? on installing shocks

[93fordturbo]

is there anything special about installing shocks. Never done it, going to do it this weekend hopefully. Do i need to compress them or anything?? i have no idea how to do it

 

[jonathan]

un bolt them and pull them out real easy

 

[Brianedwardss]

I can only speak for 2wd trucks, but they were all a breeze on my 88. All were out in the open. I sprayed some PB on the bolts an hour before I went to do 'em, then again when I actually crawled under the truck. And with my cheapo impact gun, everything came out like hot butter.

 

[jonathan]

i just hit them with my 18 volt dewalt 1/2 impact

 

[93turbo_animal]

you can leave the plastic holder on the shocks till you get them in place and one end fastened then cut them off and guide the other end in place that way you don't have to try and compress them under the truck

 

[HammerDown]

you can leave the plastic holder on the shocks till you get them in place and one end fastened then cut them off and guide the other end in place that way you don't have to try and compress them under the truck

Yep, that's how I do it

 

[Squeaky_Wheel]

you can leave the plastic holder on the shocks till you get them in place and one end fastened then cut them off and guide the other end in place that way you don't have to try and compress them under the truck

You were wondering if you had to compress them. If by chance you forget this little trick mentioned above, don't worry, compressing them by hand is not that difficult.

 

[rhkcommander]

if they are rancho you dont have to compress them. dust boot is up to you, some people love em' cause they are suppose to block dust/dirt, others hate them cause they can trap water etc.

impact makes it easy, I had an impact gun and air ratchet because the rear can be difficult to fit a big ole gun in. Made it even easier.

If the brackets were smashed on last install I used two huge wrenches to spread them back open...

 

[Drew2010]

Dont put em on upside down. I worked at a shop for community involvement in high school, a guy came in with a truck and was complaining his brand new rancho shocks that HE put on were junk. We didn't look at it until it was on the hoist, took one look and thought wow, what an idiot.

He put them in upside down. He ruined 2 brand new RS5000 and 2 brand new RS9000 rancho shocks. Thats about 300 bucks (50 each for 5000's, and 100 a piece for the 9000's.) down the drain in about 50 miles... he ended up buying a set of Monroe Sensatracks through napa and we put them on. Rancho's have an arrow that says up.... Its there for a reason we told the guy.

But yeah. There is a top and bottom.... Don't mix it up

 

[93fordturbo]

thanks guys, now im replacing the springs and shocks tomorrow in the rear, how important are the front springs and shocks? would they really need replacing? or is that not near as important

 

[Dieselcrawler]

some shocks do go on upside down, bilstiens are that way. just gota read which way they go.


why u replacing springs?

 

[Sledgehammer]

Don't torch off the old bolts/nuts if the threads are in bad shape. Your eyebrows will thank you...

 

[93fordturbo]

My rear main spring on the passenger side has been broken in front of the center pin for about 1000 miles or so. The axle is farther back on the passenger side than the drivers side lol. I will take a pic.

 

[93fordturbo]

pics of why im doing my springs

here it is
http://s1227.photobucket.com/albums/ee425/93fordturbo/

 

[rhkcommander]

thanks guys, now im replacing the springs and shocks tomorrow in the rear, how important are the front springs and shocks? would they really need replacing? or is that not near as important

depends on if you drive loaded or empty. empty= front, loaded rear. I did all 4.

here it is

pic didnt load for me