Ijust finished changing out my front shocks and I had no idea how shot they were. It handles like a whole new truck. One trick that I had not seen on here that helped was to use a pipe wrench on the dust covers of the old shocks to break the top mounting bolt. It really made getting the old shocks out easy. When i fished it through the spring it would dog itself off and I only had to worry about breaking the nut.

 

Make sure the bottom bolt is really (2' cheater bar) tight or you will get a rattle.

 

I read on here somewhere that teh spec was 100 ft-lbs. It didn't take anything near a 2 foot cheater to get there and it didn't seem tight enough when I did it. I will hit it again. Should I put all I can on it with a 2' cheater?

 

What replacement shocks did you go with? Gonna be changing mine out pretty soon.

 

I went with Bilsteins, but only did the front because i also did a Lukes link and DSS. The front is tremedously better, but I can really tell how shot the rear shocks are now. I know what I am doing next weekend. I went for a quick drive and they did the ride is much firmer and crisper. I got them at autozone for $69 a piece.

 

Thanks, I'll check them out.

 

You can wait to see if you get a knocking sound, then tighted them until it stops. You can easily feel it in your feet while driving. Bugged the heck out of me.

 

There are many ways to remove the front shocks and those pesky dust covers.
I used my favorite one shown HERE.
Works like a charm.
And Yes, new shocks DO make it feel like a different truck.

 

I was able to take the towers off without cutting the shock all up. The trick is compressing the shock and getting the tower out before it expands again.

Then again..... Sawsall works too.

** Note to self..
Do not tell Shovelhead you have a toothache.

 

The real trick is holding the shock piston rod still while tring to back the top nut off.
The dust cover always turns if I try to just hold that, so the sawzall takes care of the dustboot AND the piston rod.
Just clamp a pair of visegrips on what's left of the rod and hit the nut with a 3/8 impact.

 

On mine the dust cover was welded to the upper rod, so grabbing the dust cover with a pipe wrench was quick and easy.

 

Maybe I should start changing the shocks sooner than every 80,000 miles, huh?.

 

hmmmm I got a rattle on the right front. Everytime it hits a bump. Anyone know if they make the blisteins for 2wd??

 

I'm running bilsteins and mine is 2 wheel drive.

 

I have Bilsteins on my 01 and am impressed. Wanted to put the 5100's on my 03 but can't find them in stock anywhere for the rear ?