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© 1997 Brian F. Schreurs
Even we have a disclaimer.

Also fortunately for us, the Paradise Garage Dodge Charger happens to have this exact setup. Follow along as I replace its extremely deteriorated units with new Monroe #20765 gas-charged shocks (shocks include parts pack #P591 in the box).

Put the car up in the air and take off the wheels, of course. But you probably should put the jacks under a frame point instead of the front suspension -- it's not good to put supports in the same area you're working on.

Here is the top of the left shock tower in the engine bay.

Get your friend Mr. WD-40. Spray the top of the shock tower generously (it can be found in the engine bay, on the inner fenderwell). This should free the shock nut enough for it to move, but you'll probably find that the shock stud moves with it.

Slide a box wrench over the nut (in our case it was 9/16), then lock a jumbo-sized Vise-Grip to the top of the stud. Hang on to the stud with one arm while wrenching away with the other. Be sure you're loosening, not tightening!

When your tools start interfering with each other, drop the jumbo Vise-Grip and lock a needle-nose Vise-Grip to the lower part of the stud. Don't worry about tearing up the threads; the stud is part of the old shock and will be discarded.

The nut and washer are garbage. The grommet won't come out yet; let it be for now.

Go to the other end of the shock. It's held in place with a simple nut and bolt, but the clearance is a little tight. In our case, we grabbed the bolt head with a 5/8 box wrench to hold it in place. For the nut, we used an 11/16 socket on a 1/2-drive ratchet wrench. With a little more WD-40, it came off. The bolt will need to be whacked out with a hammer. Try not to damage it; you'll need it.

This was supposed to be a shot of the hellish lower mounting area, but instead it looks like something out of a Batman movie. Oh well.

The shock won't budge! Here's what you do. Compress the shock so that it's free of the upper housing, and you can at least swivel it side to side. Take the largest adjustable wrench you've got and wrap it around the base of the shock. You can use this to apply some leverage on it. You can also pry through the bolt hole with a large flathead screwdriver. If you keep this up, it'll eventually come free.

Compress the shock (if you're replacing it, you shouldn't have much trouble). Drop it between the control arm and the brake line.

That upper grommet is probably still there. If the old shocks have the new grommet arrangement, i.e. two grommets, it should come right out. If the old shocks have the old grommet (which mine did, of course), i.e., just one grommet, you'll probably have to work at it for a while. We used sheetmetal cutters to reduce the grommet to rubber flakes, at which point it came out readily with a flathead screwdriver. Now you're ready for reassembly!

It's important to be mindful of the new grommet arrangement. In case you find the instructions too vauge, here it is, from top to bottom: nut, upper washer, grommet; the car's shock stud hole; grommet, lower washer, top of shock. The parts pack comes with an extra brass washer which is not needed.

Put the lower washer and lower grommet onto the shock stud. Maneuver the new shock into position as well as possible by hand. It probably won't snap into place. Use the huge adjustable wrench as a collar around the base of the shock again, then use a hammer to gently tap the shock down. Tap on the wrench, not the shock! It is important to be nice to the shock.

Tap in this manner until the eye of the shock mount lines up with the bolt holes well enough for a really skinny screwdriver to slide through. Use this screwdriver to maneuver the shock in place. Then use a larger screwdriver to make it even closer. Finally, tap the mounting bolt back through and put the nut on.

If you haven't already done so, slide the shock stud through the upper mounting hole. From topside, slide on the upper grommet, the upper washer, and cap with the nut. Tighten until the grommets bulge to the limits of the washers.

Do the other side, put the wheels back on, and drop the car! It's done!

We can happily report that some annoying suspension noise which has plagued this car for years is now gone! Sometimes we get lucky and it's the simple stuff.