Rattletrap1

Intending to put Bilsteins fore and aft. Will the front shocks snake up through the line jungle (p/s, etc.) or will I have to break other stuff loose?

Steve

y-knot

It's very easy, just remove the shock tower (three nuts) and push it out of the way. Then remove the single bottom bolt, and pull the shock out the top. There is a little more room on non 4w ABS trucks. The new ones go in, reverse order, and do not crank the mounting bolts for the shocks down. They should be tight, but not so tight the ears bend over and you loose the insulation of the rubber bushings. The BILSIENS will ride a little stiff, but they offer good control. Also, when installing the new shocks, do not cut the band that keeps the shock compressed. drop it in the spring, put on the the shock tower, and then mount the shock to the mount. Now turn the shock body to make sure the bottom mount is lined up with it's bottom mount. Now reach in and snip the band, and help guide it to the mount, as it gets there incert the mounting bolt. If you were a little so, and the shock went to far, just use a screewdriver to lift the shock a little. The top mount get tighten to a firm snug, don't over do it.

The rears are even easier, they both have a single bolt, and access is good. Mount the shock to the upper shock mount first. Then have your bolt ready, eyelet alined, and cut band. Incert bolt as shock get to mount. Good luck.

Rattletrap1

My only concern was snaking it out thru the top. Some of the plumbing looks like it might be in the way.

gkainz

Just replaced mine last week on a '97 2500 CDT 4x4 ... no sweat at all as described above. Removed the turbo air hose on the pass. side for easier access and they slipped right out the top.

rattle_rattle

FYI. I had a heck of a time getting the old stock shocks off. I have never found a shock that the top nut would not come loose with the help of an impact wrench. My 2500 wouldn't come loose no mater what I tried. The only way I got them off was to remove the shock tower first. I then removed the shock and the shock tower as an assembly. At that point I then heated the shock nut and used vise grips on the shaft. They finally came off.

Srigs

For the fronts, undo the top nut and then the 3 shock tower brace and then finely the lower bolt. Pull the shock tower brace off first then pull out the shock out the top and snake out the shock (mainly a pain on the drivers side). Install is the reverse...

One more thing if the top nut does not come off easily you may need to put a strap wrench on the stock shock top to unbolt.

kd460

I have never had good luck with those top nuts. They are always a monster to get off. Heat was the trick for me and lots of it. The new shocks got a liberal coating of anti-sieze and a rubber cover. Hopefully that will help for next time.

BTW, you will be very happy with the Bilstiens. Kevin

Rattletrap1

Thanks for the advice guys. I only wanna do this once every 100k or so...hence the Bilsteins. Other choice was Rancho 9k's, but I hear they don't hold up near as well with 4k #'s on front end and about 7k #'s on back. :

DarrellB

[quote author=Rattletrap1 link=board=5;threadid=21251;start=0#msg199476 date=1066783684]
My only concern was snaking it out thru the top. Some of the plumbing looks like it might be in the way.
[/quote]

If your truck is equiped with ABS witch I think it is, you will need to take the clips off that hold the brake lines together and snake the shock up through the two lines. It's a tight fit but it will go. On the passenger side take the airbox off along with the inlet hose to the turbo and it's easy going from then on. On the back I had to take the rear sway bar mounting bolts out, because they put the bolts on the shocks on the wrong way and you couldn't get them out without removing the sway bar mounts. When I reinstalled the new shocks I put the bolts in the right way.

One more thing the nuts on the lower shock bolts on the front have flags welded to them so you won't need a wrench on the the back side.

Good Luck

DB

Scubasteve

I had a similular problem with shocks and the sway bar links. After about 10 minutes I thought to myself " do i need these things after?" so out came the sawsull and BOOM problem solved!! hehe


Jason

rattle_rattle

[quote author=Srigs link=board=5;threadid=21251;start=0#msg200070 date=1066875670]
For the fronts, undo the top nut and then the 3 shock tower brace and then finely the lower bolt. Pull the shock tower brace off first then pull out the shock out the top and snake out the shock (mainly a pain on the drivers side). Install is the reverse...

One more thing if the top nut does not come off easily you may need to put a strap wrench on the stock shock top to unbolt.
[/quote]

A strap wrench only kept the plastic cover from turning on mine. It won't help with holding the shaft.

fmj

At the top of the stock shock shaft there is a square, that I think a #8 open end will fit. Its right after the end of the thread. Try to get the right size, as I might be wrong. Place an open end on the shock shaft nut first, then place the small open end on the square, you might have to get a small pipe to fit over the small wrench to get leverage. It will allow you to hold the shaft while loosing the shaft nut. Or you can get two nuts with same thread as shaft (??) and tighten them togeather, leaving enough room to get box onto shaft nut. This will also work. When all else fails, use a vice grip on the end where there is no thread. Hope this helps. Also put break free oil on day before working on all shock threads, I think that helped some.

Rattletrap1

Thanks darell (and others)...the ABS lines was a big part of my concern. I just noticed some plumbing in the way where the shock looked like it would come up thru. Good to know it will fit with a little help. I did notice the air box will have to come off too.

acoustic_axe

Last time i did a shock replacement, like alot of others have said the top nut is froze on. If you can get it on the nut try a Nut Splitter, sounds painful, but works really good, and no danger from a torch.

Lil Dog

Acoustic Axe is right on..

The shocks in my old beasts are the same with a nut on top, but just not a removable tower. The nut always seizes to the shaft.

What you guys need is a nut breaker/splitter. Its a tool that has a loop of cast iron that slides over the nut, then a threaded wedge that cuts through the nut. Its like a small version of a log splitter. One cut on either side would remove the nut completely or just one slice will spread the nut open enough to be easily threaded off. I never even try to move the nut without splitting it. The tool was cheap too, got a set of 2 for about $30 at the local tool store.

J-eh