99 Rav 4 Rear Shock Replacement

[ROYJAMES]

I want to replace my leaking rear stock shocks on my 99 Rav 4.
The Chilton's manual says to remove the rear tires and jack up vehicle prior to replacing the shocks.

For those of you who have done it, is it really necessary to remove the rear tires and jack up the rear of the vehicle when replacing the shocks?

Also what is a quality rear shock replacement for my Rav 4?


Thank You for your advice and Help!

James

[CT-Tundra]

You're probably going to limited on shock selection- just visit AutoZone or whatever and get the best they carry.

As for the job itself, crawl under there and take a look. Can you access the top and bottom mounts of the shocks and get a socket on them? If yes, you might be able to get away without jacking it up or taking the wheel off.

If you do need to- BE CAREFUL!!!! Jack up the vehicle using the method and jack points described in your user manual. Spend as little time underneath as you can.

I would also soak both the upper and bottom nuts/thread in P-BLASTER the night before to help break any rust.

Replacing shocks it a very easy job. Probably the most frustating part will be accessing the top shock mount or keeping the upper stud mount from rotating as you try to get the nut off.

[ROYJAMES]

Thanks CT Tundra for the shock replacement tips.

Is WD-40 the same as P-BLASTER for loosening rusted bolts??

I've never heard of P-BLASTER before.

I bought 2 Gabriel Shocks at Autozone for $45.00 for the pair.

James

[CT-Tundra]

WD-40 is petroleum based as therefor does have some effect on breaking up rust, but that's not what's really intended for. P-Blaser is intended for breaking up rust and it works awesome.

[p nut]

I'm going to replace my shocks with Gabriels this weekend. (from Autozone--lifetime warranty--can't beat that)

The stuff is actually called PB Blaster. It can be bought at any hardware/auto store. It seems to work better than WD40 for loosening up bolts.