Back in September I replaced the shocks on my 1984 Country Squire. I had replaced the rear brakes and drums and thought it would be a good idea to change all the shocks as they looked and felt shot. I couldn't for the life of me figure out how to get a wrench on the top nut of the rear shocks let alone touch it with my finger. I thought even if I can get a wrench on it I won't be able to hold the shaft from spinning, and if I get them off how am I going to get the new ones on with new rubber bushings. I kept trying to figure out where the shocks came out next to the floor area of the car to see if there was access from the top. The manual didn't specify anything different about changing rear shocks on a wagon. So I placed a telescopic magnet up by the top of the shock and checked to see where it was on the topside of the wheel well area of the interior. I saw that it was at a bump out in the rear floor area under the flip up panel. [URL=http://s1159.photobucket.com/user/00sniper/media/Wagon%20Queen%20Family%20Truckster/IMG_2318.jpg.html] [IMG]http://i1159.photobucket.com/albums/p640/00sniper/Wagon%20Queen%20Family%20Truckster/IMG_2318.jpg[/URL][/IMG] I disconnected the seat arms to the flip up floor and trimmed back some insulation, then removed the screws and rivets that were holding the rear floor in place. [/URL][/IMG] Got out my trusty 90 motor with a ziz wheel in it and trimmed off the bumped up area, and presto, the upper shock mount [/URL][/IMG] I saved the pressed out areas I had cut out and added strips of metal all the way around to make a mounting flange so that I could put them back on but make them removable. Cleaned up the cutout area primed it and most importantly changed the rear shocks, much easier to do this way. The rear shocks are KYB GR-2/Excel-G pn# KY343135 from Rock Auto. [/URL][/IMG] I put some plumbers putty around the panel and screwed it in, then reinstalled the floor. [/URL][/IMG] [/URL][/IMG] Now the next time the rear shocks have to be done or removed for any reason I can just remove the screws in the floor panel arms, take the screws out of the little panels and do the shocks in 5 minutes. [/URL][/IMG] I hope it helps somebody down the road or if there is another way to go about it please post it up so that there are more alternatives.
Guy on the GM Longroof forum did something very similar to this on a GM B-body ('91-'96 version), only it was to gain access to the in-tank fuel pump and sending unit, in lieu of dropping the entire tank.)
Thanks for this. I am planning on getting new shocks for my 1983 LTD country squire also. The car rides low and I was thinking of air shocks so I can raise it a little. Any air shock kits out there that would work with an 1984 Ford country squire? I don't need to raise and lower the car remotely, just be able to fill up the front the rear shocks with air a few times as needed. Thanks, Steve
I would skip the air shocks. For the amount of money you'll spend, just slap in nice new springs! Cargo coils aren't that expensive, and to change them, while doing the shocks, is literally a matter of letting them fall out!
Outstanding! This popped up in the nick of time! I don't have the patience to do that mod to the cut-out area, so I'll probably put some heavy-gauge plastic over it and glue it in place.
Helpful Hint Ambulanced this is a great tip. I don't have a Ford wagon but if I ever do this could help. We need more members with more helpful hints. Make notes for the next wagon owner so he can do the job faster.
Patrick, That sounds like it would work, you could get maybe a 3/4" hole saw and drill out the center area and after you replace the shocks put a rubber plug in the hole or one of those chrome buttons with the fingers on the backside. Please post how you do it so we can have some other options. Thanks, and get to wrenchin'!!
I used to have '85,'86,'88 & '89 Ford wagons. They were hogs for new parts! Heater cores, gas tanks,oil pans (2 drain plugs...why???). The downsizing process was awkwardly done, with a too-short wheelbase for the size of the car resulting in tiny rear wheels too far under the car and cramped rear footwells inside. The designers were going for that "BMW Greenhouse" look/low beltline. The other result was that everything seemed crunched up in the cowl area,component-wise. And a 150 hp 5.0 liter was never enough;more torque was needed. I did have to do heater cores twice (you have to access both sides of the firewall). I'd bet that the dealer techs cut a hole there to get at the shock. But I did love these cars, and they got me through the 1990s! Anyway,my '88 Country Squire had the vacuum powered air shocks in the back, as does my current '73. So if you could find one in a yard with that system, that could be a solution.
I wish I'd had the time and the tools to do my shocks that way, but alas, no. However, of the several other Fords, Mercs and Lincolns I worked on at the shop, there's absolutely no way my boss would've sanctioned that kind of method.
Well, so much for my bet! I never did the shocks on the '80s big Fords, but I did on my 2004 Mustang GT. There,the nut atop the shock is in plain sight once you remove the trunk mat. I'll probably have to replace the air shocks in my '73 at some point, but I think there is a little more room under there.
