Itinerant Air-Cooled

A very good deal is on Amazon.com with free shipping.
A set of 4 for an early bay is $145 total. Yep.
Just passing this along.

Is this valid?

GostaBerling wrote:
Rear shock lower and upper bolts= 43ft. lbs.

Front shock
-install lower part of shock on the stud in lower torsion arm.
-incline the top of shock absorber about 30 degrees to the rear, and then torque the nut to 18-25ft. lb.
-move the top end of absorber into line with the upper mounting hole. Torque upper bolt to 36ft. lb.

All figures and procedures taken from Bentley manual. Hope that helps.

An important "detail": The "about 30 degrees to the rear" bit, applies if and only if, you've jacked up the front ( wheels hanging loose ).
It is simpler to change the front shocks, with no jacking up; Then there is no 30 degree to care about. Then, just install and torque.

hambone wrote:Is this valid?

Rear shock bolts= 43ft. lbs.

-incline the top of shock absorber about 30 degrees to the rear, and then torque the nut to 18-25ft. lb.
-move the top end of absorber into line with the upper mounting hole. Torque upper bolt to 36ft. lb.

The "about 30 degrees to the rear" bit, applies if and only if, you've jacked up the front ( wheels hanging loose ).

Very valid. This is the ol' Only Tighten Shocks At Ride Height so you don't torsionally stress the bushings.
Colin

The wheels do not need to come off? I guess not, considering the front shock procedure. What about the rears?

When should one cut the plastic retaining straps on the new shocks? Does it even matter? I don't want it to go shooting off across town!
I don't think shocks work that way however.

Rear shocks arrived in the mail, fronts tomorrow. I can't wait til I stop bouncing around like....like....uh...JELLO!

Unless yours is different than a '73, front and rear can be done in place, no jacking, no wheel removal required.

Have you replaced your steering damper?

No but I haveta. The idea is somewhere in the pile!
Thanks Chi. I'll try it that way. The less I have to do the better.

Amazon sent me the shocks. Same part # on the box, but one is a gigantic red beast with an accordion plastic end...dis' ain'tt rhite. The other was the right one...
Back, back into parts hell. Has anyone ordered parts from them before? I haven't. Not sure if this is common.
Should I replace the bolts? Really wasn't planning on it but ya never know. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

hambone wrote:No but I haveta. The idea is somewhere in the pile!
Thanks Chi. I'll try it that way. The less I have to do the better.

Manfred made the suggestion to me and it made a huge difference. 25 bucks, 2 bolts and I was back on the road with much better handling, especially in the high winds, high speeds on the highway.

hambone wrote: Back, back into parts hell. Has anyone ordered parts from them before?

From . . . . Amazon????????????????? Why . . . . no.
Don't plan to.
Colin

It was pretty easy to send the part back tho. UPS came to my door.
Front shocks in! And new damper for good measure, BOGE Brazil.
They came out like buttah.
40k miles on the old ones. Bad roads.
Still waiting on the 1 rear.

good tip, Hambone. I just got a new set of plug wires for under twenty bucks from amzn. Since none of the friendly local auto parts stores carry the Bosch ones, I'm stuck ordering it & waiting a few days no matter what.

Amskeptic wrote:

hambone wrote:Is this valid?

Rear shock bolts= 43ft. lbs.

-incline the top of shock absorber about 30 degrees to the rear, and then torque the nut to 18-25ft. lb.
-move the top end of absorber into line with the upper mounting hole. Torque upper bolt to 36ft. lb.

The "about 30 degrees to the rear" bit, applies if and only if, you've jacked up the front ( wheels hanging loose ).

Very valid. This is the ol' Only Tighten Shocks At Ride Height so you don't torsionally stress the bushings.
Colin

I did it that way. Goofy.

It was pretty easy and accessible to do it with wheels on. Having an air gun is an added plus.
10 years 40k miles. That doesn't seem like they should be dead yet. The old ones are still compressible, but the new ones got rid of the bouncy-bounce. Otherwise the difference is subtle. They are probably just on their way out. It should make a difference when I replace the rears too.

Now go replace that steering coupler. j/k.