Bought Bilstein shocks...any installation pitfalls ??

[ratterrier]

Hi guys,

I took your advice from a few weeks back and purchased Bilstein shocks for my 96 XLT. My plans are to install them tomorrow. I've seen a web page where some other folks have broken the front lower mounting stud, so I've liberally sprayed all the nuts with WD-40...hopefully a good enough penetrant.

It looks to me that I can probably do all 4 wheels without raising the truck. The best approach for the front top bolts seems to be through the engine bay...do you agree ??...I figured I'll likely rip the rubber fender skirts trying to remove them if I wanted to attack the shocks from the side.

And lastly, I have an electric impact wrench which doesn't get much use due to its large size, but I should have room to use it here. Do you think it would help, or would the force be too much for any of the mount points (particularly the lower fronts).

Thanks in advance,

Ratterrier

 

[Jason_25]

When I installed shocks I didn't use anything but hand tools. I also just popped out the fender skirts for better clearance.

 

[TarHeel085]

for the front use the engine bay. i dont think youll need the impact wrench. but youll need to STRONG to compress the shocks enough to fit em into the mounting brackets. good luck, and be prepared for this to take about an hour or 2

 

[ratterrier]

Quick responses...

That was fast...

Jason,

The thing with the skirts is you've got about 6 or so pins that seem like a pain to get out. Is there a good method if I need to try working from the side (for tightening mainly) ??

Tarheel,

From your advice, maybe I should jack up the truck to avoid any difficulty compressing. Is that your recommendation ??

Thanks again,

Ratterrier

 

[Jason_25]

Well what you're gonna wanna do is pull those skirts off ( no certain method, just pop them out ) , then pull your old shock out, top first, then compress it and lean it out the side of the fenderwells, then disconnect at bottom, installation is opposite of removal, of course

 

[TarHeel085]

yeah, if you want to, i mean you dont have to be like a weight lifter or anything. but they are very stiff shocks. but i would have at least 1 or 2 more people besides you to help out. and the pins, their just plastic rivets, grab hold of em with some pliers and pull hard.

 

[tbomb]

no problems with mine. i dropped off the truck in the morning and picked it up in the afternoon; it was all pretty simple