Changing my stock shocks(originals) after 93,000 miles on the truck to some new Bilsteins.I got the back changed yesterday but Im kinda stuck on the front.I see where the stem nut is for the top but every time I turn it the whole top of the shock turns with it.I have the haynes book for it but its not working like they tell you to do it.Anyone have any tips to make this easier? i have noticed a better ride just from changing the backs.Also,whats the deal with the shocks mounted at different positions on the back?

 

There should be a flat in the end of the shaft that you can hold with an adjustable wrench while you spin the nut. Once the nut is loose enought you can hold the top of the shock while you loosen the nut the rest of the way. It takes a little contortioning or a friend.

The rear shocks are staggered because of the effect of rotational torsion from the driveshaft on the rear axle. By staggering them, the force from hard acceleration/deceleration is more equal cutting down on wheel hop and spring oscillation.

 

if your wrench isn't big enough to hold it or if its a cresent wrench that won't stay tight then you could use a pair of vise grips to hold it. also, thats one of those nuts that a ratchet wrench will come in handy for.

 

If you have the tools, you can burp the nuts with an impact gun a few times, and that will usually get it. On mine, I could do that to the passenger side, and it worked like a charm. The Driver's side is a little harder to get to, but still doable if you have an extension handy.
Another thing that you can use is a pipe wrench. It's the method that I used while removing the old ones, but not while installing the new ones; I didn't want to scratch the paint up.
I finally dug around and got the extension out and burped it down tight that way.

 

i used a visegrip on mine
not to thread jack, on my right rear, the captured nut was on the inside of the frame, and the bolt head on the outside, there was almost no room to get my impact in there, anyone else have this, it was like that from the factory