Hello:) I am going to attempt to install front shocks on my truck. I am mechanically inclined and have done lots of work but never done any shocks in my lifetime:) Everyone says its easy. Jack up the truck,remove front wheels,remove top nut holding shock,use second jack(bottlejack) and lift??,remove bottom bolt and remove shock. The only thing I dont understand is when I remove the top bolt where do I put second jack?? Thanks :)
On Thu, 06 Dec 2007 01:48:23 -0500, :\) :\) rearranged some electrons to say:
Under the lower control arm.
It is an 1987 F150, so the second jack goes under the Twin I Beam on that side. I suppose you could call that a "lower control arm" but I wouldn't.
Ed
Is an '87 significantly different from a '93? I replaced all four shocks on my '93 without doing anything but R&Ring the shocks. I think I turned the front wheels for better access but that was it, no jacking up, removing tires or any of that stuff.
nate
An '87 should be just as easy as a '93. The only reason to remove the wheels would be to gain more room to work.
Ed
You don't need the second jack. If you do it on the ground, you won't need any jacks, all you need to do is turn the wheels.
If you have a lot of rust in your part of the country, plan on fighting the top nut.
Spdloader
AS others have said, no jacks needed - may be a waste of time. Just turn the wheels one way or the other if you need a bit more room. Ramps may be more useful than jacks on that one just to work a little higher.
Lugnut
Thanks David:)
Twin I beam? Hmmm..In the area of where the bottom bolt for the shock goes? Thanks!
really? Wow if it is that easy I will be excited! Should I chance pulling the shock without the tires off? Will the truck drop any?? Thanks :)
So even if I remove the tires I may only need one jack to support the vehicle?
Not much rust here but do look forward to doing this on the weekend and will let everyone know how it turned out.. Thanks again:)
Thanks to everyone for the help!! :)
Shocks are not springs. Unless you are using an "air" shock, the shock simply "dampens" the spring movement, it does not hold or lift the vehicle.
Most truck shocks can be changed while the truck sits on the ground with no jack at all...
I replaced the shocks on my 96 F150 about a year ago. I did remove the front tires (one at a time), and welcomed the room that resulted. Perhaps the worst part was removing the old rubber bushings. Either: (1) they fused over time; (2) were installed by machine; (3) King Kong pushed them into place. It was necessary to pull the lower portion with pliers and stab at the "neck" with a utility knife to get them out.
Use PB Blaster on the nuts. Give it a few days to work just in case. Be sure to have a breaker bar. They cost $20 or so IIRC, and are worth every penny. Many report trouble getting the bolts loose; I had no trouble at all, perhaps in large part due to giving the blaster about five days to work its magic. Maybe I was just lucky.
You mentioned supporting the vehicle with a jack. Please NEVER do that and then get under it. Use jack stands to support the vehicle. Depending on how you jack it, you might want to use a jack to control the position of the I-beam. Just make sure the frame or radius arm (read the manual to get it right for your truck) is sitting firmly on a jack stand (they are cheap too, and can save your life).
Despite books suggesting that I should jack the rear, I found no reason to do so. Tires can blow though, so I recommend taking the rear up just enough to get a jack stand under the axle. I ended up with the wheel on the ground but the axle bearing on the stand. There was still plenty of room.
Shocks are not springs, but mind did want to expand. It was nothing that one could not overcome standing and pushing down, but it might have been troublesome when reaching around axles and break lines. I took time to get the shock in place, aim at the other end, and then cut the restraining "wire". The expansion was slow but deliberate. It was obvious what to do in front: attach the bottom and then aim at the hole above. In the rear, I recall guessing well, though the details are a little fuzzy. I might have described it here (enter search engines), but it was something along the lines of using a screwdriver to act as a lever allowing me to easily align the shock with the holes in the bracket.
Good luck!
Bill
Figure out the size of the top nut and get one of those wiz-bang ratcheting box wrenches, assuming there is room to get it over the bolt on the shock. It gets a little tight. In my experience, even if you can get a socket long enough to reach the nut, you probably won't be able to get a ratchet on it, unless...
You might also consider (let others here comment on this) removing the wheel well lining. I didn't even think of it at the time, but read about it a few months ago in connection with something I was considering. I wondered whether that might have made life easier with the front shocks, especially with the top nuts. Just a thought; I have no idea what would be involved.
Bill
MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.