snomobeelr Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 1st of all Merry Christmas & Happy Chanukah... Need some assistance. I bought new High performance Bilstein shocks for the car and have a question about the rear. I never thought about it previously with the other shocks. I had gotten a 12 bolt from a friend and it has been in there for years. I mounted the Tops first and the car is on the the ground. The bottom Mount of the shock the is about 3 inches over the stud/pin the bottom of the shock slides onto. So if I jack up the car to slide the bottom of the shock onto the pin/stud and put the car back down wont the shock be over Extended? There is another hole in the braket about 3 to 4 inches above where the current hole for the bottom pin/stud is. It is much smaller, but I can drill it out or is that not correct ? Thanks Alan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 Sounds like you have the wrong shocks. If the car is sitting at the normal riding height the shock should be in about the middle of its travel. If you have to jack the car up to attach it to the mount its going to be bottoning out all the time. I dont know that much about bilstein shocks but the stock ones dont do that. No dont drill that other hole out always the stock mounts unless otherwise directed by mfg. Sounds like you may have a full sized chevy shock not an A body shock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monte70car Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 If it helps Alan you can mount the stud/pin part of the shock first the the up travel of the shock will stop against the mounting surface for top of the shock. On a friends 71 the kyb's the bottom of the shock was about an inch below the stud. A picture of the shock hanging in place would help. I'm with Steve on this it sounds like its the wrong shock if you got 3" until it gets to the stud. bilstein is made by eddblock and it suppose to be they top of the line shock, we have a set on the rear of nomad and they aren't the smooth riding shock but I guess that could be the fault of the leaf springs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wallaby Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 With a gas charged shock, they extend themselves all the way out when you take off the strap used for packaging. If it were the right shock, it would extend itself out and be too long. You would have to compress the shock some to get it to fit between the mounting points. As stated above, the shock should be roughly in the middle of its travel when the car is at rest. The shock should allow free movement both up & down of the suspension. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 25, 2011 Author Share Posted December 25, 2011 Thanks guys, Definatly wrong shock then, Tried adding a picture but dont know how to do that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 How did we let him get away with that 198 posts and no pictures yet hmmmmmmmmm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
black07ss Posted December 25, 2011 Share Posted December 25, 2011 How did we let him get away with that 198 posts and no pictures yet hmmmmmmmmm Ya right on Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 Sorry , have pics on Car Domain. Added a pic of the shock to it on page 3. I dont know how to add pictures to the postings here though. http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3329691/1971-chevrolet-monte-carlo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7tonemonte Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 This one? Id say its the wrong shock for sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leghome Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 if it is stretched out all the way it is the wrong one fer sure Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted December 26, 2011 Share Posted December 26, 2011 I thought you said the shocks were to long but there to short. If the car is on the ground at the normal ride height position they are to short. If you have the car jacked up by the frame and suspention is streached out that is normal. I do notice that it has springs other than stock, if there sitting the back up to high that can happen also. Also make sure that the shocks are extended out all the way I have seen some that use the bands to hold them and have some that have to be twisted to unlock them (gas charged shocks) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 26, 2011 Author Share Posted December 26, 2011 Meant the mount was 3 to 4 inches past the mount for the shock. Car is on the ground. No straps on the shocks. Thanks guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 What part number are they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 27, 2011 Author Share Posted December 27, 2011 I had ordered the 4pack = 70-51068 Belive they were : front = 55-r024b rear = 55-r022 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70mcarlo Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 According to the Bilstein application chart those are the correct part numbers for the Monte. Are the shocks extended all the way? If they are the same length as when you removed them from the box, and there are no exterior straps, you need to twist them to "unlock" them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian Posted December 27, 2011 Share Posted December 27, 2011 Weird that does look like the right part number if you search for them on the web. Have you tried twisting and pulling on them to see if they will come down anymore? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 I'll have to check when I get home but I think they are all the way extended. Only thing I can think of is the rear sits higher than stock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Rear shocks should be about 22 1/2 extended and 13 1/2 compressed. In that picture, is the car at ride height or is the rear hanging? It looks like it is up in the air. If the rear is hanging he bottom studs will be below the shocks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 The car is on the ground. Actually on the wheel dollies in the rear. Heres somthing I forgot since Car has been apart and now reasembling. If I remember correctly the front and rad rear springs are for a 71 impala station wagon big block. If you look at the pic in my car domain you'll see the stance. I had the old shock (dont know why it bad) on a shelf and it is same size. I do remember having trouble installing those as well. Wonder if I need those stock extension , but dont really want to do that. I'll try calling the place tomorrow and see if there a diffrent shock or part number for that other vehicle.. Yikes http://www.cardomain.com/ride/3329691/1971-chevrolet-monte-carlo/page-2#33296910039 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cny first gen 71 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Wow that does sit high you may have to go with the full size chevy shock on that. Shock extensions are only about 3 or 4 inches. Thats why I asked about the springs I knew they were something other than stock. have you tried the fronts yet you may run in to the same problem. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 Is the car still apart like in the pictures? looks like it needs some weight on it. Your rear suspension looks like it is at the limits of its upward travel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 The body is back on the frame. I dont belive it's a weight issue at this time since body on. I didnt have any issue with the front shocks. Ill have to get some pics of that and update it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
70mcarlo Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 If you're planning on keeping those Impala Wagon springs, you may have to measure from upper to lower mount and choose a shock that way (perhaps contact the manufacturer directly) - I don't think just switching to Impala Wagon shocks would be the answer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snomobeelr Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 So I went and Measured it. From the top Mount to the center of the mounting stud it is 23 1/4.. Tried calling PST but have to call them back tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike 57 Posted December 30, 2011 Share Posted December 30, 2011 I hate to say this but I think that your spring choice will cause you long term issues. The heavy duty rear monte spring has about a 750 pound load capacity per spring 1500 for the two and are about 13 inches tall uncompressed. The impala springs are about 1350 pound load capacity per spring 2700 for the two and they are about 18 inches tall uncompressed. The front shocks fit because the spring is captive and the upper control arm is keeping the spring from extending any more. I would bet that the upper control arm is being held tight to the bump stop on the frame. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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