Don't waste your time when removing your stock rear shocks

[hungryeddy]

Did my lift yesterday and i was scared of the whole rear shock situation going into it. after trying the take it off the hard way, i got the sawzall and started cuting through the top of the piston rod. once i got half way through it, i tried started to bend it so it'll break where the cut was. after about 5 bends, it broke. but not where i started to cut it. the shock broke at the mounting bolt. tried the side without taking the sawzall to it, and it took about 30 seconds, no tools required.

i'm not sure if this worked because my stock shocks were just old or something, but it saved me a bunch of time. i hope this helps someone in the future.

 

[johnnyhightrain]

PBlaster'ed the mounting hardware, disconnected the lower mount bolt, then held the top mount nut with a wrench or socket and spun the shock body by hand after loosening the nut with the wrench/socket
this worked for me at least, But situations vary on different vehicles..:shrug:

 

[PitbullRescuer]

We took mine off by bending them too, snapped right off.

 

[Hepar]

You can also drill a hole in the sheath of the shock, shove a screwdriver in there and then twist.

 

[TheDurk]

The concern is possible damage to the mounting hole from doing this. The stock shock has a pretty wimpy bolt thread so you are probably safe in the South. But a corroded northern mount might give, especially with a beefier shock.

I used the twist with big ol' Channelocks on the boot approach. It requires a socket on the nut, but then it pops in two seconds. Only works if you have a steel boot like the stockers.

 

[Alabamaguy]

With 230k miles on mine, I used a big pipe wrench and a socket/ratchet on top. Also had been PB Blasting them for a few weeks prior.

 

[PitbullRescuer]

Durkheim, that was my concern too but once we made the first twist it was very apparent that the shock was a lot weaker than the mount. But that is a very valid point, people should definitely watch the shock mount before going too far.

 

[maxspeed96ct]

All the guys from down south have no issues and use a socket with some PB.

But north guys like me know what you mean, I also had no choice but to use a grinder with cutting wheel to remove mine.

 

[Baja Runner]

You guys are a bunch of sissys. I just use my bare hands to twist them off. :jump:

 

[Running4life]

You guys are a bunch of sissys. I just use my bare hands to twist them off. :jump:

Well, I guess I'm a sissy. The nuts on top of mine were SEIZED up. No amount of twisting in the world worked (even with a pipe wrench) even after a week long soak of PB blaster :dammit:. Between the sawzall and a Dremel tool, finally got through them. It was not what I would call fun.

 

[JohnsD90]

I guess I'll pull the hipster move here, but I cut my shocks off years ago, before it was "cool".

 

[hungryeddy]

i was also a little concerned that the shock mount would get damaged, but i thought, if it can't withstand this, i probably shouldn't be trusting it to hold the shock in...