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My '66 Toro has a knock in the rear suspension (passenger side) that is driving me nuts. I've explored around with pry bars and inspected everything and there's nothing obvious jumping out at me. I swapped the rear vertical shocks to the opposite side to see if anything changed and it did not. Today I figured I'd swap the rear horizontal shocks to the other side to see if anything changed and I noticed something odd on my car.
The rear horizontal shocks have "bottom" written on them except, in my case, the "bottom" side appears to be attached to the "upper" mount. Were these things installed backwards? These shocks were replaced before I got the car so I don't know the exact origin of them. If you take a look at my pictures below, you can see the stampings on the shock and I did a little research which seems to show that these things are the real deal Delco rear Toro horizontal shocks called out in the parts manual. PN 3197664 Delco Products Dayton OH. Now, it seems to me that real deal Delco parts wouldn't have "bottom" written in the wrong spot? Maybe I'm misunderstanding the "bottom" label? In my case the "bottom" of the shock is attached to the frame of the car.
I did notice the attaching bolts were different sizes in diameter so you can't really install these backwards by accident unless you pressed out the bushings at the ends and swapped them around which seems like an awful lot of screwing around. I can't see a shop doing this. Anyway, I've looked at all the diagrams and they really don't depict the shock in a way that makes it obvious how they're installed. I've checked all of my saved pictures of other Toro's and they don't seem to be using the same shock as me.
I'll keep digging in the manuals to see if they're shown anywhere else but in the meantime, anyone have the same shocks as me? Does it even really matter if they're installed backwards?
Last edited by ourkid2000; Sep 26, 2025 at 10:00 AM.
The shocks in my 68 are original and installed just like you have them on your 66. I can't say I noticed the "bottom" label on the shocks when I had them off, but they could certainly have the word as well. I think you are over-thinking this. Leave them the way they are and carry on.
The shocks in my 68 are original and installed just like you have them on your 66. I can't say I noticed the "bottom" label on the shocks when I had them off, but they could certainly have the word as well. I think you are over-thinking this. Leave them the way they are and carry on.
Very possible that I am over thinking it. I've been known to do that, haha. Thanks for the advice!
Boy oh boy, I remember looking for these horizontal shocks for my '69 Toro back in the mid '80s. The Olds dealer hadn't stocked them for years, but I did find a (very dusty) set at one of my then main go-to locally owned auto parts stores (the same one where one of the parts guys told me they couldn't sell me a carb rebuild kit for my '76 T/A because according to this guy, "Pontiac never put a 455 in a Trans Am" ). I think this was the last pair of these shocks they had on the shelf. In any case, I'm pretty sure they were Delco shocks and (not surprisingly) I don't remember "bottom" being stamped on them. Even if it was, I installed them the same way the originals were installed. It's possible that these shocks were used in another application where they were more vertical and "bottom" orientation would be important.
Last edited by JohnnyBs68S; Sep 26, 2025 at 01:36 PM.
Boy oh boy, I remember looking for these horizontal shocks for my '69 Toro back in the mid '80s. The Olds dealer hadn't stocked them for years, but I did find a (very dusty) set at one of my then main go-to locally owned auto parts stores (the same one where one of the parts guys told me they couldn't sell me a carb rebuild kit for my '76 T/A because according to this guy, "Pontiac never put a 455 in a Trans Am" ). I think this was the last pair of these shocks they had on the shelf. In any case, I'm pretty sure they were Delco shocks and (not surprisingly) I don't remember "bottom" being stamped on them. Even if it was, I installed them the same way the originals were installed. It's possible that these shocks were used in another application where they were more vertical and "bottom" orientation would be important.
Ok thanks for the sensible advice! It sounds like I was overthinking this and making a bigger deal out of it than I should have. It's not the first time for me that's for sure. I guess I'm just always expecting the worst when it comes to Toronados just because of the nature of the beast. Sounds like my shocks are good to go as is and I will leave well enough alone. I did switch them from side to side though and after a fairly quick drive, I don't really notice the knock anymore. I'll have to take it for a real good drive and see how it goes.
). I think this was the last pair of these shocks they had on the shelf. In any case, I'm pretty sure they were Delco shocks and (not surprisingly) I don't remember "bottom" being stamped on them. Even if it was, I installed them the same way the originals were installed. It's possible that these shocks were used in another application where they were more vertical and "bottom" orientation would be important.
