I just finished installing new Bilsteins on the rear of my truck, and after getting covered with undercoating, cutting my arms and hands up, and inventing a few new curse words, I can't get the damn shock piston to quit spinning so I can tighten the top lock nut! I have tried a vise grip around the rubber bushings and that didn't work. Any suggestions?

 

I just replaced the shocks on my f150 with Monroe Sensa-Tracs. Both the old Ford shocks and the new ones had a nut welded on top of the piston shroud/shield to prevent just this problem. Can't imagine the Bilstens don't have the same thing.

 

Is the nut you are talking about where the boot attaches? Thanks for the reply. Even if I do feel kind of stupid now...

 

The nut is just under where the bushings mount on the piston. Those shocks that don't have one usually have flat spots to hold the piston at the very tip above the threads.