2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Front Shock removal?

[RoosterXP]

Guys, what is the best way to remove the front shocks on my truck? should I remove the springs? help!

 

[SRadke]

Unbolt the towers, pull them out the top.

-Scott

 

[fkovalski]

Unbolt the towers, pull them out the top.



-Scott

Not to be nit picky... but I assume you to mean that you unbolt the shocks from the tower and remove them independently rather than as assembly.

That is what I did on my 01 and my 05...



Otherwise I concur with you to remove them from above.













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[wlowe]

Here's a bit of info I learned here on the TDR. Place your jack under the axle and jack up the truck as far as you can. Place jack stands under the frame and slowly lower the axle until the shock is fully extended. This will take the pressure off the shock and makes removing/installing the shock tower much easier.

 

[RoosterXP]

is it best to unbolt the shock from the upper tower and slip the shock out that way? Im not 100% sure how i am going to get the 3 bolt bracket up out of there with the shock still attatched?

 

[CCiatteo]

I just did the shocks on my 97. Both front shocks will come out the top. Unbolt the shock from the tower and the tower from the frame. Move the tower out of the way, but leave in the engine bay, then pull the shock out. Driver side is trickier than the passenger side. SOAK the lower bolts for days, prior to trying to remove them. The nut on the backside of the shock is a flag nut and its a poor design IMO. If the flag nut breaks you'll be fighting it the whole way because its very tough to get access to the nut. Start soaking the lower bolts now and I'd pick up new bolts and flag nuts from the dealer and have them on hand ready to go, coat them with anti-sieze on the re-install.

My 38 cents. Good Luck

Chris

 

[DieselDoghouse]

As mentioned in a previous post - I've always had success jacking the truck up off the front axle to extend each shock in turn. Then when you do have to remove the shock tower you not fighting the shock jumping through the hood (and dragging the unmounted tower through everything in the way!!) BTW if you did need to remove the springs you can do it now easily (no compression). When installing - new hardware as mentioned OR LOTSA neverseize.

 

[Pavemen]

not sure what everyone is worrying about, just remove the bottom bolt, remove the top nut from the shock, unbolt the shock tower and lift that up and out of the way. remove shock. i've done it this over a 15 times without ever having an issue.

now installing them can be a PITA depending on how well the new bushings fit in the lower mount. sometimes the new one is big enough that it is real tight and then you need to line up the bolt hole. i usually slide the shock in and get the lower bolt installed, then compress the shock enough to get the tower bolted up then extend the shock and put the top nut on