would installing new front and rear shocks in my 03 2wd xlt be something i could do myself?

i've never worked with suspensions, but i did a brake/rotor upgrade on my truck and that wasnt difficult... are installing shocks much harder?

 

Piece of cake.

 

Hardest thing I've ever done in my life, and I work at a fab shop!

 

ok good ;o) i'm thinking of installing a set of edelbrock ias shocks. the factory shocks arent cutting it with these bigger wheels and tires.

 

wow really? jeez two very different answers. now i'm not sure...

the rear shocks seem easier than the front.

 

ya its easy.

btw. truck looks sweet in the avatar.

 

i dought you are going to be valving and whatever else those crazy ***** do to their shocks.

 

Shocks are easy. Those shocks should be easier than the ES9000's me and Bob tried compressing.

 

15 minutes per shock give or take

 

I'd stay away form the edelbrock ias..
i went through 10bushings in 2 years...... the shocks rule.. their bushings suck!

I have rancho 9000's now

*edit 10 as in 10sets* 1set=1shock

Rand

 

The red silica Rancho bushings, the upper front ones, break down as well. I have factory bushings on my Rancho RSX shocks in the front now.

Hope you're feeling better, Rand. Haven't seen you around for awhile.

 

Like he said. My older style I-beams and radius arms, I think, made it even easier to swap in some new shocks because there was nothing in the way, but it shouldn't really be any longer than that.

I'm running some stock-equivalent shocks and the bushings hold up pretty well, but the threads on the shocks started rusting after a little bit.

 

Took me about 30 min each, and I never did it before.

 

I was joking, haha. Two bolts on each shock, takes me about 5 minutes a shock.

 

haha bastard! you got me nervous ;o) will i have to remove the spindles or arms or anything in the front to get the shocks out from inside the spring? does the spring have to be removed too?

 

its pretty easy to do, if you heat the nuts the threadlocker will come loose and the nuts will come off much easier. i sheared off a few of the bolts before i knew they were threadlocked

 

thank you sir ;o)

 

Nope, the shock just drops through the bottom of the lower control arm when you unbolt it.

 

Easy as pie. Just use the right tools and you won't have a problem.

 

Replacing shocks was the hardest thing I ever had to do on my truck. 6 hrs per shock. Be careful.

 

well not to get off topic but I had a hernia repair with mesh.. ugh.
Now im poor... but hopefully second quarter of 06 will see me reappear.
Or when I settle my workmans comp.

D, as mentioned above.. I really REALLY liked the shocks.. more than
the ranchos.. however after changing the fronts twice in 18monthes...
because of the bushings totally crapping out.. I was done.
I did get my money back from edlebrock.. and I was very happy
with summit's warrenty policy.

That all being said.. I probably should have went to an aftermarket bushing
but I cant change them in my parking lot.. and I was fed up with them 100%.

Rand

 

I don't wanna to know...

 

heh i fawked up at work and gave myself a "right ingronal hernia"
they cut you open about 4" and put in mesh then sew you up.
its fun.. I'm having the random.. "kicked in the crotch" feelings now.

If you want to know how I feel at any given instant.. have a friend punch you
in the crotch... thats how i feel 5-10x any given day.. including the sickening
going to puke feeling.

Rand

 

Awesome... NOT!

Some local guy PM'ed me about getting together in the spring, I told him you'd be a good one to come meet with us, so get your nuts together and meet us in 3 months for some Northern Ohio wheeling!!!

:)