Quick help needed - where to jack rear end?

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 11:42 am

I just installed new shocks installed on a shop lift I was using, but I got the bolts swapped accidentally. I need to fix it in my driveway - where do I lift the rear end from? to get the weight off the springs? I can't use the differential or axle to lift from, right? I tried lifting from the frame, but the floor jack kept sliding and looks like it even dented it a bit.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Sat Oct 29, 2011 2:20 pm

You should be able to lift the frame right in front of where the rear lower control arms bolt into. I just help do a lift, we jacked from rear end, put jack stands right on frame rails .
Not sure why you can use rearend, shocks should collapse enough to slide into mounts.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 12:14 am

Before I got a chance to do it, the snow started, and it's a mess outside. I'll just go back into the garage on Monday and do it again. $4/hour to rent a stall with a lift and tools, this place is awesome! If only I had any idea what I was doing...

- Does it make sense that getting the top and bottom bold swapped would cause the shock to go "clunk clunk clunk clunk"? There's not much else I could have done wrong, and I can visually see the difference between the left side and right now that I'm looking for one.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 8:32 am

I guess you could have, but top bolt was longer and had a thicker shoulder on it I think.
Did you get them tight enough? Just a lose bolt will cause some clunck.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 10:19 am

TAHOE wrote:

I guess you could have, but top bolt was longer and had a thicker shoulder on it I think.
Did you get them tight enough? Just a lose bolt will cause some clunck.

Yeah, that's what I noticed different between the left and right sides. On the right side (the one that clunks), I can see more bolt extruding through the nut. I cranked them down pretty tight while I had it up on the lift, and when I was only about a mile away and it was clunking, I stopped and cranked it as much as I could without taking the wheel back off - that's when I noticed the bolt discrepancy.

I'll swap out the bolts tomorrow if I can get in to use the lift again, hopefully that's all it is. Too wet and gross to do it in the driveway now.

audiboy86 · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 11:03 am

Mine clunked to for awhile and then i tightened the bolt down couldn't been more then about 2 threads out. So if you swapped the bolts yes one is shorter then the other one and missing a few threads could easily be the source of your clunking.

TAHOE · **Posted:** Sun Oct 30, 2011 2:38 pm

I didn't think about the length, you may have maxed out the threads using the long bolt on the bottom and it can't pull the mount tight thus you clunking.

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Mon Oct 31, 2011 2:25 pm

Swapping the bolts back fixed it right up. I'll pay better attention next time I try to do my own maintenance!

Quick help needed - where to jack rear end?

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