Front Shock Top Nut

[Craigerz]

How tight should this be? The one with the rubber grommets on the top. I've only found one post that says not too tight, and all the YouTube videos the guys crank them all the way down snug.

 

[XLTrunner]

Old school rule of thumb that I learned and have always adhered to is that you tighten them until the sides of the rubber grommets/spacers are squeezed out equal to the diameter of the metal washers.

 

[974X4BLACKSPORT]

I have always tightened the top bushing to shocks so as minimal deflection takes place when bounced. You can crank down on the rubber if you want, however the grommet will not last as long, it may split apart eventually. It needs to have enough compressible force to not allow the shock to move around when the car is bouncing up and down.

 

[koda2000]

I've always tightened them down until the rubber bushing starts to bulge slightly. Never had a problem with bushings "not lasting". If the shock is too loose it will make noise (thump) when you go over bumps.

 

[Craigerz]

Thanks. Guess I had them way too tight. My drivers side didn't last 1k miles.

 

[Atokad]

As a couple others have mentioned, I've always heard and adhered to tightening them until they start to bulge and no more. If you overtighten them they will definitely wear prematurely. They can't do their job if they're squished flat.

 

[CDW6212R]

Ditto, make the bushings bulge a little, so they are very firm.

I suggest using an extra nut on top of the shock stud, if there is room. Use one of the old nuts. What that does is protect the threads much better, and makes loosening the main nut much easier. Use some anti-seize on the threads and nuts, and slightly lock the top nut onto the lower one. That has saved me many times the fight of getting the nuts off of shocks, they loosen easily for me.

 

[Meme2]

Dorman replacement sucks! Get urethane!

 

[Mbrooks420]

Dorman replacement sucks! Get urethane!

Dorman everything sucks.

 

[koda2000]

I don't use Dorman parts if I can help it. Sometimes you have no choice, as no one else offer's the part and it's been discontinued by Ford. I've found that NAPA sells ****ty Dorman stuff, but NAPA put's it in their own box. Your only hope with a Dorman part is if it's something they didn't design or make (if that's the case you can guess where the part was made, so good luck).

 

[C420sailor]

I stopped buying NAPA parts a long time ago. The quality isn’t what it used to be.

 

[Meme2]

I stopped buying NAPA parts a long time ago. The quality isn’t what it used to be.

It said Napa is happy with a 60% rebuild rate on parts mini 60% or good 40% bad

 

[Mbrooks420]

What said?

 

[Mr. Alligator]

It said Napa is happy with a 60% rebuild rate on parts mini 60% or good 40% bad

Translate(?): Napa is happy with a 60% (successful) rebuild rate on parts, meaning 60% are good, 40% are bad.

 

[Mbrooks420]

Who said it? NAPA surely didn’t.