I'd replace all 4 but since only the front are leaking, and since I am also getting other work done... That sorta exceeds the already bloated budget for the truck this month. Rears are still good to go for a while longer.

 

saw the load-levers listed..rear only of course... how much difference is there between front and rear? I have almost zero front travel from big tires and V6 springs, and really don't wanna break the ball joint to add coil spacers or V8 coils.

 

You have no idea how difficult it was to get the bolts lose on the rear shocks for me. They were the original shocks so they were on there.

I started with a 18" breaker bar on the nut and a wrench with a pipe on the nut and nothing was happening. Sprayed them with PB for the night and tried again. Nothing.

Then I heated them up and still nothing. So I went to work early one morning and used the compressor and impact gun. Nothing. I had that sucker on the highest setting too. It hurt too much to try and hold the wrench on the other side. I had to wedge it against the frame or axle. I tried tightening then loosening for awhile. Kept spraying them with PB.

This is a huge compressor and good impact gun too. Eventually I heated them up again and after awhile, came loose. It was wayyyy more difficult then should have been.

 

Was it because of the corrosion and salt/sand they put on the roads up north? I used to work with a guy at a Chrysler-Jeep dealership who was from PA and he said up there you have to work with a wrench in one hand and a torch in the other.

I am lucky I am in Florida and my truck is a Florida truck too, it was originally delivered and sold at a dealer in Venice, Florida about 2 hours south of here.

Jimmy

 

Salt & rust-frozen bolts- luckily, my truck was bought new at a NE Texas Dodge dealer, & has lived here its entire life. You sure have my sympaty- it sounds awful!

Front shocks- a few weeks ago, I voted with my $- although not much of it. Amazon had the Monroe Reflex fronts for 2wd Dakotas- pn 911137- for the grand total of $37.08 shipped for the pair! Sadly that price was gone the next day.

 

I didn't think about checking places other than shock warehouse and advance auto parts. Good idea.

 

we've been ordering tons of race parts from amazon, for cheaper than summit or jegs. rocker arms, pushrods, hard-to-find fittings, Lucas racing oil, just crazy stuff.

 

I LOVE my Amazon Prime account. Free 2 day shipping and $4 overnight shipping. AWWESOME

 

Seems I'll be gettin' either Sensa-Trac or Reflex today.
Depends on what can be sourced locally.

Sensa-Tracs are more likely apparently.
not sure though

 

I would not buy Sensa Tracs. I had a set of them on my truck before I got my Reflex shocks and they were horrible. They were worn out at 25,000 miles, and the ride quality was really bad. The Reflex give a much better ride quality, stiff and firm like a truck should be. Sensa-Trac is more of a car type shock, it is not made for a truck. Get the Reflex and you will be a lot happier. There is not much of a price difference either, just a few bucks per shock.

Jimmy