GM 19178430 Rear Leveling Shock Absorber Assembly

Unbolt the car's battery terminal, lift the vehicle by its frame, and keep it secure when the suspension's knuckles are dangling loose. Then take off both wheels and tires. To dismantle the strut from Deville and Fleetwood models, start by loosening the tie bar bolt at both bar ends, then taking out the nuts holding the strut top to the body. To remove the wheel speed sensor, disconnect it from anti-lock brake models, then take off the sensor bracket placed on the strut. Carefully remove the brake line bracket from the strut. Next, unscrew the bolts holding the strut to the knuckle, and lift out the strut. Secure the knuckle with wire to keep the ball joint and halfshaft from being damaged. First, slot the strut bolts through the knuckle and attach the nuts. After that, place the strut on the car body and feed its bolts through, making sure to have the washer and tie bar positioned before tightening the strut-to-body nuts. If your car has anti-lock brakes, install its brake sensor assembly and fit it to the shaft. Secure the nuts to these components with these torque values: strut-bolt: 140 ft-lbs; body-nut: 18 ft-lbs; link-nut: 48 ft-lbs; and tie bar through-bolt: 20 ft-lbs. Replace the wheel and tires, then carefully lower your vehicle; check and adjust your front-wheel alignment. When replacing the strut, place it in a machine that compresses springs, turn the screw until the spring squeezes down slightly, and hold the strut shaft stable while removing the top nut using a T-50 Torx bit. Twist the compressor screw slowly as you pull the shaft out, and release the strut when the spring can come with it. You'll need to put the strut into the strut compressor tool, engaging a clamping tool to keep the strut shaft secure, then putting the spring on top of the strut with the flat of the spring seat facing straight out from the direction that runs down the center of the vehicle. Thread the strut shaft through the top of the strut assembly while using the compressor screw to compress the spring. When the threads appear, put on the washer and secure the nut. Loosen the clamp holding the strut shaft and tighten the gasket-nut pair to 55 ft lbs, as you use a T-50 socket to keep the strut shaft from moving. Then pull the strut off the tensioner device.

Vehicle elevation begins the process to uninstall and reinstall the strut on Deville and Fleetwood vehicles by requiring wheel removal after trunk side cover removal. Clean the connector then squeeze the spring clip before detaching the Computer Command Ride electrical connector if installed on your strut system. Detach the strut tower mounting nuts inside the trunk before removing the knuckle and stabilizer bar bracket bolts and washers and nuts to extract the strut assembly. When mounting the strut within the vehicle use upper mounting nuts securely followed by proper alignment of the strut wire when Computer Command Ride is present. First install the bolts that attach the strut to the knuckle and fit the stabilizer bar bracket and then lubricate the air line O-rings before connecting the air line and electrical connector (if present). Reattach the trunk side cover after you tighten all mounting nuts to their correct torque values, then run low pressure through the electronic level control system and install the wheel assembly and lower the vehicle while checking the rear wheel alignment. To test shock absorbers you should press down a vehicle corner while it is empty and check that the motion reaches equilibrium after 2-3 cycles. A test will reveal inadequate performance when the suspension moves excessively during pitching or loses its equilibrium position. The normal status of oil-filled shocks can be identified by a thin oil coating but a thick oily substance means the shock has failed. When gas-filled shocks display film indicators it requires checks if gas leakage is detected because limited resistance occurs. Replacements of shock absorbers should always occur as sets for optimal balance during vehicle response. Prior to testing air-adjustable shocks you must stroke the units to eliminate trapped air. The testing method requires users to position the shock absorber in the vise under clamp while manually pumping it until they can measure the control resistance that operates better in rebound mode versus compression mode. Listen to compare with a known good shock absorber to check for necessary replacement in case of abnormal noises.