I just purchased Bilstein 5100, front and rear. I am working on getting the rears off. I just started and hit my first snag. On the top of the rear shock, the nut has a arm on it that will not let it spin. It hits the frame. I guess I am supposed to loosen the bolt instead? The bolt is pretty hard to get to though?

 

I answered my own question. I gained access to the bolt and loosened from there. I am sure I will hit more problems when I get to the front.

 

they should be captive nuts. They are designed to not spin. SO yes loosen the bolt.

For the fronts, try a impact on the top nuts. The shaft can spin on you and be a real pain. Get that nut off before the rest of the shock bolts and tower. It will make it much easier. If you dont have a impact, there is a hex bolt I believe on the shaft. that or you use two open end wrenches, one on the shaft, the other on the nut. Been a while since I did mine, so I am a bit foggy.

 

those are great tips, thanks. Im wondering which way the rubber bushings go on the top of the front shock. They are shaped different than the o.e.m. ones. The Bilsteins have a protrusion or nipple on one end and flat on the other. Im guessing that the nipples go towards the tower above and below it?

 

Im confused on how to get the tower on. The shock is in its location with the bottom bolt in . The strap is still on the shock but the shock is still too long to get the tower on. Any tips on this?

 

Tried jacking the frame up to let the axle down lower?

To do this you may have to disconnect the swaybar and the trackbar. I did mine with all the front end disconnected cause I am swapping the frame.

 

thanks for the reply. I thought about jacking the body up after I posted the question and that was the trick. Im almost done but have one more question. How tight should the upper nut on the front shock be or how much should the bushing be compressed.

 

I did not replace with "stock" type shocks. So I dont recall.

 

IIRC, on mine the top nut is pretty much flush with the top of the shock shaft.

I can't remember which way we ended up putting the bushings on, but I found out the hard way that there is a right and a wrong way. Doing it the wrong way wouldn't compress the bushing enough to get the top nut on very far.