Chaning rear shocks

[eradicator006]

Looks like I will be changing out my rear shocks in the very near future. On a cool day it sounds like my back tires are flat. The shocks bang that much. Before I only had that issue when it was really cold (like -30'C). So I guess that means they need to be changed.

From what I have saw they look super easy to replace. One question though; the 18mm nut on the bottom is it welded in place? I saw one video on youtube where that nut was welded in place so all you needed was a 15mm to remove the top and bottom bolt.

Thanks.

EDIT: Forgot to mention it's a 2005 Liberty 4x4.

 

[cplchris]

IIRC it is not welded in place when i did mine i remember having a wrench on the nut...mine is an 06 sport

 

[tommudd]

Bolt at the top, bolt and nut on the bottom, all the same from 2002-2012

 

[AVR2]

Just did mine the other week. 18mm bolt and nut at the bottom, 17mm bolt at the top. I had the rear of the Jeep up on jackstands under the frame rails and took the wheels off for maximum access. I have the W7150 cordless impact, which tore the lug nuts and shock fasteners off like they weren't there

The FSM says that you should not torque the fasteners until the Jeep is back on the ground, but I don't know how they expect you to torque the top bolt that way, since there's no room to get a torque wrench onto it with the wheels on the ground. I decided to jack up the rear axle until just before the wheels obstructed the bolt, and then torqued it.

 

[eradicator006]

Just did mine the other week. 18mm bolt and nut at the bottom, 17mm bolt at the top. I had the rear of the Jeep up on jackstands under the frame rails and took the wheels off for maximum access. I have the W7150 cordless impact, which tore the lug nuts and shock fasteners off like they weren't there

The FSM says that you should not torque the fasteners until the Jeep is back on the ground, but I don't know how they expect you to torque the top bolt that way, since there's no room to get a torque wrench onto it with the wheels on the ground. I decided to jack up the rear axle until just before the wheels obstructed the bolt, and then torqued it.

In the video I saw he didn't even take the tires off to change the shock. He had a 2.5 inch lift where as I do not. What I was thinking was that I could leave the tires on and raise the body with a jack and get the top bolt that way. I don't have jack stands so I don't want to crawl underneath with just the jack holding it and no tire on.

Ah, never mind. The video was for a grand cherokee. I'll get some jack stands and do this the right way.

 

[KJScott]

Jest get several extensions then you can torque the top bolt when its back on the ground