TIPS for changing shocks

[wilsonintexas]

A few tips for changing shocks:
TIP 1, how to compress the shock to get both bolts in place.
1) Get yourself about 4 feet of flat ¾ or 1 inch webbing. (Joann fabric, or if you are luck like me, your dad collects the stuff when the power company is pulling new lines in his area. They use it once and throw it away….. He has a LOT of it.)
a. Tie a loop at one end and wrap it around the OUTSIDE of the shock. With the shock outside the vehicle, put your weight into it and compress the shock. Look the free end through the loop and tie it, but kind of like you tie your shoe, with a free end. That way you can pull the free end and control the expansion.
b. Put the bold in the TOP END and start the nut
c. Now with the lower bold ready, tug on the free end, but control the expansion. When you can align the bolt hole, pull back and tighten the webbing, and hope.
d. When you miss it…… not to worry. Easiest is to take it out and get out from under the RV and tie it off again…… but if you want to do it the hard way…….
i. Pull the loose end through the loop. If you can compress the shock, and tighten the webbing as you go….
ii. If not, go ahead and tie off the webbing as tight as you can. Then pull on the free end of webbing, and it will compress the shock. The first little bit is easy. If you can go ahead and tighten up the strap and do it again.
2) If you have any of the thin ratchet straps you can try them. BUT you will be limited in how much the ratchet will take up.


TIP 2 (I wish I had taken my own advice)

Call around to your local car parts stores. Many have a program to lend out special tools. If not, see if they have a “TOOL RENTAL” program, or what their return policy is. MANY will let you buy a tool and then return it (with the receipt). Some3 have a formal “rent it” program for this. I bought a large set of sockets because I did not have any over 1 inch. I really needed a second one for the other side. I ended up using a new vice grip crescent wrench. IT worked, but was a pain.

TIP 3.

CHECK FOR ANTS BEFORE YOU LAY DOWN AND ARE UNDER THE THING WHEN THE w$%@$wert THINGS START BITING. Luckily I was doing this in Alaska, and not at my home in Dallas. There it could have been Fire Ants...... and it would have been really bad....... Here it was just a little pain, not a trip to the ER.

[wilsonintexas]

I forgot one..TIP 4


Go ahead and take off the front tire....... it makes it so much easier...... BUT UAE GOOD JACK STANDS!!!!!


It is not like the VW beatle that fell on my dad when he was under it. It broke a few ribs, but be lived.....


A RV..... not a chance.....