install shocks

[randyvines]

Is there any trick to installing shocks? anything to look-out for? do you necessarily have to jack the truck?

[1970 Hi-Boy]

As long as you can get under there to do the job, jacking the truck up is unnecessary. Just remove the old shock, install one end of your new shock then cut the wire to let it go up and be ready to put that end on where it needs to go before it goes too far. tighten the fasteners and you are done.

[tmcalavy]

Yes.
Save yourself some time and cut the front top bolt with a grinder or sawzall...you're gonna trash the old shocks anyway, right?
Use lots of pentrating oil on all the nuts...bottom front, and top & bottom on rear.
Yes...you need a trustworthy jack and jackstands...never, ever trust your life to a jack alone.

[72BahamaBlue]

On the front shocks, be sure to check the lower shock mounts for cracks, I've seen many bumps with broken ones, including mine.

[SmoothJ69]

On the front shocks, be sure to check the lower shock mounts for cracks, I've seen many bumps with broken ones, including mine.

This is the one I just replaced on my truck a week or 2 ago, front passenger side.

[390bump]

When you try to take off the old nut on the top of a shock (like the front ones on the bumps) the nut top half of the shock will be turning. You can buy a special shock removal tool for 10- 15 bucks to get it off. Or, the trick I learned years ago is to remove the bottom bolt, pull the shock down so the piston is exposed and use vise grips to clamp the piston. Use a 6 sided socket on the top nut to unscrew it. The vise grips will turn a bit and get caught up on the spring. Of course, only do it this way if your are throwing out the old shocks...

[randyvines]

thanks for all the info, by the time I got home to get started my 16 year old had already done it made my job easy. What a difference!

[72BahamaBlue]

On the front shocks, be sure to check the lower shock mounts for cracks, I've seen many bumps with broken ones, including mine.

This is the one I just replaced on my truck a week or 2 ago, front passenger side.

Yep, that's the culprit! When I went to gas-charged shocks, I'd have to replace those lower mounts about every 2 years. Finding replacements at the wrecking yard that were'nt broken or having elongated bolt holes was a real pain. Then there's the drilling and chiseling those rivets... The '73 and up radius arms have a bolt-on lower mount that is much stronger; a larger bracket made of heavier guage steel.  A nice upgrade, especially if using heavy duty gas shocks.