I bought the Rancho RS900XL shock a few years back and it came with the My Ride wireless controller system with it. Well last week I finally had time to see why the system wasn't working. Turn out one of the shocks was leaking air from the fitting at the shock. Long story short..... Go to the NAPA where I bought them and they said we'll get you new ones under warranty.

Shocks come in a few days later and I put them in one day while working at the fire house. As you can see in the pictures the old ones got pretty beat up from the weather here, so my solution was this time all four shocks were scuffed and shot with 4 coats of clear before going on the truck. Hopefully it buys me some more time.

Back shocks come off with only one problem. The bottom bolt on the right shock snapped when I was taking it off. I was really worried because I installed an Excursion tank last year and never checked to see how the shocks would come off. Thank goodness it was easy.





Now on to the front (BTW I didn't jack anything up or tak any tire off to do this).
Taking off the right front bottom bolt, the retaining piece that keeps it from spinning comes flying off....



Not a huge problem just a PIA to put back on... Get the shocks off and the new ones out and WTH, they won't fit on the shock tower?????
After looking for ten minutes I figure out why.....





The bushings were pressed into the wrong holes on the shock. So I call NAPA Monday and they ordered me two more. Picked them up yesterday came home today, 4 coats of clear and back in business. Little bit of hassle and running around but 4 new shocks for free and no air leaks!

 

I feel your pain! Recently did the shocks on ours & it was 6 hours (including 2 hours trying to track down bolts, should have just gone to Lowe's to begin with) to get one off. Had to ordered from Amazon to get the next one a couple days later. Only took 4 hours to do the last three. Had one bolt snap just like yours did on my RF. Wound up using Grade 8 Nuts & Bolts, washers & Loctite to put my mind at ease on the fronts. Rears were easier, but the upper bolts on the rears were still a PITA!

 

Yeah its just my luck, we pull the engine and everything goes smooth as butter. Go to change the shocks and evrything falls apart....go figure

 

I snapped off an upper shock bolt on my '99 and also had to do the bushing end swap deal - I think Ford's shock bolts are secretly made of barely hardened butter. I used plenty of anti-sieze on the replacement bolts.

 

Never happens with Bilsteins.

 

Mike, you sure do a great job of keeping that truck clean. I feel for you guys up north fighting the rot.

Down here in Gawja it's just keeping the red clay from sticking to, and staining everything red. No rust though.