When removing the rear shocks on my 99 d, is their a metal sleeve that is permanetly connected to the lower shock mounting bolt or should it be all threaded bolt. In removing my rear shocks I was left with the lower bolt and a metal sleeve which I thought was the sleeve from inside the rubber bushing...so I tried to pull it off with vise grips and it wouldn't budge. Made me think that that sleeve is a factory piece connected permanently to the mounting bolt. Need your guys help on this?

 

no, its just rusted on

 

Appreciate the help that_guy.. ill try to heat that sleeve up just a bit to try and remove it. Again thnx.

 

penatrating oil is your best friend.

 

I've tried that..hit it with vise grips, then bigger vise grips, then wd40, then pb blaster...still they wouldn't budge, so hit with lots of pb blaster, let it soak in for 24 hrs.. and as of this morning, they still aren't moving. I'm having problems trying to post a pic on this thread so I'm posting a pic in my gallery if anyone is curious in what this problem looks like.

 

the last time I changed my shocks both bottom bolts sheared off so I just took the pieces to lowes and replaced all 4. It sounds like it might be easier to spend a few bucks (less than $5) than spending hours messing with the old ones. Just my 2 cents

 

that_ guy.....do me a favor and go to my photo album....I posted 3 pics of my rear shock lower mount....tell me what you think. I mean, the bolt has no head to it, just the threaded stud and that sleeve. I can't even slide the bolt out the other end. Its the craziest setup I've ever seen. My d is one of the 2wd lowered shelbys so its possible I have a totally differant shock setup...I'm stumped on this problem. The old shocks were so worn, that the rubber bushings were either gone or crumbled to the ground when I removed them...both lower sleeves were not in the bushings of the old shocks...thats why i think they are stuck on the bolt......I put a pic in my photo album of how bad the shock bushings were.

 

Yeah that does look completely different. Mine bolts to a bracket welded to the axle. You could try heating it up and quenching it with a wet rag a few times and try pulling it off with vice grips again.

 

ok...ill give that a shot(heat/water)and see what happens. I ordered new energy supension polyurethane bushings today thru summitt racing...ill pull the rubber bushings out of my new belltech shocks and replace with those. I think the polyurethanes come minus the sleeves so I may be able to just slide those over that sleeve...thnx for your responses and help that_guy...much appreciated.

 

no problem. Keep us updated.