This might sound like a dumb question, but where should I jack my truck up to replace the shocks, cause i need to get the load off the suspension, correct? And if I try to jack on the frame, the jack maxes out before the suspension is unloaded.

I usually jack the rear up on the axle, and the front up on the thick bars acorss the front that are part of the IFS I guess, but i dont believe that would work if im tryin to replace my shocks.

Sorry for such a noobish question, but any help would be great. Its a 2wd 6cyl if that matters

 

you should be able to compress the shocks by hand, remember shocks dont have any spring value to speak of they just slow down the motion of the suspension, for the most part.

 

Jack it up as you would normally.

 

You don't need to jack it up to change shocks. They bear no load, other than a little internal gas pressure.

 

i have a set of rancho rs5000 shocks that have no spring to them they just dappen basically, y are some shocks strapped so the dont push apart due to a load?

 

i just did mine a few days ago. even the new ones can be compressed by hand. very simple job.

 

Sweet, I never knew that, I guess you learn something new everyday. It was like 70 degrees here, then I was put on hold the next day to change them by this nasty ice storm, crazy weather. Oh well, gonna have to wait a few days for it to melt.

 

I installed 4 Bilsteins on my truck not that long ago, and regretted not using a floor jack for assistance on the rears. Those suckers were much firmer than I expected, and the angle wasn't friendly while laying on my back. Jacking up the back probably would have only saved me 5 or 10 minutes, but it would have made the install much easier (not that it was "hard", it just could have been a lot easier).

I wouldn't even try the fronts without a floor jack to lift the front end. At least not with a firm set of shocks. The angle you'll be in doesn't give you great maneuverability in manhandling the shock until you get the lower bolt through. I found it was much easier using a floor jack to use the truck itself to compress the shock for me so I could maneuver it into place. It's hard to put it into words, but when you're doing it, you'll see what I mean. If nothing else, have a floor jack handy just in case.

Also, it may have just been more difficult for me because of the Bilsteins. They were by far the hardest shocks to compress, and keep compressed manually, that I've ever installed, other than a PRO 3/9 left rear on the sprint car. lol.

 

I did mine a few weeks ago but needed a big hammer and a torch...it wasn't a very simple job needless to say..

 

what i meant about the ranchos is they come in the box fully compressed with no strap its tough to even pull them apart. is this how they should be or are teh defects???

 

Are they air shocks? Unless you can add charged gas or compressed air, there's something wrong with them.

 

Just a little update..got them all changed. Rears took all of 15 min, they were totally shot. The driver side one wasnt even on the stud where it attaches up top..the rubber sleeve was still on, the shock slipped off it, that explains why that side was so easy to push down.

Fronts took a while, there had to be a easier way. I couldent seem to get a socket on the nut on the top of the shock, so I had to do it with a wrench, and let me tell you, that thing was tough. That thing was just as hard to turn the first time as it was the last time. Was there an easier way?

 

If the shocks have a steel upper shroud, you can break the nut on top with a wrench, then spin the shroud by hand, allowing the wrench to hold the nut in place.

No, you can't get a ratchet/socket on it unless you cut a hole in the wheelwell.

 

Took under an hour to install my rs5000s. They were hard to pull apart. This is normal.

 

Are all Ranchos like that? That's so weird. I would think that shocks like that would make the ride much rougher? Odd.