Looking to buy some shocks for my pickup. I was looking at Bilstein. I like them, but I honestly don't know if I can swing $250 for a round of shocks. Any other recommendations? I don't want white-box shocks obviously, but $60 a pop is a lot of money to a college kid.

Ryan

O'Rattlecan said:

Looking to buy some shocks for my pickup. I was looking at Bilstein. I like them, but I honestly don't know if I can swing $250 for a round of shocks. Any other recommendations? I don't want white-box shocks obviously, but $60 a pop is a lot of money to a college kid.

Ryan

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Unless you are doing some heavy duty rough stuff, regular gas shocks should be fine. You can do some next level above stock shocks that will provide the ride you're looking for. Just remember, you do get what you pay for.

Vince, any suggestions for a mid-range shock? I'm not entirely sure what brands to look for and which company has the best products out right now. How are Ford's shocks? If I went to the dealer, would it be a medium-low quality shock? Just looking for suggestions. I may yet go with Bilstein, but I'm not really thrilled with the pricing.

Ryan

O'Rattlecan said:

Vince, any suggestions for a mid-range shock? I'm not entirely sure what brands to look for and which company has the best products out right now. How are Ford's shocks? If I went to the dealer, would it be a medium-low quality shock? Just looking for suggestions. I may yet go with Bilstein, but I'm not really thrilled with the pricing.

Ryan

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Any more, parts houses will stock brands that are affiliated with whatever parts house you are at (NAPA, Sears, Autozone, etc). A little shopping, and question asking (who makes your brand, do you have a mid range shock, what guarantee if any), should make your decision. A few years back, Monroe was involved in literally all part store brands. Just take your time, make a few calls. I could give you a recommendation that works here, but, if warehouses are different from your parts suppliers, it might not work for you!

Thanks vince... I'll let everybody know...

Ryan

I read and read and read. I just sprung for some Bilsteins. I'll pay it off in two chunks instead of one, I guess. I may do a photo write-up when I do these in the school parking lot one evening.

Ryan

O'Rattlecan said:

I read and read and read. I just sprung for some Bilsteins. I'll pay it off in two chunks instead of one, I guess. I may do a photo write-up when I do these in the school parking lot one evening.

Ryan

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......while Carl is taping his next video..... Hey Carl, what's the title of this video? I'm sure it'll be a "shocker"!!!

Good call on putting in good quality shocks- I finally broke down and replaced my factory front shocks at 218k miles, but being a broke college kid, I put in the cheapest crap I could get- $18 a piece.

They took the truck from unsafe to safe. That's it. They ride poorly, and handle poorly, and I really wish I'd spent a bit more for decent ones. Live and learn, I guess.

I got 3 out of 4 of them installed. I hit a huge freakin roadblock today.

Inside of the bottom of one of the rear shocks, there is a rubber bushing, and inside of the rubber bushing is a small metal bushing. That metal bushing completely froze to the bolt. I beat on the thing for well over 1 hour and it would not even begin to budge. Is there a quick fix, or am I going to have to take this to a shop and have it cut off with the plasma cutter?

Ryan

O'Rattlecan said:

Is there a quick fix, or am I going to have to take this to a shop and have it cut off with the plasma cutter?

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You could get a bigger trailer hitch ball on your hitch insert...

O'Rattlecan said:

I got 3 out of 4 of them installed. I hit a huge freakin roadblock today.

Inside of the bottom of one of the rear shocks, there is a rubber bushing, and inside of the rubber bushing is a small metal bushing. That metal bushing completely froze to the bolt. I beat on the thing for well over 1 hour and it would not even begin to budge. Is there a quick fix, or am I going to have to take this to a shop and have it cut off with the plasma cutter?

Ryan

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Have it outside, away from the smoke detectors, Hotwrench works wonders. You're gonna have a lot of smoke and bushing burning kind of fire.

Hotwrench?

I thought about using the propane torch, but I was getting short on daylight for anything that would make the truck not driveable.

Ryan

O'Rattlecan said:

Hotwrench?

I thought about using the propane torch, but I was getting short on daylight for anything that would make the truck not driveable.

Ryan

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Hotwrench = Cutting torch

O'Rattlecan said:

Hotwrench?

I thought about using the propane torch, but I was getting short on daylight for anything that would make the truck not driveable.

Ryan

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Yup, lots and lots of fire!

john112deere said:

Good call on putting in good quality shocks- I finally broke down and replaced my factory front shocks at 218k miles, but being a broke college kid, I put in the cheapest crap I could get- $18 a piece.

They took the truck from unsafe to safe. That's it. They ride poorly, and handle poorly, and I really wish I'd spent a bit more for decent ones. Live and learn, I guess.

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The same ones (autozone cheapies $16-$18 each) are on my 56. They are ok...but not good. Someday.....

I will probably end up with monroe shocks on it eventually. I don't drive it enough to justify the bilstein brand cost.

Ryan, as long as your truck is still driveable, you're in good shape. When I changed the front shocks in my Ranger, I snapped the lower stud off the left side, which was the first one I did.

Had to cut if off, drill it out, and bolt the shock on, which meant I had to wire the shock in place so I could drive to work the next day, and then to the store to get more tools.

As to your stuck bushing, I don't have the luxury of a firewrench, so what I'd do is soak the thing with PB Blaster several times over a couple days, then heat it with a propane torch for about 5 minutes (trying to warm the bushing not the bolt), hit it with some more PB Blaster. Repeat, then apply some persuasion (with something better than a trailer hitch).

You ever get the other shock put on?


Just out of curiosity I E-mailed KYB and asked what #s fit my truck. They promptly replied that they did not show them in the catalog, but if I would take pics of ones that are on there (as well as the extended and retracted lengths) they would match something up.

Umm....match something up to whats on there? Who knows what the PO stuck on a 52 year old truck.....

I thought there was some engineering that went into these things? So...if one from a ferrari or a dump truck would physically bolt in....they would sent it to me?

No thanks! LOL

The last time I checked Monroe and Gabrial both list the shocks for my truck. Then again...that has been a while.

Haven't gotten the last one on yet. Should be able to give it another try since I'm on break for a few days. Time to play a little 'catch up.'

Ryan

Ahhh ok. Keep us updated on how you get it off.

I picked up oil and filters for both of my vehicles tonight after work. I ordered shocks, but we are not 100% sure they are the right ones. The book doesn't go back that far for the front ones. The rear ones shows 3 options....(air shocks, load levelers, and gas magnums). No front though...weird!

Finally broke that SOB free today since I had a day off. I took the torch to it until the bolt was hotter than hell. I must've broken down the rust. When I took it out, the metal bushing I was speaking of inside of the rubber bushing, mounted in the shock was RUSTED to the bolt. I scrubbed that thing in some CLR to freshen it up and everything went back smooth as silk.

Heat FTW

Ryan