Shocks: What brand and ease of installation? (96)

[TRAXX]

All the local stores here have Gabriels. My Explorer is stock ride heght and I am not looking to spend alot of money. I spend all my money on the stang Just want a stock replacement cause right now it rides like crap! My other question is how hard is it to change out the front shocks? Will I have to unhook the brakes and all or can I get to it with out having to mess with anything else (aside from taking the wheels off)? Just wondering if this is a few hour job or a full day job?

Thanks,

 

[Haxaw]

Not bad at all

I just changed the front shocks on mine. I went with the Edlebrock IAS shocks. I work at Advance Auto Parts and we ordered them in. If you get a good set of Gabriels they should be fine. I know we carry Monroe shocks and the Sensatrac would be the ones to go with. The front was a piece of cake two half inch bolts at the bottom and one stud at the top you can reach with a long extension. It is not needed to remove any brakes or chassis parts. I have not done the rear shocks yet but they look fairly simple just a little crawling around on your belly/back. I don't know about the third kicker shock in the rear in front of the axle, but that is just to keep the axle from torquing anyway. You should have no problem the longest aspect in time is jacking it up and taking the wheels off. Good luck.

 

[TRAXX]

Sweet! just by glancing at it quickly, it looked pretty easy. Though I know with cars what may appear easy is not always so!

 

[Stephen S]

Fronts are a breeze...didn't jack it up, didn't pull the wheels...just unbolt the old ones and bolt on the new ones. The rears were a little more difficult. The lower mount is easy, but the top mounts are a little harder. It helps to make room for your hands if you drop the spare tire out of the way, or pull it off completely. You shouldn't need to jack up the back either.

 

[weebo]

JGarrett has a great post about his experience with shocks. If your explorer is stock, then anything will do really, but if it's lifted then there is only one route to go:
OME shocks. "old man emu" shocks. Search for them online...they're made in Australia I believe but distributed in the states by arbusa. ArbUsa has hundreds of dealer locations...hell, I found three within 50 miles of me. They don't come cheap though...the front's for my '97 are $114 each and the rear's are about $88 each. That's a little over $400 just for shocks. But they're made for vehicles with a lift, unlike the e'brocks which are not within their working range on a lifted explorer.

 

[weebo]

as far as the work involved...it's a simple process. you can do the rear's with or without jacking up the vehicle (depending on your lift and/or your beerbelly.) There's only two mounting fasteners on each shock, so that means a grand total of 8 nuts/bolts on the entire explorer.

the front is easy as well. jack up one side, turn the wheel to gain the most access to that side and change the shock. the last time i did it, i removed the wheel and tire, but it's not 100% necessary....it just makes it a little easier. I think I was doing brakes and rotors at the same time, so it was logical to take off the wheels.

I'd think you could do all four in under two hours. Sometimes the nuts up front are a pain, but some penetrating oil will help out.

 

[SplashMan]

I just installed 4 Rancho 5000s on this weekend. Easy as spit... just put some penitrating oil on all the nuts about an hour or so before you do it... took 2 1/2 hours for all four shocks and only cost $170 + three beers and a can of WD40.

 

[FORDisKING]

Edelbrock's are nice, OME are as well. Either one will be better than stock, Ranchos and Bilstiens are too.

Jason

 

[aldive]

I just installed a set of Edelbrock ISA shocks, oh what a difference,

Highly recommended.