Stuck trying to install rear shocks

[jblc]

Hmmm, odd about how easy it is to compress for some people.

For some reason, these were quite hard to compress. I have a fairly good estimate of my max force in bench/etc, and this was not an easy compression.

I wonder if some shocks (depending on their storage history) or manufacturing tolerance, are easier or harder until they fully break in with use?
I did 5x break-in cycles pressing into the ground from above; it took leaning over half my body weight onto a shock. That's not something I could do bench pressing in an awkward confined position (or sideways pulling upwards)

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[db_tanker]

been thinking about the shock upgrade for mine...and reading this...has be puzzled...Ford says we aren't supposed to load up the frame?!? Jacking up the rear and letting the diff relax while both sides are supported on jack stands...not allowed? When and why did this start? Those frames are, I think, tough enough to take this...

 

[Fawnbuster]

I'm stuck in the middle of trying to install Bilstein 5100s on the rear. How do people compress the shocks enough to mount?

This isn't on a lift.

It took 2 mins to remove the old shocks, but I've been struggling for an hour to try and compress them enough to mount the new ones.
It'd be easy if I could lift the vehicle enough to have the wheels sag, but the manual says not to lift on frame members on the rear-- but only the axle which obviously doesn't help

I do have a tow hitch, but no hi-lift with which to lift the rear...

Zip ties, cables, etc do not fit into the cradle that holds either end of the shock (tolerances are tight), so I can't place compress beforehand, mount, and the release whatever holds it together.

What do people do?

Although I was on a lift I put both hands on the bottom and over compressed them to slip them into place. Do you have an extra jack ? Worst case maybe some cord that loops over each end and attached in the middle, put it in place then use scissors to clip? If you did that make big loops doubled over so when you clip or untie it you can clip each loop.and remove?

 

[EJH]

I removed the spare for extra working room (good chance to practice accessing the spare). I needed a bottle jack to push my Fox rears up into place.

 

[Tesseract]

the difference between tailgate damper owners and non owners

?

I have a tailgate damper and I was able to install rear Icon 2.0 shocks by hand with the truck on the ground (no lift/support). I just lay on my back and grabbed it by the sides of the tube and pressed it up so I didn't risk catching my fingers by doing it from the very bottom.

 

[Tesseract]

must have been early on right after the damper purchase
can you do it today? the muscles decay pretty quick once the damper is installed.

Hah, I don't know. I think I had done it shortly after putting the damper on. I might struggle to even get under the truck now due to all this atrophy.

 

[Langwilliams]

I couldn't compress my Eibach's. If I tried to install before having both shoulders operated on who knows. I lifted the frame to get the rear tire to droop an jacked up the shock with another floor jack.

 

[Aleut dude]

I squished my Icon shocks in place by hand. Not super easy but once the bolt was in on one end the rest went easy. No jack, no removing the spare. Maybe get another hand to put the bolt in while you compress the shock with both hands?

 

[seanellaz]

I'm stuck in the middle of trying to install Bilstein 5100s on the rear. How do people compress the shocks enough to mount?

This isn't on a lift.

It took 2 mins to remove the old shocks, but I've been struggling for an hour to try and compress them enough to mount the new ones.
It'd be easy if I could lift the vehicle enough to have the wheels sag, but the manual says not to lift on frame members on the rear-- but only the axle which obviously doesn't help

I do have a tow hitch, but no hi-lift with which to lift the rear...

Zip ties, cables, etc do not fit into the cradle that holds either end of the shock (tolerances are tight), so I can't place compress beforehand, mount, and the release whatever holds it together.

What do people do?

I would lift the rear @ the differential as Hi as possible (https://www.ranger5g.com/forum/threads/center-jack-points.10268/#post-204513) Yes I know, this could cause space time to collapse into a singularity and we would all die. In the process the axle might explode into millions of tiny pieces. That did not happen when I raised the rear of the truck using the rear diff thusly, perhaps because Mercury was not in retrograde. I would then place the rear of the frame on jack stands, and SLOWLY remove the jack from the axle, letting the frame hold the truck up. The rear axle is now hanging from the existing shocks or from the springs being fully extended. This could destroy the truck causing it to bend in the middle and from that point forward to drag the ground in the middle. I think the frame is not made of lead foil and can handle it. I would then use the jack to compress the axle up until the shock bolt holes line up. Of course, not having done this exact process, and having no Ph.D. in structural engineering and not working for Ford, I cannot certify that in the end you would not have destroyed your truck and all the neighbor's houses in the process. But I do think it unlikely. Good luck / buena suerte.

 

[Waxthis]

Just use a floor jack on the hitch to let the suspension decompress a bit. Don’t need the wheels off the ground

THIS^^^^^^^^^

 

[Robisten8]

MUSCLE!

 

[DrizzyDrake]

I've replaced shocks on several vehicles now. Usually just a lot of force to press it into place by hand

 

[FordFreak]

THIS^^^^^^^^^

I put a block of wood UNDER the spare tire (Rim) and jacked it up from there...Same effect. Worked great, took 10 minutes per side... I did the BOTTOM bolt first, then swung it up and stabbed the top bolt.

 

[Msfitoy]

I couldn't compress my Eibach's. If I tried to install before having both shoulders operated on who knows. I lifted the frame to get the rear tire to droop an jacked up the shock with another floor jack.

This^^^^...no muscle or brute force needed...

 

[briwill70]

For mine, I bolted the top in place and used a floor jack with a wedge of 2x4 to push the shock up into the mounting bracket. Then used a large screwdriver to pry it up enough to insert the bolt.

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