I was hearing a bang every time I hit a bump with my left front tire. I though something broke in my suspension but it all checked out. So my thought went toward the 10 year old shocks I had on it and I figured it was time to replace them. I went with MonroeGas-Matic LT Shock Absorbers from Advance Auto. I placed the order online and selected store pickup. After a couple of discounts I walked out with all 4 shocks for a grand total of $67.96 (16.99 ea.). That was the best part of the whole deal, because installation was a nightmare.

First I did the fronts, lower bolts snapped off even though they were soaked with oil first. The upper nut just kept spinning since there was no way to get in and hold the shaft. So I had to pop the upper ball joints and force the upper control arm up high enough for me to get a sawzall and cut-off wheel in there. Once cut the shocks dropped out, but I had to drill out the lower bolts and re-tap them.

The rears weren't quite as bad thanks to getting an air gun up on the top nuts and bolts. For the lower end it was tough to get the new shocks to fit into the space the lower end is supposed to fit into. I ended up having to touch the ends of the bolt holes on the shocks to my grinding wheel a bit just to allow it to slide it easier.

The front left shock I took off was completely dead. Wherever I moved the plunger to it stayed right there. There was zero gas pressure in it. I'm happy to report that the van rides much nicer and the banging from the front left wheel is now gone.

 

I did my front ones a couple of years ago. A real pain.I ended up rocking a deep socket on top back and forth until the bolt snapped off. If I have the Firestone airbags on the rear should I still change out my shocks?

 

The airbags are there for lift not bounce suppression, so yes, you still need to change the rear shocks when they wear out.

 

Just curious... did you have a lift to help you do this job?

 

A lift is not needed, actually more than an inch or two lift will prevent you from completing shock replacement.

A liberal application of pb blaster normally keeps one this task from turning into a two hour fun-filled sawzall adventure. Took me maybe 25 minutes to do all four. If the front shock nuts are jammed simply lock the shaft in place with visegrips or buy the tool. Nothing to it.

 

Nope, did it in the driveway on jackstands.

 

Do I somehow strike you as being an amateur at this? Perhaps down south rust is not an issue, but up north where road salt eats away metals, the nuts on the top of the shocks were solidly locked to the very rusted shaft. Vise-grips would not hold the shaft because of the coil springs being on a spiral incline prevents the vise-grips from grabbing square onto the shaft. The top of the shock shafts would snap off long before that nut was going to thread off of them.

 

LOL, do you really want me to answer that?

 

Shocks and mufflers are two things I have always let the shop do... just not interested in that much physical labor and busted knuckles to save 1-2 hundred bucks or so. I can understand doing it if you have the time, talent, correct tools and ambition and lack the funds. I have done many a DIY project if I thought I could accomplish it without too much difficulty. Plumbing is the other thing I leave to the pros.

It amazes me what some have accomplished with their vans and posted on this forum and I look forward every morning to read up on their exploits.

 

Oh I agree: I wont let anyone touch my vehicle normally but leave alignments and exhaust to the pros. However on these you can actually buy bolt-on exhaust, catback y pipe, and mufflers, leaving only the front wheel alignment.

Works for me.