I tried (unsucessfully) to replace my stock shocks. I've got 61,000 miles & have noticed alot of excess body roll. I can get the bottom bolt loose fine, but the top bolt I can't get loose. Any suggestions?

I went w/ the Monroe Reflex shocks

 

Did yours have the fixed nut on the shock rod under the lower washer/bushing? Did you soak the threads with a penetrate?

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2000 F-150 XL, RC, LB, 5.4L, 4R70W, 4.10LS,
Class III tow, Payload #3, & Convenience pkgs.,
4-wheel disc/ABS, Chestnut/Parchment 40/60,
Ford bedliner w/Paintsaver & gas/wheel/spare locks,
K&N F.I.P.K. w/Outwears pre-filter, Superchip,
Dynomax ultra-flow welded 3" cat-back w/ 3" Y-pipe,
Hellwig front & rear anti-sway bars, Rancho RS 9000s,
Pirelli Scorpion Zero 275/60/16s, Mobil 1, K&N oil filter.

 

Soak the nuts and threads with a lot of penetrating oil. One of the fronts was still rusty enough that I broke the mounting stud off while trying to thread the nut off. At least it came off a lot quicker that way! Make sure you hold the mounting stud while turning the nut off. Otherwise, the stud will sit and spin, and you'll never get anywhere.

Good luck!

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1997 F150 XLT, Flareside , Moonlight Blue, 4x2, SC, Auto, 4.6L, 3:08's, Cargo Cover by Century, Penda bed liner, Blue Oval reciever hitch plug, Driver Design bug deflector, Monroe Reflex Shocks, 235/70/16 Firestone Wilderness AT's, sliding rear window, captain's chairs, Valvoline Durablend Oil, Purolator Pure One Oil Filter, 280 lbs. of traction sand (ahh, winter in the great white north! ), and 119,000 miles and counting!

 

I recently did mine. I believe a 19mm long socket is the ticket for the top nuts, and about a 3/4 inch wrench to hold the bottom stud. That, and a lot of WD-40, cusses, and scraped knuckles.

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'97 F-150 4x4 SC SB 4.6L. Riding on Sport King 265/75R16 AT's. Add-a-Leafs and rear block lift, torsion lift. Side Bars. WMS Intake, TB spacer, and Superchip!

Wish list: 4.10 Gears, Hedman Hedders, 3" body lift, 33x12.5 MT's!!

 

I got pissed off while trying to get the stock shocks off and wound up taking my truck to Midas. I paid 100 bucks to have the old ones removed, and the new ones put on..


it was worth it to me after hearing how much trouble they had getting the stocker off

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97 F150 XLT: Two-Tone Green and Tan, V6 4.2L Auto Trans 4X4, 3.55 gears, 265/75/16 Dueler AT's, Edelbrock Performer IAS Shocks
MODS:Airaid FIPK, Superchip, Ravin Z55 Exhaust SI/SO
GOODIES:Kameleon Head Unit w/12 disk cd changer, JVC 4ch 560watt poweramp, Bazooka Tube, Boston Acoustic 5x9's, Tinted Back, Westin Nerf Bars..

 

The tops are actually 18mm. The rears just take a while. The fronts are not that bad. You will need some vice grips to hold the shaft of the shock when you try to get the top nut off. Otherwise the shaft will spin with the nut.

 

Before taking off old nuts and bolts on anything in the shop in my school we always soak it with this stuff that i belive is called PB Blaster. It is some kinda spray that eats through rust and everything and belive me, its tons easier to remove the bolts this way. I never tried it on shocks, but will have to soon on my truck.

Hope this helps

Brian

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98 F150 XLT Supercab 4X4
4.6L V8 3.55LS
Tonno Cover, Brush Guard, Dukes of Hazzard Dixie Horn, 2 150 watt KC Daylighters, Cobra CB Radio, BF Goodrich All Terrains 265/75/16
http://hometown.aol.com/barto24/brianstruck.html
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2000 Excursion Limited 4X4, Black, V-10, 3.73 LS, Tow Mirrors

 

PB Blaster is king for those rusted nuts!!

 

PB Blaster is good stuff. I don't know what there plastic cup test proves, but the stuff does work.