Hi guys Im currently, in the process of re-building my entire rear suspension but have a few questions I know you gys can answer for me, first, the shock mount on the lower strut rod.. does it unscrew out of the spindle? and also having hell getting the rear rotor off, im hearing drilling out rivets to get it off? cant beleive a 24 yr old car has never had the rear rotors off, and where exactly are the rivets ?? in-between the wheel studs? I already have the caliper off and hung out of the way as well as the halfshaft and shock, Im needing to rebuild the trailing arms as well as replace all the bushings etc... thanks for any help guys vettehead1963 1981 silver over charcoal

There are 5 rivets holding the rotor on. Equally spaced around the rotor. The shock mount can be a real booger to remove, it's a very tight press fit. Start with soaking it with a good penetrant, PB blaster is one of my favorites. WD won't do it. You can get a shock mouht removal tool. If it's not too rusted, you can turn the castle nut over, thread it back on to protect the threads and knock it out with a brass hammer. Be careful though, this only works if it's still in decent shape. New mounts are expensive. A couple of heat cycles on it may loosen it too.
If you have it that far down, I assume you're doing bearings as well. That's a whole different chapter, I'd suggest a service manual, setting it back up can be tedious.

I just removed the entire rear suspension as well. Instead of using a shock mount removal tool I found a nut with an end cap, the type you would use to seal off a threaded pipe, that fit the threads and diameter of the mount. Take the castle nut to Home Depot or your local hardware or plumbing supply house and match it up. I saved alot of headaches not to mention around $12 for a tool that I would use very infrequently. Then just bang on the end cap and slowly back off by unscrewing it a little at a time. When the mounting is even with the hole use something of slightly less diameter and hammer the rest through the mounting bracket. Not a bad job at all. If it won't move then you may have to heat it. As far as the bearings, send the whole arm out for refurb. You'll save yourself a heck of alot of headaches. Bair's sponsors our site but there are others such as Van Steel.

Ok great info on the shock mount I figured it was either pressed or threaded, now to those huge rivets?? just drill them out? and the rotor should come off huh... its amazing to me that they have never been removed or resurfaced in the life of this car but I guess not..The reason Im doing all this is because I have movement in the rear end under acceleration, I was told that the swing arm bushings in the front mounts where they go into the frame was the cause... yes?? Thanks again vettehead45 1981 Silver over Charcoal

Yup! just drill the suckers out, rotor should come off fairly easily. You may have to adjust the parking brake in though.
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Thanks Guys for your help, as usual I get good info from all of you and sure makes my life easier, any suggestions about the project that Im undertaking would be greatly appreciated, tips etc Thanks vettehead1963 1981 Silver over Charcoal..

Just because the rivits are there does not mean the rotor were not turned. It just means they were not taken off the car.

I am going to turn my rotors in the spring or summer, depending on the rest of the progress, and I am not going to remove the rotors.

I will use an on-car brake lathe. These have a motor and turn the rotor while still mounted in place. It makes for a VERY true rotor. I did take the front ones off, and machined them on a standard lathe.