I'm curious - or a little stupid - or a little of both...

Without coil springs on the backend, is it possible for a BYMech like me to swap out my own rear shocks without having to compress the heck out of my helper springs?

Any suggestions for mid-range replacements?

Jay

 

I just did mine. I had the wheels off and the truck on jack stands. You just need to take a little pressure off the shocks by putting a jack under the axle.

Getting to the top nut is a bit of a pain because it is between the frame and bed, but not bad. You'll need the right size deep socket and a wrench to hold the shaft.

................Scott

 

you should not have to compress any thing. on a leaf spring setup. just unbolt replace and drive away. go for it.

 

Thanks!

Thanks for the feedback! I was hoping that it was the case... Right now I'm looking at the Rancho RSX's (I like the fact they adjust to the road - I'm a paved guy...)

I'll let you know how it turns out...

Jay

 

shocks do not hold the truck up so there is no cmpression of any kind needed.

the stockers are gas charged so they are always pushing themselves open so you will have to squeeze them together to get them out. which by the way means they are still good.

the rancho's are not gas charged (Which is good) so they dampen your ride in both directions! just install the top of the shock first then pull on it until it fits into the bottom mount. (much easier than the other way around)

 

good advice How hard are they to compress to pull them out?

I think they're pretty well shot though - feels like I have a load in the back on the springs when I don't...

I was also reading that on the '97 there's an access port to the outside (bodyside) of the receiver for a socket wrench... might make my life a <strong>little</strong> easier to install/remove...

 

The rear shocks are very easy. After the top bolt is out, just remove the lower bolt and the shock will fall out.

Most rear shocks also come with a plastic binding that keeps them compressed for shipping, so they'll fit a smaller box. What you should do is install the top bolt before cutting the tie so that the shock simply expands to the lower bolt. That way you won't have to even try and compress it.

Anyone care to know how I got the coil-over rear shocks on????

 

the ranchos will not come with a plastic tie holding them closed because they are not gas charged and they are not always trying to push themselves open. gas charged shocks (Stock) are what make these trucks ride so jittery because the shocks only dampen the ride when the shock is compressed but the shock pushes itself out so there is no dampening in the return direction.

the hole/slot/opening in the side of the frame is on all of these trucks and it is for a wrench (box, adjustable, etc) not a socket wrench.

 

Ummm, gas charged shocks do dampen on extension/rebound. I promise.

 

ummm not the ones they put on these trucks. technically you could say they do but it is minimal at best.

all/most modern shocks have a gas in them because it is better than oxygen at keeping the oil from leaking, foaming, deterioration, etc. however not all are gas pressurized which constantly forces the shock open.

here's a test, take a stock heavy duty shock and say a rancho 5000 push each shock together then pull it apart. the rancho is hard in both directions the stocker is only hard to push together.

 

Are you saying every gas charged shock that extends by itself has no rebound damping, or only the stockers?

Either way, you are wrong.

Maybe the stockers do not have as much rebound damping as they should, but that has NOTHING to do with whether they are gas charged or not!

Your 'test' might be fun to do, but it doesn't tell you squat about whether a shock has rebound damping. While you are playing with your shock, try pushing and pulling the shock slowly by hand - moves pretty easy, right? Now try to push and pull it HARD and FAST - moves pretty slow and stiff, right?

Your truck bouncing up and down on its suspension exerts FAR more force and speed on the shock than you ever could by hand. This is like the HARD and FAST scenario above multipled by 100, and it applies both to extension and compression.

Believe it or not, a shock that freely extends on its own can provide resistance when a strong or rapid force is applied. The shock fluid doesn't magically disappear everytime the shock extends, just because the shock is gas charged.

 

Will it come compressed?

So the situation where the Rancho won't be strapped/compacted is still the same, yes?

...just want to have my bases covered before I kill myself on this thing...

 

correct the rancho will not come with a little plastic strap on it holding it shut AND they WILL be compressed. The ranchos stay in whatever position you put them in. (compressed or extended)

no need to get mad there dirt bike dave. I was merely pointing out that one of the main reasons our trucks bounce so much is the shocks.

so you are telling me that a shock that pushes itself out doesn't provide less dampening than if it didn't? If that were the case then why don't the big guns make their shocks do it?? (Rancho, kyb to name a few?)

I am well aware of the forces involved in our trucks suspension so again you are telling me that a really heavy truck with a factor of 100 like you say pulling up on a shock that already has a propensity to go in that direction won't pull it out any easier? Yes I know the valve is only so big and only so much fluid can go through it BUT again if a shock is built to push itself apart easier than it is designed to be compressed the rebound WILL be less dampened. ESPECIALLY with a big truck pulling really hard on it with a lot of force.

see?

you can also call Rancho and see what they say about it. I beleive you will be a little surprised.

Remeber this is just the way I see it and I am just discussing it with you.

 

Agreed the stock shocks are horrible. They are a cheap, non sophisticated shock valved to give a flimsy ride. They have virtually nothing in common with a good quality, well designed shock, gas charged or other.

I have gas charged Edelbrock shocks on my truck, they are a VAST improvement in every way over stock. The Edelbrock design is much more sophisticated, allowing the shock shaft to move fast for a good ride on high speed hits like pot holes, but they are stiff on slow shock shaft movements like body roll during cornering. On a well designed shock, the builder will take into account high speed damping, low speed damping and rebound damping.

Gas charging in the shocks provides an insignificant amount of force compared to the forces being exerted on it by the truck. How much weight would you have to put on the shock to keep it closed? 5 pounds of pressure? 10 pounds? Maybe 20 pounds? Let's say 25 pounds per shock x 4 shocks. So the 4 shocks are pushing the truck upwards with 100 pounds of force. But the shock is designed to cope with 6,000+ pounds trying to pull it apart and push it together.

Let's say I have a gas charged shock, but I use very thick oil and very small holes on the shock piston for it to flow through. At rest the shock will extend. On the other hand, I have a non-gas charged shock, but with very thin oil and large holes for the oil to flow through. When I put them on the truck, the gas charged shocks will extend (rebound) slower when I crest a bump.

Basically, the designers select the valving they think will work best for the design. Keeping the oil under pressure increases the boiling temp, improves fade resistance, and reduces oil foaming/air bubbles under rapid shock movement.

 

Well, guys, i need to know what shocks will provide the smoothest ride on my 97' off-road. (gas charged or not) i don't care, just tell me which is best Please????