Re: A "shocking" question.Please help..............

[Milanogold@domain.elided]

In a message dated 7/17/99 11:32:01 PM Eastern Daylight Time, Milanogold 
writes:

<< Greetings Alfisti!
       Tried to put shocks (koni reds) and springs (GTV6)under Lazarus, my 
'79 alfetta Velocissima today.Note the word Tried................
       Got the car jacked up , jackstands under it,no problem.Whipped out the 
Haynes manual for the procedure.It said remove th rear seat upper cushion;so 
I did.I assumed  this was to get at the upper shock mounting bolts;but when I 
removed the upper cushion;I didn't find any holes large enough to get a 
socket into.
        So, I remove the two humped covers behind the seat, thinking that's 
where the access ports for shock removal were located.Nope, I got more solid 
metal bulkhead;a vapor tank of some sort on the drivers side and more 
frustration......Finally pulled the carpet from the rear hatch area covering 
up the gas tank,and found the upper shock mounts.I whip out my trusty 17 mm 
socket and start wrenching on the upper shock bolts.The bolts moved to where 
there's 3 threads showing on the threaded part of the shock;and no matter how 
hard I wrenched, they just spun.Thinking it was the shock shaft spinning, I 
pull out my Vise grips (the universal wrench if there ever was one)and clamp 
them securely to the shaft under the car.The bolts still spin!!!!!!!!!!!
        Just for grins, I try and remove the lower shock mounting bolts.I 
tried this by hand,and those things wouln't move either.I tried and tried, 
but those bolts simply would not move either.After an hour of using my 
ratchet with every conceivable "leverage multiplier"attached;those bolts 
still wouldn't move.These are the stock SPICA shocks;they appear to be the 
shocks from the factory.They also appear to have been put on by 2 gorillas 
using a 45 foot long snap on wrench..............These things are SERIOUSLY 
torqued on.I finally got the lower shock bolts off,after going in desperation 
and renting an electric impact wrench and using it to break them free.(I'd 
never seen an electric impact wrench;this one is made by bosch and worked 
like a charm.This tool just moved to the top of my "I want it!"list)But, the 
top shock bolts are still stuck there;laughing at me.
        I just spent 7 hours total in 98* heat trying to put the shocks and 
springs on and have nothing to show for it but a severe sunburn and sore 
muscles.What am I doing wrong???? Do any Alfisti have any advice or tips on 
how to do this?I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong;and for financial 
reasons I really need to do this job myself.If youv'e got any tips or advice 
please share them with me.
 Thanks for your help!
 Terry Akins (Who's more of a redneck than usual this evening, and in pain to 
boot)
 Alexandria,VA
 1987 Milano Gold (Alfie)
 1979 Alfetta Velocissima (Lazarus, who arose from the dead but seems to be 
trying to kill it's owner with complex problems for seemingly simple repairs) 
        >>

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