and spring cup holder onto the shock. Then slide the spring in.
12/ Then leaver the spring in while pressing down on the lower arm.
13/ Add other 3 1/2 inch nuts and tighten
14/ Use bottle jack to jack lower arm up into position to get the 18mm concentric bolt back in add nut but do not tighten yet.
15/ Put the shock bolt back in and jack the hub up a little then tighten the two bolts back up to torque.
16/ Remove block on diff plate jack plate backup and replace the 4 19mm bolts.
17/ Replace brake caliper and speed sensor + new cable tie for that.

Whole job took me 5 hours for both sides, but it was my first time and I did it all on my own. Fronts are way easier.

Ok next job PepBoys for a $90 wheel alignment.

 

Simon, nice write up and thanks.
This will be the way I do the next one instead of fighting the spring compressors.
Wayne

 

By request, these are notes on my recent install of rear shock mounts that I purchased from Steve (Baxtor)
I reviewed some YouTube vids including John's "To The Garage".
While these influenced me somewhat, I mostly followed Simon's (LedZepplin) instructions above.
Thanks to Simon for his most helpful write-up. Like many projects, there may be many ways to skin a cat, and I am just adding my thoughts for your consideration.
The following is a copy and paste of Simon's instructions along with my notes / comments in Purple:

0/ Loosen wheel nuts jackup BOTH side of car and put axel stands under the car.
Loosen Damper bolt and nut right and left sides to insure that they are not seized. (If seized, it may be a whole new ball game, I had to jigsaw the spherical sleeve of CCC6782 and bolt JZB100036 on both sides of the passenger shock in order to save my adaptive shock)


1/ I used the undo the four bolts on the plate under the diff at the back (19mm i think) If a convertible, also remove the 2 reinforcement bars that fan out to either side of the rear subframe.

Bend the plate down from the back about 2 inches, use a block of wood to hold it down. Not being a macho-man, I fashioned a wooden 1”, 1-1/2”, 2” step block to insert as I pryed the back end of the subframe down in steps.

This allows the lower arm to come down enough to get the rear springs/shocks out. That way you don't need to attach spring compressors. Instead, I did choose to use my Maddox spring compressors with bolts that I had previously cut down to 8” with safety pins removed. I caught on 2 turns of coil and did only partial compression. I agree that 12” long or so compressors would probably just be a hinderance.

2/ Remove the brake caliper (2 15mm bolts) and speed sensor (1 8mm bolt clean it while its out WD-40 and brass brush it) hang them out the way.
3/ Remove lower hub bolt the concentic one 18mm header and nut is 7/8th I think. Mark the position of the head of the bolt as it is used to adjust Camber angle.!! Important!! (I did not remove camber bolts, since I was using my cutdown spring compressors but I did mark camber positions just in case.)

4/ Remove 4 1/2 inch nuts that hold the top cup of the shock. I used a paint marker for orientation. Undo the Christmas tree wiring clip near outer rear of the 4 studs and bungee this wire slightly out of the way so that it will not get pinched and provide more clearance during reassembly. After reassembly, that wiring clip will easily push back in. (FYI the top shock washer is mounted concave side up, opposite of what I am familar with)
5/ Remove bolt at the bottom of the shock its inside the bottom spring cup.
6/ With a bottle jack on the bottom of the shock at an angle, push the shock up until you can put a screw driver through a spring loop/shockbushing and hold that shock compressed. I did use bottle jack but levered shock out rather than using screwdriver since my spring was compressed.
7/ Leaver the spring out just enough so that you can get ur hand to the top of the shock and disconnect the CATS wire plug that is connected to the top of the shock.
8/ Yank the spring out while pressing down on the bottom arm.

NOTE THE BRASS NUT ON THE TOP OF THE SHOCK WHERE THE CATS PLUG IS ATTACHED FITS AN ALLEN KEY INSIDE. DO NOT TURN THE NUT WITHOUT THE ALLEN KEY TO HOLD THE SHOCK STRUT. IT MUST NOT BE TURNED AS THIS WILL BREAK THE WIRES THAT GO DOWN INSIDE THE STRUT!!! I really don’t know, but I would rather be safe than sorry!

Note to push the bushing out I just used a vice. To get it out I had the old casing from the front bushing or u can rent a ball joint press to press the middle out and then a hack saw to cut through the casing and tap that out. To get it in use a socket (WD40 the rubber bits and gentle turn push socket over) and hammer to get it started then the vice (with the socket!!) to get it 90% in then the old casing to recess it. Or easier find someone with a press LOL (I have a 20T HF press)

I would also switch the left with the right side i.e. springs and shocks especially in the USA where all the fast corners tend to be right hand so you see wear much heavier on the left side. Same if u do the front suspension. I drive gently and did not switch. My ride height was initially restored to 0.44” above nominal both sides. I will recheck after I get some miles on it.

8.5/ To get it back in COMPRESS THE SHOCK
9/ Put the shock in first attach the plugs for CATS and attach just one nut 1/2inch (the one closest to the side where the spring came out) tighten just a few turns so the strut is hanging down.
10/ Put the rubber pad on the bottom cup spray with WD40. I used silicone paste
11/ Slide the shock mount and spring cup holder onto the shock. Then slide the spring in. By snuggly clamping vise grips on the coil and lets the handle bear on the hub carrier, I could adjust/vary the height of the spring assembly. Also, I found that the rubber (Pad) pigtail springseat at the bottom of my compressed spring was best kept out of the way by stuffing it between the shock and coils out of the way during reassembly.


12/ Then leaver the spring in while pressing down on the lower arm.
13/ Add other 3 1/2 inch nuts and tighten Then I pushed that Christmas tree wire clip on each side back in.
14/ Use bottle jack to jack lower arm up into position to get the 18mm concentric bolt back in add nut but do not tighten yet.
15/ Put the shock bolt back in and jack the hub up a little then tighten the two bolts back up to torque.
16/ Remove block on diff plate jack plate backup and replace the 4 19mm bolts. & my conv. braces
17/ Replace brake caliper and speed sensor + new cable tie for that.

 

While it is good practice to prevent the damper shaft from rotating, the connection within the damper will not be damaged if it does turn. The valve assembly is part of the shaft and will simply rotate with it.

 

Well done Gene....