Technical New rear shocks

[cinque500]

I bought some Monroe shocks years ago and the boxes were gaffer taped by the sender so I can’t read if there are any instructions.
There are some locking rings which I’m not sure if they’re to be knocked on over the thread up to the nut? Seems a bit inadequate to me, maybe I’ve got that wrong anyway?
Also, I’m wondering what to torque the nuts to as I don’t want to over squash the rubber bushes? TIA

 

[The Panda Nut]

I guess the anti- shake- washer- nuts on first then tighten firmly 35lb/ft would seem about right, butyour suggestion may be correct. You can always add a tiny drop.of low temp.lock tite. Panda top nut is 48. on the struts from memory. There are no instructions on eother of the 2 boxes of Monros on my parts shelf. I would check a workshop book or google it

 

[Pete O]

I borrowed the attached image from Axel Gerstl's website via google...
At the bottom end, the non-threaded part of the pin is the correct length for the right compression of the rubbers; there will be a washer with a larger hole that will go over this part all the way to the body of the shock, then put the rubber on, then into the mounting hole, then the next rubber, then the disc with a smaller hole that will only go over the threaded part of the pin and will seat at the end of the non-threaded part as you bring the nut down, giving the correct length for the right 'squish' of the rubbers. On the pictured shock, the metal sleeve performs this same length-setting function at the top of the shock. Don't get too hung up on torque wrench settings (in my mechanic career they were rarely used except inside engines! They're more necessary now with torque-yield hardware but your 500 predates that by half a century!). The stamped nut gizmo is a cheap form of lock nut; screw it on after the proper nut, to act as a locknut.

 

[cinque500]

I borrowed the attached image from Axel Gerstl's website via google...
At the bottom end, the non-threaded part of the pin is the correct length for the right compression of the rubbers; there will be a washer with a larger hole that will go over this part all the way to the body of the shock, then put the rubber on, then into the mounting hole, then the next rubber, then the disc with a smaller hole that will only go over the threaded part of the pin and will seat at the end of the non-threaded part as you bring the nut down, giving the correct length for the right 'squish' of the rubbers. On the pictured shock, the metal sleeve performs this same length-setting function at the top of the shock. Don't get too hung up on torque wrench settings (in my mechanic career they were rarely used except inside engines! They're more necessary now with torque-yield hardware but your 500 predates that by half a century!). The stamped nut gizmo is a cheap form of lock nut; screw it on after the proper nut, to act as a locknut.

Yeah that stamped nut is really cheap n nasty. I see from the pic that AG supply proper lock nuts

 

[Pete O]

You can use nyloc nuts if you're concerned about them coming loose, but then you need to grip the body of the shock with a pair of multi-grips or similar. I use a strip of rubber when doing this to avoid sctratching up a new shock. Really in the context of a vintage 500 the stamped nut is sufficient.

 

[cinque500]

You can use nyloc nuts if you're concerned about them coming loose, but then you need to grip the body of the shock with a pair of multi-grips or similar. I use a strip of rubber when doing this to avoid sctratching up a new shock. Really in the context of a vintage 500 the stamped nut is sufficient.

I do have concerns about plain nuts coming loose as the ‘holding’ pressure of the rubber bushes will vary with temp and over time. Although they’d start clonking when loose over undulations so I’d hope I’d hear. The original shocks had nylocs but were a different thread, but I don’t want nylocs anyway as they are a pita on the upper mount to remove. Maybe I’ll go for some loctite as I’ve got three grades on the shelf so could go for the lower strength and hope I don’t have to remove anytime soon

 

[the hobbler]

I do have concerns about plain nuts coming loose as the ‘holding’ pressure of the rubber bushes will vary with temp and over time. Although they’d start clonking when loose over undulations so I’d hope I’d hear. The original shocks had nylocs but were a different thread, but I don’t want nylocs anyway as they are a pita on the upper mount to remove. Maybe I’ll go for some loctite as I’ve got three grades on the shelf so could go for the lower strength and hope I don’t have to remove anytime soon

If there is enough thread, use a 2nd nut to lock the 'tightening'nut

 

[Pete O]

Agree a second nut is a very secure method. I have nylocs on my Defender as they are supplied with the Bilsteins and even they come loose from time to time- but that is over thousands of km of outback corrugations! A classic car that does low mileage on sealed roads should not be much of a concern in this department.

 

[cinque500]

If there is enough thread, use a 2nd nut to lock the 'tightening'nut

Tbh I would have done but I don’t have any fine pitch nuts to hand