Re: rear right shock upper bolt

From: Gary Hedlin (superdak@gmail.com)
Date: Sun Jun 27 2010 - 22:58:10 EDT


Been there, done that. Probably the best way to do it is with a very
long wrench stuffed in the frame, I think the last time I did it I
used a 18in long wrench on that end, then the air ratchet on the other
end.

Of course the easiest time I had doing it was with the box off...
sounds extreme, but it's just a few bolts and a quick few pumps of an
engine lift. Yes, I've gone this route too many times! :)

P.S. Don't forget to anti-sieze the bolt while re-assembling it.

Gary

On Sun, Jun 27, 2010 at 4:24 PM, <jon@dakota-truck.net> wrote:
>
> jherrman@zoominternet.net wrote:
>
>> I'm trying to remove the rear right shock on my 2003 Oak, and am
>> wondering if anybody has had the same problem I'm having: on the upper
>> bolt there's a clip on the frame to hold the outer nut in place while
>> the inner nut is loosened. It's a pain to get at the inner nut, with
>> the exhaust and heat shield in the way, but as I'm making progress on
>> it, wham!, the fame-clip bends just a bit and under pressure and
>> allows the outer nut to slide around it. So how can I hold the outer
>> bolt in place? I'm thinking if I can find a box wrench to fit around
>> the outer bolt (I don't have one; it looks like 18mm will work) I can
>> wedge the wrench against the frame support holding up the bed, and
>> then continue loosening the inner nut. Anybody else experience this or
>> have other ideas to secure the outer bolt?
>
>
>    I ran into the same problem when replacing the shocks on Jason &
> Norah's quad cab.  Its been a while and my memory isn't great, but if
> I am remembering correctly, the head of the bolt is accessed from
> outside, and inside the rail is the nut, which has a sort of "ear" on
> it.  When you spin the bolt, the inner nut will turn only so far until
> that ear makes contact with the frame, stopping the nut from turning
> further as you continue to back out the bolt.
>
>    The problem is that Dodge made the ears on the nuts too thin, and
> all it takes is a little corrosion to make them weak.  They will then
> bend and slip on the frame instead of holding firm.
>
>    I belive what I did was to jam a section of pipe or rebar against
> the ear, so that the ear's contact was being made closer to its base
> instead of right at the very end.  It was strong enough there for the
> ear to not bend, this allowed me to remove the bolt.  Before
> re-installing the nuts, I cleaned them up and reinforced the ears by
> welding some 1/8" thick steel to them.  If you have a welder and some
> scrap metal, this is easy to do, but if not, I would recommend picking
> up a couple of extra nuts because the strength of those ears is only
> going to get worse.  If you get new nuts, spray a few coats of paint
> on them before installing, preferably something that is designed to
> combat rust.  Either that, or coat them really well with a thick layer
> of grease (not on the threads though).
>
>    The upper and lower bolts should be torqued to 70 ft-lbs.
>
>    I hope that helps!
>
> --
>                                          -Jon-
>
>  .- Jon Steiger -- jon@dakota-truck.net or jon@jonsteiger.com -.
>  | '96 Kolb Firefly, '96 Suzuki Intruder, Miscellaneous Mopars |
>  `-------------------------------- http://www.jonsteiger.com --'
>
>

-- 
Gary Hedlin
Show Car Signs by Hedlin Designs
www.showcarsign.com

--Many talk about those who died, but too few talk about those who survived... THANK A VET!

--Many talk about those who died, but too few talk about those who survived... THANK A VET!



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