a10thunder
Member
- :
- Mazda5
I had a blown rear shock so I went ahead and replaced it myself. Someone else posted about doing this and said it was really easy. As far as difficulty goes, it's on the level of brake pad replacement. It depends on whether you have the right tools or not. The replacement shocks I got were KYB GR-2's (Part No. 343412). You can find them online for $35 to $50 per shock.
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible if you break something or hurt yourself while performing this procedure.
Stock shock and KYB GR-2 (silver)
Tools needed:
- 12mm deep socket (extension also recommended)
- 17mm socket
- 13mm wrench
- Floor jack
- Torque wrench (10 - 80 ft/lb torque range)
- Vice or pipe pliers
Step 1
Jack up the rear of the car as high as you can and place jack stands at the rear jack points.
Step 2
Remove the 2 rear wheels. You'll need access to the wheel well.
Step 3
Now you can see that the shock is held up top by 2 nuts (12mm) and a 17mm bolt at the bottom. Unscrew the two 12mm nuts up top with a 12mm deep socket. It's really hard to get a wrench in there because of the shape of the bracket. Your job will be a lot easier if you also have an extension so you don't have to reach all the way in there. As you start to loosen the nuts, there will be a lot of crap falling down. Make sure you protect your eyes and try not to breath in the stuff.
Notice all the shock oil that has leaked out from the blown shock.
Step 4
Uncrew the 17mm bolt at the bottom. A long socket wrench or a cheater bar will help out a lot here. I used a mallet to loosen the bolt.
This is a bad picture, but you can see the bolt. It's behind the disc brake. With the wheel off, you can reach the bolt without getting under the car.
Step 5
Take out the shock. It takes a little wiggling, but the shock can be taken out pretty easily.
Step 6
Uncrew the 13mm screw holding the dust cover/bump stop to the shock body. This step is really easy if you have a vice. To uncrew the nut, you have to hold the rod that the nut is screwed onto stationary. Otherwise, if you try to uncrew the nut, the rod and the shock body will spin with the nut. The tip of the rod has two flat faces, so if you put the whole thing in a vice, you can easily uncrew the nut.
If you don't have a vice like me, you'll have use something like pipe pliers to hold on to the rod and unscrew the nut... big PITA. This is the shock with the dust cover/bump stop off.
Step 7
Now you are ready to install the new shock. Place the old dust cover/bump stop over the new shock. My KYB's came with 12mm nuts instead of the stock 13mm. Tighten the new nut over the dust cover/bump stop.
Step 8
Place the new shock in the original rear shock location. Make sure the top and bottom mount locations are correct and thread through bottom bolt. Don't tighten this bolt just yet but make sure the bolt thread has caught and is holding the bottom of the shock in place. The new shock's rest position may not be long enough to reach to top mount location. In this case, you'll need to put the floor jack under the suspension member and raise the shock. Once the top bracket clears enough thread for the two nuts to catch, install the two 12mm nuts.
Step 9
Tighten bottom 17mm bolt (56.35-74.49 ft/lb torque from Mazda Service Manual)
Tighten top 2-12mm bolts (15.7-21.2 ft/lb torque from Mazda Service Manual)
Step 10
Put rear wheels back and lower car. Go for a test ride and enjoy your new shocks.
DISCLAIMER: I am not responsible if you break something or hurt yourself while performing this procedure.
Stock shock and KYB GR-2 (silver)
Tools needed:
- 12mm deep socket (extension also recommended)
- 17mm socket
- 13mm wrench
- Floor jack
- Torque wrench (10 - 80 ft/lb torque range)
- Vice or pipe pliers
Step 1
Jack up the rear of the car as high as you can and place jack stands at the rear jack points.
Step 2
Remove the 2 rear wheels. You'll need access to the wheel well.
Step 3
Now you can see that the shock is held up top by 2 nuts (12mm) and a 17mm bolt at the bottom. Unscrew the two 12mm nuts up top with a 12mm deep socket. It's really hard to get a wrench in there because of the shape of the bracket. Your job will be a lot easier if you also have an extension so you don't have to reach all the way in there. As you start to loosen the nuts, there will be a lot of crap falling down. Make sure you protect your eyes and try not to breath in the stuff.
Notice all the shock oil that has leaked out from the blown shock.
Step 4
Uncrew the 17mm bolt at the bottom. A long socket wrench or a cheater bar will help out a lot here. I used a mallet to loosen the bolt.
This is a bad picture, but you can see the bolt. It's behind the disc brake. With the wheel off, you can reach the bolt without getting under the car.
Step 5
Take out the shock. It takes a little wiggling, but the shock can be taken out pretty easily.
Step 6
Uncrew the 13mm screw holding the dust cover/bump stop to the shock body. This step is really easy if you have a vice. To uncrew the nut, you have to hold the rod that the nut is screwed onto stationary. Otherwise, if you try to uncrew the nut, the rod and the shock body will spin with the nut. The tip of the rod has two flat faces, so if you put the whole thing in a vice, you can easily uncrew the nut.
If you don't have a vice like me, you'll have use something like pipe pliers to hold on to the rod and unscrew the nut... big PITA. This is the shock with the dust cover/bump stop off.
Step 7
Now you are ready to install the new shock. Place the old dust cover/bump stop over the new shock. My KYB's came with 12mm nuts instead of the stock 13mm. Tighten the new nut over the dust cover/bump stop.
Step 8
Place the new shock in the original rear shock location. Make sure the top and bottom mount locations are correct and thread through bottom bolt. Don't tighten this bolt just yet but make sure the bolt thread has caught and is holding the bottom of the shock in place. The new shock's rest position may not be long enough to reach to top mount location. In this case, you'll need to put the floor jack under the suspension member and raise the shock. Once the top bracket clears enough thread for the two nuts to catch, install the two 12mm nuts.
Step 9
Tighten bottom 17mm bolt (56.35-74.49 ft/lb torque from Mazda Service Manual)
Tighten top 2-12mm bolts (15.7-21.2 ft/lb torque from Mazda Service Manual)
Step 10
Put rear wheels back and lower car. Go for a test ride and enjoy your new shocks.
Last edited:
