Sitting waiting for my alignment. Felt great on the drive here. Musta ballparked the camber/caster pretty good.

Here is my stupid question. Why don’t my Gas-A-Just front shocks cinch down up top? Goes so far and stops. Everything spins. I’ve changed shocks aplenty but don’t remember that. Was gonna cinch them down till the bushing = washer diameter. Aint happenin’.

 

Are you holding the center shaft by the double-D on top?

If not, the shaft is spinning in the shock; perfectly normal, and is why it's got that double-D on top.

I use a tool like Lisle 20400 $12.28 Universal Shock Absorb Remover/Installer | Zoro.com (actually bought mine on Amazon; notice they sell them in O'Reilly's also). Use a fixed wrench on the big nut, and spin the shaft to tighten it all up.

RwP

 

They got a damn tool for everything.

I just never recall having to hold the double D though it's obvious why they put it there. I was gonna visegrip the double D then try to wrench the nut down. Not exactly easy (or possible). Maybe I gave up too soon. Soooo, how far should the nut cinch down? I always went till the bushing below mushroomed out to the same diameter as the washer on top.

Oh, and those Gas-A-Justs are the firmest shocks I ever came across. Couldn't move that shaft in by hand. Had to push on it with all my weight while fixtured in the vise. 3x each shock before install. Hope we're still supposed to do that. No, I did not clamp the shock. Kept the jaws open for the shaft to go thru and slapped a washer on top as my abutment to push on.

 

I have never cycled shocks before installation...... Granted, some were easier to install than others.....

 

Supposed to charge up the gas. Sounds a bit like poppycock doesn’t it?

But I’m no shockologist and figger it couldn’t hurt anything.

 

I never did either.

HOWEVER - I will add, the Gas-A-Just were ... "fun" (for certain values thereof!) to install.

Back wasn't too hard; front I had to do on ramps and walk them in around the springs through the hole.

After the rod goes through the hole, it's not too difficult to start the top bushing, washer, and nut; and then using the tools from Lisle or whoever, tighten it up.

THEN I get to grunt the shock up to bolt it to the lower control arm ... Fun is not how I'd describe it, but for a 100Kmile shock, well worth it.

(Ranchos were much easier to put on; they stay where I put them. They also gave up in under 40K miles.)

Back shock - mount the top end, then use a lever to walk the bottom up into the shock mount. I used new 3" long 1/2-13 Grade 8 bolts with new prevailing torque nuts on the bottom; I used 5/16 bolts 1.5" long with flange hex heads, and a flange prevailing torque nut on the bottom. I also cheated and used an electric impact wrench to put them tight ...

RwP

 

Those gas a justs are some muscular shocks. I had to really pull on the pry bar to get those lower mounting bolts it. And BTW, you warned about boogering up those lower threads in the arm. Mine did not get destroyed but they got roughed up. I cleaned up the threads in the arm and on the bolts. Improved them quite a bit. 5/16”-18 tap n die.

I still have to do the backs. I remember those being easier than the fronts but must say my experience seems less harrowing than yours.

 

Lemme ask how you arrived at that specific hardware for those rear shocks. Sizes and grade? Is that stock? Doesn’t sound like it.

 

I measured the old ones when I put new ones on.

Also, checking the parts listings - factory numbers were 6025355 for the lower bolts for the front shock; Googling turns that up as a discontinued SCREW, 5/16-18 x 1.25 .

Rear upper bolts were 0181088, Googling turns up that they're ".312 x 18 1" long. I like a small bit extra for my impact wrench.

I also prefer flange head bolts and nuts. And prevailing torque nuts to hold **** together.

Rear lowers were serviced with the shock itself; I measured it when I pulled the old one out.

Grade 8 because it's suspension parts.

So ... there is it. That's how I found it out. And no, the bolts I used weren't original, but either stock or an acceptable replacement, IMO.

RwP

 

I thought I went beyond what most people would do. For example, I clean up any hardware I intend to re-use. Solvent clean, wire brush/wheel, chase threads, lube, etc.. You have me beat!

That said, I suspect many people WILL recondition their fasteners but I also suspect most shops do not. Of course, I'll replace if the stuff I pull off got the crap kicked out of it.