Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[Dutch]

Morning doods,

Will attempt to mount my new shocks from Will CJ.  All four shocks are main body + rod coming out + rubber boots to cover rod.

Do I remove with truck in situe - do I need to jack/up support.  Is anything going to land on my head ?

Rear : Old shock has main body down fixed to axle and rod up to body. Do I mount same or can you reverse ?

Front : old shock has fat bit up and narrow bit down (they're not the sticky out rod type but fat tube/narrower tube type)
How to install new ones : cylinder up-rod to axle or other way round ?

thanks.

[Nosebolt]

support axle and remove wheel for access, undo the 2 nuts (one at each end) slide or hammer old shock off, clean off any remnants of old shock rubber. slide on new shock and bolt up.

you don't need to remove the wheel but it will make it a much easier job if you do, can be fitted either way round my preference is rod (thin bit) down and no boots they just hold the mud in, and shock DO NOT support anything, they just dampen the movement of the springs

[Dutch]

Dont you just love Birties....on-line helpdesk

Does it matter which way the new shock goes on ? cylinder up-shaft down ?

[Nosebolt]

sorry hit post before i had finished, read full post for my opinion

[willo]

jack up axle side and remove wheel, loosen off strut mounts/nuts bolts, if they are fooked then no need to cable tie them closed, then either depending on how fooked they are as you may be able to close them by hand, compress and remove, or jack the body up carefully so as the axle doesn't come off the stand/trolly/bottle jack, then remove and replace said item, hopefully the new ones are banded shut so you can get them in rough place then let the band go, then they press into place, or you may have to stretch them a bit to get them in or lower the body back down again.
As to orientation, it depends on clearance issues, but most people I have spoken to say have the tube down and the shaft up, so gravity helps with the oil return

[Dutch]

Thanks guys,

Wills....new ones are not spring loaded or anything. I can move shaft in or out faily easily.

[Nosebolt]

I would agree with tube down for most road applications, but for a CJ there is clearance issues on the front (mine were fine till i went off road and the articulation caused the tubes to get dented) also tube up helps with keeping mud out of the seals

[Delk]

Most shocks are made to go one way or another. The valving for compression and extension are different. I have Rancho RS5000 shocks in the rear of my jeep and if they are mounted upside down all the oil goes into the air space and they do nothing. Turn them over and they work fine. I found that out while trying to tow a camp trailer!

[WillCJ]

Thanks guys,

Wills....new ones are not spring loaded or anything. I can move shaft in or out faily easily.

Generally shocks for leaf springs are not pre-charged, so slide in and out equally, but with varying resistance. Coil spring shocks tend to be gas filled so extend out on there own, which can be a bit of a fight with not enough hands to push in and put a bolt in!
If I remember correctly, where the new shocks attach on a CJ at the bottom, there will be an insert for the bush to make a tight fit on the bolt, at the top the mount is bigger and you don't fit the spacer.
Normal fitment is tube down, rod up. Looks trick the other way, but as said , may be clearance issues.  

[Dutch]

front near side is on  ......tissues please 

[willo]

I would agree with tube down for most road applications, but for a CJ there is clearance issues on the front (mine were fine till i went off road and the articulation caused the tubes to get dented) also tube up helps with keeping mud out of the seals

good point well put

[Nosebolt]

found an old pic, this is what happened when fitted in the "normal" way

[attachment=1]

within all the rust there is a dent where it hit the axle tube

[Bulldog67]

Dutch - How to mount new shocks on CJ7 - advice please

dood, im considering suspending your membership with all this grazed knucklw shit u got goin on 

[WillCJ]

found an old pic, this is what happened when fitted in the "normal" way

within all the rust there is a dent where it hit the axle tube

Hmm, good point, my front shocks caught the tubes on the bump stop brackets tho, not the axle tube. I put it down to very worn suspension and some very strange twists I got into!
But, as Delk says, will they work inverted?

You know we going to confuse Dutch here lol!, may be me too.......

[Nosebolt]

my pro comps did

[Dutch]

Well they're on.  Not a biggie really. Old ones came off cleanly, a bit of copper grease on the studs and the new ones went on
like a bishops d*ck in a virgin 

Jacked up the truck and took all wheels off, gave me a chance to polish the insides of them 

For the time being I've got all cylinders at the bottom with the nice & snug fitting boots on the top.  Unless they split I cannot see
how crap can get in there.  I did notice however that the old rams had some rust on them at the top.  With a proper hydraulic ram this is a big
nono because it mucks up the top seal.  If space is tight I can always turn 'em round.

BUT........

I aquired these on the advice of Bubba because he said that the originals at the rear were at nearly max extention which would, in certain
circumstances, cause a rough ride.

So that's where the stock + 2 inches came from. 

What surprised me was that the old ones at max extention are the same length as the new ones 

I'm sure that having new shocks is a good thing all round (certainly at the front) for ride comfort so I'm glad I went through the
excercise anyway.

Aaaaaaand it looks the mutts nuts...... I love fitting new stuff on the truck 

[daggie]

it's is ususlly stamped on them which way is up 
if they are upside down it will bounce allover the place 

[Bubba]

yup must be right way up ......................... i am a no boots man let them self clean boots always clag up