PNWguy Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 The recent sub-zero temps ruined my factory Nivomat shocks in my 2005 Yukon at 95k miles. FYI... https://www.fcpeuro.com/page/nivomat-shocks Nivomat Shocks | DIY. The way they work is as the load increases (such as with cargo and passengers) the pressure increases in the shock displacing fluid from its internal reservoir to its valving system increasing the spring rate essentially preventing the vehicle from “ Squatting ” .It has a pump mechanism and oil reservoir... Aftermarket replacements were $300 each. I did some research and learned I could replace them with regular shocks, if I also replaced the rear coil springs with Z71 spec coils since the nivomat spec coils were softer. So I bought a set of Moog Z71 coils and Monroe Gas-Magnum shocks for $115 total. It looked like the install involved just unbolting the sway bar and the shocks, lifting the rear of the Yukon until the tires weren't touching, popping out the old coils, putting in the new coils and shocks, and bolting everything back up. Easy peasy. But, due to all of the snow, there was about a foot of crusty snow covering the driveway to my little shop and the constant bouncing and swaying of my broke rear suspension was driving me nuts. So, I called the local Meineke shop that I've had good luck with for a quote for labor only. Figured it would be an hour or so and I would fork out the $100 or so to get it done. Nope. $338. I explained that it was 6 frickin' bolts and shouldn't take them more than an hour. They said the book says 1.5 hours for the shocks and 1.5 hours for the coils. Decided to wait and do it myself. Weather warmed up drastically the last few days and we had some 60 degree days so the snow went away. Today I pulled the Yukon onto my drive and replaced everything in two hours. The hardest part was figuring out how to safely lift the rig when I discovered that my floor jack no longer worked. Using a Hi-Lift, bottle jack, and jack stands along with a lot of very slow jacking and trepidation, I got it done. Had I had a vehicle lift, the job would have taken me an hour. Not sure how they figured three hours for a professional to do the same job. Pics from the install... Old coils were shorter and thinner, and the old shocks were completely toast with fluid leaked all over them... After the install, the back end is 2" higher, rides a little stiffer, and handles and feels amazingly good! 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huaco Kid Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 Why would sub-zero temps ruin the shocks in a car named "Yukon"? I'd sue. 4 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&P15T Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 (edited) 14 years and 95,000 miles "ruined" your factory shocks. Shocks are wear items, replacing them is normal. Nice to see you do the work yourself, hopefully you got some personal satisfaction from doing it. I'm glad you didn't have any safety issues not having a proper jack!! The back end will settle a bit as the new shocks break-in. Edited March 22, 2019 by M&P15T 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hauptmann6 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 8 hours ago, PNWguy said: But, due to all of the snow, there was about a foot of crusty snow covering the driveway to my little shop and the constant bouncing and swaying of my broke rear suspension was driving me nuts. So, I called the local Meineke shop that I've had good luck with for a quote for labor only. Figured it would be an hour or so and I would fork out the $100 or so to get it done. Nope. $338. I explained that it was 6 frickin' bolts and shouldn't take them more than an hour. They said the book says 1.5 hours for the shocks and 1.5 hours for the coils. Because they have to go by book times. And book times are set so if you have a little trouble you aren't working for free. Yours was an easy one. Now if the bolts were rusted or snapped off, that hour could turn into 4 real quick. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 1 hour ago, M&P15T said: 14 years and 95,000 miles "ruined" your factory shocks. Shocks are wear items, replacing them is normal. Nice to see you do the work yourself, hopefully you got some personal satisfaction from doing it. The back end will settle a bit as the new shocks break-in. I've never noticed new shocks raising a car up. My guess is the Z71 springs are what did it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoF250 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 8 minutes ago, SC Tiger said: I've never noticed new shocks raising a car up. My guess is the Z71 springs are what did it. Yeah, gas charged shocks can push a little but they have almost nothing to do with how it sits. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RenoF250 Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 FYI Rockauto has the factory shocks for $250 and some aftermarkets for $126. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SC Tiger Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 3 minutes ago, RenoF250 said: FYI Rockauto has the factory shocks for $250 and some aftermarkets for $126. Just ordered the motor that controls the vents on my car from there. The engine/trans/drivetrain on that thing (Honda Civic) are solid, but a lot of the smaller bits are absolute ****. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
M&P15T Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 34 minutes ago, SC Tiger said: I've never noticed new shocks raising a car up. My guess is the Z71 springs are what did it. Brand-new, shocks take a day or so to settle. At least that's been my experience. Could be the springs too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyjohnson Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 15 hours ago, PNWguy said: Not sure how they figured three hours for a professional to do the same job. you can call ALLDATA and ask,but after 30 years of calling and asking i still have`nt gotten a call back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cubdriver Posted March 22, 2019 Share Posted March 22, 2019 My guess would be that the book says 1.5 hours for the springs. By themselves. It also says 1.5 hours for the shocks. By themselves. Both seem nearly the same, process wise, as far as what has to come apart - likely pretty much identical up until the part replacement - I'd guess for springs, it's unbolt the bottom end of the shock to get the needed axle drop to swap out the springs, and for shocks the time in the first procedure spent dropping the axle and swapping springs over is instead allocated to unbolting the TOP of the shocks and swapping THEM out. The shop quotes them to you as if they're sequential jobs with cumulative times, but of course will do both while it's apart. I'm glad to hear the weather broke sufficiently for you to do the work yourself, but I have to say that the smartarse in me would have been sorely tempted to tell them I couldn't afford both jobs now, so just change the shocks for the 1.5 hr charge, and I'll be back later when my bank account's built up some more to do the springs. You wanna charge effectively double the labor for parallel jobs? Fine- DO double the labor! -Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ASH Posted March 23, 2019 Share Posted March 23, 2019 set rates , but check around , i did all my vehicle work up til now and im 50 i rebuilt one of my 304 jeep motors and on the second motor now then im done rebuilding , i just dont have the stuff to do the head work needed and taking it to a mechanic and going back and forth has made my nerves short . i got a mechanic friend thou who works for chevy dealer and his own garage at home to work on my gm stuff and some ford kinda off topic but i needed 3 exterior doors installed ******* lowes wants 250 a door bou same price as door . so i talked to the dude in that dept and said hey instead of me paying lowes how bout i pay you 350 to do the work on the side , so i saved 500 bucks right there, i just cant hang a door ,tried but never can get it right , . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elsolo Posted March 24, 2019 Share Posted March 24, 2019 It's the same 1.5 hours to do both That would be like charging book time to replace a flywheel, and then charging book time to replace the clutch disk.Sent from my ONEPLUS A6013 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PNWguy Posted March 25, 2019 Author Share Posted March 25, 2019 On 3/22/2019 at 6:12 AM, M&P15T said: 14 years and 95,000 miles "ruined" your factory shocks. Shocks are wear items, replacing them is normal. Well, in the dozens of vehicles I've owned over the decades, I've never had a set of shocks go bad literally overnight. Generally, they slowly lose pressure and/or effectiveness. To have both rear shocks go bad literally overnight after an extreme temperature drop, I would say it is safe to say that the extreme cold played a major part in their demise. And yeah, shocks have nothing to do with ride height, they only dampen and modulate the up and down motion of the suspension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyjohnson Posted March 25, 2019 Share Posted March 25, 2019 most hydraulic oils have a freeze point of about -10. a lot of times here the oil freezes you hit a pot hole or a rise in the road and blow out the seals and leak the fluid either into the piston Cyl. or out of the shock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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