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BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER.... A's, G's & E's


4 posters

    Front shock fitment issue

    Keith D
    Keith D


    Number of posts : 405
    Location : El Dorado Hills, Ca
    Registration date : 2016-11-25

    Front shock fitment issue Empty Front shock fitment issue

    Post by Keith D Sun Sep 24, 2017 4:32 pm

    All,

    Today I went to install new front shocks, they are Monroe-matic  #31131 which according to the Monroe web site are the correct front shocks for a 67 A108.

    The problem is that the shocks eyelet rubber on the top eyelet is too wide by about a 1/4 inch. The top eyelet won't fit into the van's upper shock mount. This is the case on both the driver side and the passenger side shock mounts.  The mount seems fine, it does not look like they has been crushed in over time, the rails are nice and straight. I tried to pry one of the rails apart a little but it would not budge.

    Has anyone else had this problem?

    The shocks that were in the van were a different brand and shape (not the correct ones).

    Thanks in advance for any help.
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    Guest
    Guest


    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by Guest Tue Oct 03, 2017 5:15 pm

    Put some Vaseline on it and the metal frame, and squeeze in from below, it will go. the shock's gas pressure will help, just push up and wiggle it.
    OutofSight
    OutofSight


    Number of posts : 1558
    Location : Lake Oroville, Ca.
    Registration date : 2015-11-19

    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by OutofSight Wed Oct 04, 2017 4:59 am

    It doesn't sound like vasaline will do the trick. Perhaps a different shock, I put KYB's on all four corners.
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    Guest
    Guest


    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by Guest Wed Oct 04, 2017 7:09 am

    Could probably grind off a little rubber from the sides and try again. Little by little, I have Monroes and had trouble, Vaseline did the trick for mine

    Good luck
    69
    69


    Number of posts : 433
    Location : Germany, Nds
    Registration date : 2016-10-18

    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by 69 Wed Oct 04, 2017 11:17 am

    I put the monroe #31131 in my 69 truck's front. It was tough, but possible to get 'em in the upper mount. Worse was, when I realized that I needed to remove one again (due to a stuck lower bolt), but even that was possible.
    busman78
    busman78


    Number of posts : 483
    Location : Oklahoma City, OK
    Registration date : 2012-07-11

    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by busman78 Thu Oct 05, 2017 5:52 am

    Mine were extremely tight, coated the rubber bushing and mount with Super Lube squeezed the tops in first bolted them. Even the front shocks that were in the van when I bought it which were not that old were pretty hard to remove so the meaty rubber bushing is not a new thing just a manufacturer covering more vehicles with a single part.
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    Guest
    Guest


    Front shock fitment issue Empty Re: Front shock fitment issue

    Post by Guest Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:18 am

    I also found that the front and rear shocks were almost identical, rears were a little shorter. A person could probably use 4 fronts or 4 rears if needed.
    Keith D
    Keith D


    Number of posts : 405
    Location : El Dorado Hills, Ca
    Registration date : 2016-11-25

    Front shock fitment issue Empty Got them in

    Post by Keith D Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:09 pm

    I could not get the shocks to fit into the upper mount with the stock rubber eyelet no matter what I did. I replaced the stock top bushings with polyurethane (Prothane 19-909) bushings. They are a little less wide and fit perfectly.

    The challenge that I had was getting the new bushings in to the shock's eyelet. I used my vice as a press and Windex as lubricant. The bushing did not want to press in straight. I had to used a large pair of pliers to squish the lip in where it did not want to go in to the shock and after a few choice words it finely went in. The second shock went quicker since I learned the trick to get it in.

    Hope this helps anyone having the same issue.


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