Capt.TNT

I'm getting ready to install my Bilsteins this morning. Any trick to getting the fronts off? I haven't worked on anything that the shock is actually inside the spring.

kd460

Lots of pen oil. Every dy for 2-3 days before you do the project. Still, the nut likes to stay stuck and the shock shaft will just spin. Ther was recent thread on the hassle of removal. Good luck with it, and make sure you get the bolts tight or the bushings will wear and you will get a clunk noise. Kevin

P.J

Heres the deal. I'm a newbie, but I just installed a 2"leveling kit, in which I should have put new shocks on with (60k miles on orig.) but I neglected to because of serious NUT issues on the drivers side shock, this cost me like an hour wasted fooloing with Vise Grips and finally standing back and really thinking about these shocks. There is a fail proof way of doing this if need be. (fist I'll tell you what I think is the "right" way. First of all, you take out the lower bolt (which is held on by a weld nut with tab on the back side, so just put a socket on the front an back the bolt out) You can hold onto the "stud" part of the shock is held with a 9mm (I think) socket (use 3/8 drive, I broke a 1/4 extension at this stage) This is eaiser with a buddy helping out. Next back off the nut that holds the stud tight to the washers and pod, If you are a lucky soul in a non salt part of the US, this just might be easy for you. You should be able to proceed with the swap. NOW, if your truck is like mine and either the stud was screwed up at the Plant, or it is just too rusted to back out, you will need to do what I am going to be doing in a few weeks when I get my new Shocks in. Here goes.......... Take a Sawzall with a long bi-metal blade and commence to cutting straight through your old shock, next, unbolt the pod that the stud is stuck in at the top (two bolts in the fender well, one in the engine compartment. Next, carefully extract the top half of the shock around your fuel lines (on the drivers side), and the air cleaner (onthe pass side) and put the tip of the stud in a vise to properly hold and remove the shock. Put the new shocks down throught the holes, bolt up the bottoms, and put the top "pods" back in to complete the install. Now, again I am new to CTD's ,and all Diamler products in general, bu after 2 hours of fighting a 2" spacer kit, I think I have a handle on the shock swap, but there is probably a less white trash way of accomplishing the same job. Sorry I got on a Rant here.

Capt.TNT

Wow! Thanks for the info! I had no idea it was such a chore! Luckily, I have liberated my buddies sawsall, so if it gets too difficult I'll just cut them out. I guess I'll get started soaking the nuts with oil, buy a six-pack and settle in for a fight!

Thanks Fellas'

TNT

P.J

Could have just been my truck, dunno. I seem to end up in three hour projects more often than I care to admit. Having a friend or two around is a great idea, another set of eyes on a project can be good. Good Luck.

Hemi Cat

Good ol Blue to the rescue!!! What you need is an oxy accetelyne cutting torch. Takes me about 5 min to get old rusty shocks off and on the ground. Just watch where the sparks go. Don't want to etch something good up.

P.J

I would have been torch bound too, but looking at the matrix of fuel lines and wiring I figured I would be in trouble (espically after drenching the area with WD40 first.

Hemi Cat

You only cut the top nut and or shaft. Put a piece of tin up there to deflect the sparks.

P.O.R.

a die grinder or grinder with cut off wheel does the trick also...

Sea Bass

I just did mine today. I unbolted the bottom and the shock tower only. I pushed it up into the engine compartment as far as I could, compressed the shock all the way and brought the whole thing out the small opening in the wheelwell. It's not easy but it works and only took a few minutes. I put the new one in the same way. Hope this helps.

Doug

P.J

Thats the trick, What Doug said, get the tower out and into a vice to fool with the stud and nut. (or at least where you can work on it without risking damaging anything else in the engine compartment).