Hi all, how do you dismount the rear shocks from the top of the chassis. Is there 2 bolts holding on the plate with the top mount? Had a look last night but couldn’t see a way to get them off?
Al Cowan
You have to remove the rear parcel shelf [on the FHC, not sure about the DHC]. There are large rubber grommets above the shocks - remove these and all is revealed. There is a split pin through the large castellated nut - remove this and then remove the nut and voila!
Richard
…the whole suspension will crash to the ground ! 
Unless you have a soft item (like an assistant’s foot) to cushion the fall…
Matthew
Yes - I had thought the posting was under the Elan threads rather than the +2 so ignore my above advice!!
Richard
Hi
You need to compres the sprig with a spring compressor until the spring is lose on the shock. Then support the hub with a jack and remove the split pin and nut as suggested by Richard and the top of the shock can be lowered out of the lotocone mounting.
I have heard that it is possible to remove the Lotocone mounting bolts with ‘crows foot’ type spanner but I haven’t done this myself. This would leave the spring compressed and allow the removal of the complete assembly.
If you are replacing the shock you also need to detach the drive shaft at the out board end, remove the brake caliper and a frame fixing bolts attaching the a-frame to the hub.
good luck
Andy
How do the rear shocks come apart from the hub? I had a look at the manual and it is not clear. I want to get them apart to refurb them and probably change the oil in the shocks,
Al Cowan
Hi,
You will be best to remove the complete strut from the car to do this, makes it alot easier and I am not sure if it is possible to remove the shock while it is still attached.
Once the strut is free you can release the spring from the compressors and the spring and the spring top plate can be lifted off. The rear shock is held in place by a threaded cap attached to the top of the strut, using a c spanner to remove this cap is easiest, have used large stilsons in the past 
and the shock should slide out of the tube.
Chris.
Thanks for that Chris, looks like a busy day ahead!
Al Cowan
Just be aware that quite often the new shock inserts are a loose fit in the struts. I was advised to fill gap between strut and insert with oil to stop it rattling. Problem was MOT testers saw oil on strut and failed the car! I now go to garage who know all about Elans and their little idiosyncrasy.
I’ve replaced mine twice in 20 years of ownership. A couple of other pointers:
Make sure holes in ‘D’ plates holding spring in position are not worn otherwise shock insert will push straight through. I had mine plated and welded to make them stronger.
The manual doesn’t tell you how to hold the insert still and stop it turning when trying to undo the castellated nut from inside the car. I let hub drop to full extension and then wrap cloth around shaft of insert and use mole wrench to keep it still. 
Not recommended I know as you may mark the insert and cause it to leak oil around the seal. You have to be very careful!!!
The cavity between the damper and the strut tube must be filled with oil. This is covered in the workshop manual. Remember that a damper works by converting kinetic energy to heat. Oil is needed in the annular cavity to provide a conductive path to the outside. Without the conductive path the damper will overheat. It has got nothing to do with rattling. Show your inspector the workshop manual.
Hi,
The shocks that I have just put in mine came with a spacer to be fitted into the tube first to take up slack. Once fitted they where a snug fit, no rattles.
Chris.
I didn’t get any spacers with either of my sets and used stainless washers to make up the difference.