2nd Gen Non-Engine/Transmission Replacing shocks

[Mschevey]

I need to replace all four of the shocks on my truck. I am hoping to do it this weekend. I just took a quick look to see what was involved. The back look very easy. But the front... .



To change the front I think the best way is to remove the 3 small nuts that hold the 'tower' over the the top of the shock. Will this work or do I have to compress the spring and remove it to change them?



Any advice from people who have done this before will be appreciated.



Thanks, Mike

 

[Jeff Knight]

Hey Mike, Taking the towers off are the way to do it. If my memory serves me right I think you have to remove your air filter box. Some have had trouble with the right side. DG have squeezed the bottom of the shock mount so tight its hard to get the shock out. Other that that its pretty simple. Jeff

 

[TPCDrafting]

I did mine last summer. It's pretty simple. Take the center nut off first then the shock tower. The lower bolts were on really tight on mine. Wished I'd had my impact wrench at the time, but a long breaker bar did the job. The lower shock mounts were really snug and I had to pound out the old shocks and gently beat in the new ones. It helped to scrape the paint off the ends of the bushing to give that extra blond hair of clearance. I also put some grease on the inside faces of the lower mount to help it slide. The nuts on the lower mounts have a metal tab attached so that you don't have to put a wrench on them to hold them in place while loosening/tightening. That helped a bunch. You're right, the rears are easier. I put on Bilsteins, which did you get??

You might do a search, their were several threads on this a while back with some good ideas for changing the shocks out.

 

[pnwradar]

Just replaced the front shocks a few days ago. As others have said, remove the lower bolt and the three nuts holding the shock tower on. On my driver's side, there wasn't enough wiggle room to get the shock and shock tower out together -- had to remove the top nut holding the tower to the shock, and bring them both out separately.



-jon-

 

[Mschevey]

Thanks, I just wanted to make sure I wasn't overlooking something.



I have Rickson's 19. 5 steel wheels and load range G tires. I talked to the people at Bilstein and they gave me the numbers for the shock to use and said that their warranty would still be valid even with the aftermarket wheels.



I average about 40,000 miles a year. So they will be high mileage.



Mike Schevey