Trouble with installing shocks???

[msnunes]

Having shocks put on today (along with a Warn bumper and winch [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img] but that's another story...)

They're having a hell of a time with the left rear shock -- can't get to the top nut. Said that it must have been put on before the body (?), that usually there is an access hole in the body but mine doesn't have one (?). For that matter, the left front shock took them forever as well.

I can't imagine that everyone had had this trouble changing shocks... ?

[sixiron]

I've had same trouble changing out the rear shocks...you have to elevate the body to get to the upper shock nut...its a pia...I also removed a metal shield on the exhaust side to allow more room to get to the upper nut...lol bd

[youngster]

Do you have to use nut and bolt on those shocks? Could a shouldered pin and cotter pin be used as a replacement?

[toalpi]

All four of the top nuts are miserable. On the 97 left rear, I removed the small fuel(gas) tank shield and was able to get a box wrench on the nut and then used a wrench on the hex part at the top of the metal dust cover. Wedge the top wrench in place and turn the bottom wrench. On the right rear, after an hour and a half of struggling, I used a nut splitter with some long socket extensions from the wheel well. Then gently put some vice grips on the nut and turned things from below. If there are two people, reaching in from the wheel well to place and hold a box wrench should be easy. If I had diesel in my tank rather than gas, I would've taken out the cutting torch. I probably should not have, but I put plenty of never sieze on the post of the bilsteins and I used washers and spacers so that the post will not extend up through so high as to make getting a wrench on the top next time so difficult. And there is less than 1/2" of thread above the nut. I check them visually to make sure that they are not loosening.

[yaric008]

I don't recall the rear shocks being much of a problem, but that front left one, my god.. it was ridiculous. I did discover tho that there is an access hole from under the hood to get to it, which should make it easy to get to. We are talking about the drivers side front shock i suppose.. hell.. both were hard to do, but the drivers side one was the hardest.

[toalpi]

Eric, could you look at that hole more closely, What are the chances that somebody made that hole? On my 94 I recall using a hammer and a pipe/drift to make some more room in the left front. You guy's without salt and rust have it easy, the 94 was only three years old when I changed shocks the first time, and the right front shock post broke after one very difficult revolution of the nut. When I took off the Rancho's this summer, one front and one rear post broke, but they are a smaller diameter post then the stock shocks or the Bilsteins.

[yaric008]

I don't think anyone made the whole as we've had the van since new and the hole looks pretty well.. machined, as if it were made that way. I'll see about getting some pictures though.

[msnunes]

Well, they got it done. The right side shocks were easy, the left front was a half turn at a time on the nut, and the left rear took two people. I have no access holes anywhere on the truck. They questioned the guy who designed this arrangement...

Thanks.