I'm installing some bilstein hd shocks on the front right now. I can't get a torque wrench on it . the top bushing is under alot of pressure and is buldging but the bottom is just now starting to touch . its getting pretty tight . just keep on going till the bottom one is buldging ?it seems like its pulling up the suspension as i turn it .

 

Just until the bushings compress and expand out to the edges of the big dished metal washers. Do the final tightening with the truck on the ground and the bottom will compress from the weight of the vehicle.

There should have been directions on the shock. Use another nut over the one you tighten as a jam/lock nut to hold it in place.

 

ok i lowered the truck and tightened it down .. the stud kept spining i held it with some channels then i noticed the alan on top . I didn't mess up the threads ... do you know what size the nut is ? i'll go get 2 jam nuts at home depot

 

No, I'm not sure. You can probably find a hardware store that has those little thread and diameter gauge sets on a keychain kind of thing who will figure it out for you.

You can drive it without the locknut and it may never loosen up. It's a good idea though. You're fine for now.

 

From what you are saying it sounds like the suspension is bottoming out with the shock rather than a frame bumper. If that is the case and your offroading it and the trk gets airborn and the wheels fully extend after a while the end of the shock will be pulled out. I don't think the shocks are strong enough to limit the travel of the suspension and live long.

 

On Rangers the shocks are the downtravel limit to protect the balljoints, believe it or not.

Actually, shocks limiting downtravel isn't very destructive. It's the uptravel that's the killer when it collapses the top and pushes the piston through the bottom of the shock.

That could ruin your day, lol...