Installing shocks...

[philo_beddoe]

I cant remember, is it neccessary to jack up truck to install new shocks?

[zieg85]

No but the front tires come off.  I just replaced all 4 corners last night on my 84 C10.  They were still original to the truck and didn't put up to much of a fight

[philo_beddoe]

Huh,,,i may have started before reading your post. The fronts went on fine, never removed wheels.  The  back ones however!!!!  Se my "injured post". Ouch!

[philo_beddoe]

Just an FYI, we got the rear shocks on after heating the old bolts until they were glowing red AND using a breaker bar and pressing with legs as hard as possible,,,and it was a fight every step of the way, every turn was gut wrenching even soaking in PB Blaster!!  And only surface rust under the nut.

[Irish_Alley]

some times it best just to cut the bolts just like the springs

[philo_beddoe]

Yes sir, time to invest in a nice cutting tool.  Those are the shocks which smashed tip of pinky bone and squished the skin open.   That was a rotten day.

[enaberif]

For dealing with stuck ass bolts... Cut the heads off flat. Then stack washers and torque the nut down on the back side.

Use a impact gun and using enough washers will pull the bolt through without much hassle.

[philo_beddoe]

Once either the nut or head is cut off, well, thats the meat of it right?? Should tap right out. 

[Irish_Alley]

theres a metal sleeve in the shock. the bolts can rust to it. the hole in the shock mount is big enough for the bolt to pass but not the sleeve.

[philo_beddoe]

You mean the upper bolts, they go through the frame....?

[Irish_Alley]

more the ones that bolt to the axles. the ones on the frames arnt just bolts and i dont know what to call them but they bolt to the frame then once thats tight you slip the shock on and bolt that one

this is for the rear i do think the fronts are reg bolts

[philo_beddoe]

Yup thats the top bolt for upper on front and rear.

[enaberif]

Its not a bolt.. its  a stud.

[philo_beddoe]

Right, couldnt think of the word, so called it a bolt.

[Irish_Alley]

i think we can ague night and day if its a bolt or stud. i do believe its a stud but then a stud requires it to be threaded onto something (two nuts or a nut and something threaded) a bolt on the other hand only needs one nut to hold something in place cause the head holds the other end.