So I'm driving to a Yankee game through the Bronx. The roads have all seen better days and every bump I hit (and I hit many...many bumps) resulted in a loud bang from the rear drivers side of the car - tell-tale sign that something has gone wrong with the shocks.

I head into the trunk and look at that side:



Pull back the trim carpet and look what I see:



All that black stuff is what's left of the top bushing.

Going on the good advice I picked up in another thread I head to :
http://www.americanairsuspension.com/Lincoln-Mark-VIII-8-Rear-Shocks-Mounts-p/mk8shkit.htm

and grab me some Sensatracs and it's back to the car. There are other ways to do this - this is just what I choose to do.

Jack up and pull the wheel. I found it easier to jack the car and have an extra jack to compress the shock:



The top of the shock is let-go by removing just three nuts. If the center one is giving you trouble it's probably because the stud is turning with the nut. You'll find that the stud is flat on one side. I used an adjustable wrench to hold it still:



Here's what is left once it's removed:



Now remove the bottom bolt to totally take out the old shock:



New VS Old:


The new one has a much beefier top mount and the bushings are really beefed-up also.

Installation is the opposite of removal.



All in all - the most difficult part of this was crawling in and out of the trunk for the top bolts.

Have fun!

"Yessong", eh? Very cool name that I suppose lotsa younger members aren't gonna get. Excellent write-up and photo array.

LOL...Yeah - probagbly not. Thanks for the Kudos (another term younger members may not be familiar wit )

Talk about serendipity!! I was about to buy rear shocks for my 4 Marks when I opened your message. And instruction pictures to boot!

thanks much Yessong

97 Base Mark Black/Prairie Tan
98 LSC Black/Midnight Black
98 CE Pearlescent White/Graphite
98 CE Cordovan/Graphite

Great write up. I did this job in the garage in 40F temps in less than two hours start to finish. All I used was simple hand tools and two floor jacks. The second floor jack made it easier to get the new shock into place. I also did not have to remove the center nut to take my old shocks off since I was replacing the mount. Going back on it did have to have my wife tighten the center nut up while I held the shock from spinning at least until the flat of the bolt was exposed that so that I could hold the bolt while tightening the nut.