1999 K1500 5.7 Suburban, Rear Shocks to Frame, No Nuts?

Schurkey · May 14, 2023

I'd have replaced the bolts with 5/16-20 x 1.25 before I went to Grainger for metric nuts.

Mind you, I have no animosity toward Grainger, unlike, for example Frito-Lay/Pepsico, Taco Bell, Adidas, Nike, Campbell Soup, KFC, OPGI, and Transweiser Busch. I just wouldn't wait that long when SAE bolts can be had locally.

PM18S4 · May 20, 2023

Shocks successfully installed.
No Screw or J-nut survived; all heads snapped.
I managed to install all of the top bolts/nuts per the Service Manual with the bolts on top.
Getting the bolts not to spin was a true PITA, I had to contort to get a wrench between the cabin shell and top of the frame mount.

The right bolt on the passenger side was by far the most difficult to get a grip on.
If anyone else ever tries to do the shocks on a Suburban without J-Nuts the only to get a grip on is shown in this photo:

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View is from the wheel well looking in. Hoses are the ones to the rear HVAC.
A longer flex-head would have been a better option, but I don't have a set of them (yet).

While I was back there and had it on a lift I also replace Stabilizer Shaft Isolator (GM 10037105 [discon], AC-Delco 45G0548), and Stabilizer Links ( GM 15961007, AC-Delco 45G20795); mainly because the rubber looked terrible.

wezmykat · Jun 2, 2023

I went through this, the j-nuts snapped and would just spin and spin making them impossible to get out, I had to spend hours with pliers and vicegrips without success, if I remember correctly I had to shove a metal rod in there and make it bite into the nut to finally lock it in place allowing the bolt to slowly come out, was a huge pita. Northern truck, everything is rusted. Putting on the new j-nuts was a breeze i got them off rock auto, they were a little longer than factory but did the job. They're only a couple bucks a piece as opposed to like 60$ for OEM.
Some time later driving off-road the whole metal part that holds the j-nuts to the frame completely broke, so I just got a giant u-bolt and now that's what holds the shock absorber to the frame, been years, works fine. I would like to replace it with a new piece but they're impossible to find, oh and it would be super hard to fix without taking the body off.

LVJJJ · Jul 25, 2023

Perfect subject for my current problem. (94 k1500 GMC Suburban) Trying to replace my Monroe overload shocks (with helper springs). The lower bolt and one upper bolt came off no problem. The upper bolt close to the frame won't come out. It did loosen but when its about 1/8th out you can hear a click where it seems to skip a thread and then just turns without coming out. It's got the J clipsCan't get in there with anything, so am stumped. Any ideas how to get this bolt out without dismantleing the frame?? When I get it out I think I'll replace the clips with nuts.

Schurkey · Jul 25, 2023

Loosen with high-speed impact wrench.

Loosen with high-heat Oxy-Propane or Oxy-Acetylene torch.

Loosen with air hammer and chisel.

LVJJJ · Jul 25, 2023

Don't have any of those tools. Thing is, its not stuck or hard to turn, the threads just won't grab the J clip so it just turns and turns, too easy.

LVJJJ · Jul 25, 2023

Got it!! Got the bolt out and shock off. Had to grab my grinder with cut-off wheel and cut the overload spring off and then cut the shock off so I could get to the bolt. Surprisingly I was able to get the grinder motor up into the frame area and cut the head off of the bolt. Guess I could get another J clip or use a bolt and nut. If I use a bolt I figure I'll open up one of the holes on the shock so I can slide it under the new bolt head and use the j clip that still works on the other side. Cripes, I thought it would take me a couple of hours to remove and install the shocks, been like over half a day. Thanks for the responses.

GoToGuy · Jul 25, 2023

A company called Auveco, web site " autofastenersandclips " a big supplier / source of factory hardware, Excellent catalog source for Hardware identification size, etc., and especially the unusual clips and nuts and bolts, wire loom and hose support clamps. You can use factory part numbers here also.
Another is " Clipsandfasteners.com " . You can search by make, model etc, or the factory part number. I have purchased from " clips and fasteners" off Amazon there discounted. When removing the door card, the upholstery inside , there is always a few of those white barbed pins that break or the retainer breaks, so I have bag of 25 in my clips supply box. They had the big clip nuts for the front skid plates, the K2500 has all metal plates. Some have plastic shields.

You don't have to buy from them , the point often is just being able to identify what you need to look for. And once in while the dealer actually has the part on the shelf for reasonable price.
Good luck!

alpinecrick · Jul 25, 2023

GoToGuy said:
A company called Auveco, web site " autofastenersandclips " a big supplier / source of factory hardware, Excellent catalog source for Hardware identification size, etc., and especially the unusual clips and nuts and bolts, wire loom and hose support clamps. You can use factory part numbers here also.
Another is " Clipsandfasteners.com " . You can search by make, model etc, or the factory part number. I have purchased from " clips and fasteners" off Amazon there discounted. When removing the door card, the upholstery inside , there is always a few of those white barbed pins that break or the retainer breaks, so I have bag of 25 in my clips supply box. They had the big clip nuts for the front skid plates, the K2500 has all metal plates. Some have plastic shields.

You don't have to buy from them , the point often is just being able to identify what you need to look for. And once in while the dealer actually has the part on the shelf for reasonable price.
Good luck!

Thats good to know. I have bag of Chinese door panel clips to replace the ones that invariably break when removing the panel, but half the time one or two of the Chinese clips break when i'm putting the BACK ON.......

62barsoom · Sep 15, 2023

LVJJJ said:
Perfect subject for my current problem. (94 k1500 GMC Suburban) Trying to replace my Monroe overload shocks (with helper springs). The lower bolt and one upper bolt came off no problem. The upper bolt close to the frame won't come out. It did loosen but when its about 1/8th out you can hear a click where it seems to skip a thread and then just turns without coming out. It's got the J clipsCan't get in there with anything, so am stumped. Any ideas how to get this bolt out without dismantleing the frame?? When I get it out I think I'll replace the clips with nuts.

Gas axe

1999 K1500 5.7 Suburban, Rear Shocks to Frame, No Nuts?

Schurkey

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PM18S4

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wezmykat

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LVJJJ

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Schurkey

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LVJJJ

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LVJJJ

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GoToGuy

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alpinecrick

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