# Rear shock on 1997 Chevy K1500 Silverado **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 19, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572 "2024-03-19T15:47:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 3:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/1 "2024-03-19T15:47:09Z")
I just drove 250 miles from NY to Delaware and I heard some noises coming from my truck. I got to my destination and discovered that the rear shock had disconnected from the truck because the bracket connecting to the frame rotted out in some way. My plan was to be driving about 1000 miles over the next few days, on highways, and I don’t have much weight in the back of the truck. I never tow anything. Would I be safe if I just completely disconnect the shock for now? I am assuming it’s been barely hanging on and barely useful for a while and that I never noticed. ![Screenshot 2024-03-19 at 11.34.14 AM](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/4/14b458a08ad9a7fc88481ce3bfb3c05d443af802.jpeg) ---
**Author:** ![Mustangman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/mustangman/32/44130_2.png) [@Mustangman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Mustangman)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/2 "2024-03-19T16:02:31Z")
It isn’t really safe… further, if the shock mount and its dust tube both rotted off, what ELSE is rusted near the point of failure? I’d say the truck itself is no longer safe to drive based on this one picture. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/3 "2024-03-19T16:23:56Z")
What he said. Also, that tire is just about down to the wear bars, how are the others? ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:27pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/4 "2024-03-19T16:27:59Z")
Have the rear shock mounts replaced before the trip. ![96fba46fba8845bab4c584ffc847a543_490](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/5/7/57a7c7730736324209f76c91cf40568bc6de57da.jpeg) Tester ---
**Author:** ![Purebred](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/purebred/32/46796_2.png) [@Purebred](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Purebred)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/5 "2024-03-19T16:32:49Z")
If you have the brackets replace, new shocks on both sides. Front shocks likely need replacing. Definitely need to plan on new tires in the very near future. ---
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/6 "2024-03-19T16:36:00Z")
Your point about other rusty things is well taken! Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/7 "2024-03-19T16:36:35Z")
Can’t argue with that! Thanks for your time. ---
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/8 "2024-03-19T16:46:43Z")
Also, I’d imagine it’s possible that the shocks weren’t really working for a while, and that could have led to premature tire wear? ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 4:55pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/9 "2024-03-19T16:55:00Z")
The tire wear is from use, how old are the tires? How many miles? You may have 5,000 miles of use left on the tires, will the truck last that long? ---
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/10 "2024-03-19T17:19:44Z")
The tires are only a year and a half old, and I’ve been getting them rotated. I imagine they’ve got at most 30,000 miles on them. For some reason I seem to wear tires out fast. Overall my truck is in pretty decent shape, so I think I will get much more than 5000 miles out of it. But we’ll see! I can’t predict the future. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 5:34pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/11 "2024-03-19T17:34:31Z")
That looks like normal tire wear, and from what you say the others look just like it, correct? Any way to post a photo of where the shock mount goes? I’m wondering if there’s enough metal up there to attach a replacement shock mount. Without seeing the underside of the truck we’re all just guessing about its condition. How does the frame look? ---
**Author:** ![jfny78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@jfny78](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jfny78)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 5:41pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/12 "2024-03-19T17:41:10Z")
I’ll try to get a picture later. Busy trying to not let this take up my whole day right now. 🙂 My truck passed inspection recently, and I think I trust my mechanic enough that he’d have noticed and told me if my frame was about to fall apart! Haha. He told me a few years ago that it was solid. ---
**Author:** ![texases](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/texases/32/862_2.png) [@texases](https://community.cartalk.com/u/texases)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 6:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/13 "2024-03-19T18:15:28Z")
Assuming it was just the shock mount that rusted out (looks like pretty thin steel compared to the frame), I’d get two, replace them both, and replace all 4 shocks. ---
**Author:** ![davesmopar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/davesmopar/32/41750_2.png) [@davesmopar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davesmopar)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 7:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/14 "2024-03-19T19:56:51Z")
> [@jfny78](#): > > My truck passed inspection recently, and I think I trust my mechanic enough that he’d have noticed and told me if my frame was about to fall apart Well, the shock and tires looks like crap, and the shock mount broke… So there is that… I think I would find a different shop/mechanic for another opinion, but that is just me, I like to feel safe in my vehicles… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/15 "2024-03-19T20:28:03Z")
It’s definitely something to be concerned about. Other than a short trip on local surface roads, 35 mph & less, I wouldn’t drive my older truck w/a missing shock. It may seem to handle ok around town, but there’s no way to predict what will happen if hitting a big bump at 70 mph, the vehicle may go out of control. Suggest to just ask a local shop if they can install a new shock mount. An inspection may show it may not be that complicated. At the same time make sure there’s no rust-openings developing from the truck’s underside into any passenger or confined areas. You don’t want exhaust gasses getting inside. . ---
**Author:** ![JayWB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e480ec/32.png) [@JayWB](https://community.cartalk.com/u/JayWB)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2024, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/rear-shock-on-1997-chevy-k1500-silverado/194572/16 "2024-03-19T20:51:27Z")
> [@jfny78](#): > > and I don’t have much weight in the back of the truck. I never tow anything. > > Would I be safe if I just completely disconnect the shock for now? You apparently think that the shock absorber’s function is to support weight. It doesn’t. It controls the bouncing of the axle /wheel / tire when you hit a bump in the road. Without the shock absorber there’s NOTHING controlling how the wheel and tire react to bumps, which makes you a danger to everybody one the road.