Does anyone out there have a better suggestion for removing the driver side front shock on a 2006 E-250. I am about to change the shocks out and I cant seem to figure out how to remove the top nut on that shock. Thanx for any advice.

 

Big channel locks on the shock body, ratcheting wrench on the nut.

I've thought that a strap wrench would do the same job without damaging the shock body, but I haven't tried it.

Good luck.

 

Those times I've changed front shocks the thin flimsy outer tube has never survived. That's just one reason I love Bilstein shocks---mono-tube design with huge wrench flats on the plunger shaft where it contacts the upper mount. A bit of anti-seize on the threads and they're easy off next time out.

If you can grab the plunger rod with Vice Grip or a pipe wrench the ratchet and socket works fine. If not cutting it with a Sawz All or torch are other common removal steps.

Honestly since I found a "secret" to more easily change rear shocks I've come to hate the front ones now!

 

Please JWA enlighten me on the secret to the rear shocks cause the top nut is a pain to get to also. The way I see it it there isn't enuff room to get a sawzall in there to cut the top.

 

I suspect his secret is holes in the floorboard so he can access them from inside the van.

 

No, that operation is for lazy guys replacing the fuel pump and not wanting to drop the tank first!

If you remove the spare tire there's a ton of room to get a Sawz All on the shock tops where they protrude through the cross member. Trust me it works like a charm. Approaching the shock tops from the rear looking forward a blade fits very well between the cross member and washer/nut and simply cut through the rubber bushing. Keep the blade parallel to the cross member to avoid cutting into it although a few scratches won't hurt.

I would advise something like Rust-O-Leum for scratches, marine-grade silicone grease on the replacement rubber bushing AND anti-seize on the threads of the shock stem. (Since I use, insist on and highly recommend Bilstein shocks the lower wrench flats greatly aid removal but still use anti-seize to simply and make easy this task next time out.)

I'd already tried every conceivable position, tool and idea changing rear shocks but it wasn't until working on my new-to-me '03 EB without a spare that this came to light. Already in that general area anyway to replace the rusty chunk that had been the spare tire winch it dawned on me how much room was free without the spare. With no exaggeration I laid in the driveway laughing at the whole thing---I was delighted!

No kidding I had the rear shocks changed in less than an hour, most of the time trying to compress the shocks so they'd fit on the lower mounts.

When I do this again I'll compress the shock, hold it in place with stout cable ties insert the tops into the cross member first. Once they're in place and I can fit them onto the lower mount, place the nut and only then cut the cable ties.

Easy peasy!

 

Ok, I screwd up. I meant theres no room on the top drivers side front shock to get to with a sawzall. You are a genious with the spare removed, more room than my first house up in there lol.

 

Ahhh well then I have no great or even fairly passable good ideas on the front shocks then. You're right there's no easy access with a Sawz All up front.

As I said getting past that outer tube to the lower stem is the first step though.
Once you have that out of the way grab the stem with Vise Grip's etc, use a ratchet fitted between the inner fender and pull like hell. With any good luck the upper part will break away and the shock fall out. If not its just a matter of ratcheting the nut off.

 

I cut them both off in SECONDS with a sawsall......Front and Back....you need at least an 11 Amp tool (Milwaukee or Dewalt) and a top notch 8" Metal blade(24 TPI) ....and of course you need to know how to use a sawsall......for the front you need to reverse the blade and pull the cut towards you.....that is the trick....If you hold the sawsall the traditional way it does not work....

 

+1 on Milwaukee---kinda hate DeWalt stuff myself! I do have the 13 amp version with rotating head---works perfect for the rears.

I tried cutting a OEM set off an E250 without much luck. Thinking back that was probably due trying to use too long a blade and no reversing it to cut on the pull.

Blageurt do you cut above or below the mounting bracket?

 

Above or A ....pulling tool towards you...I also feather the trigger

 

There's wrench flats on the shock pictured! Put away the saw!!

And secondly: why would anyone dislike DeWalt?! They're the best !!

 

Oh yeah? Lets see YOU get a wrench or socket on TOP of the stem?!?!

Seriously though most good open end wrenches won't easily fit onto the lower flats because they're not tall enough. Secondly as shown those shocks were so badly rusted together the flats rounded off before the top nut even budged. (This is due the soft cheap metal of the nuts.)

I'm highly, highly opinionated against DeWalt so take this with a grain of skepticism: DeWalt is built to a price, sold mostly on that fact alone. They last for a time but when they fail repairing them is almost futile. I've yet to see any DeWalt tool repaired even by the factory outlets last very long after the repair. Home owners and construction guys use them because they're cheap and/or easily discarded in favor of new once they crap out.

OTOH DeWalt does make some incredibly long-lived XRP batteries, have more than a few very cool ideas in design and features, none of which makes their low quality worth it.

I buy Milwaukee exclusively, corded and cordless both, have never had an issue I can't repair myself (a rare instance) or have professionally repaired and they continue to work almost as new.

Just my $0.02 worth mind you!

 

Well said...I have a few dewalts because they have not blown up yet ...and when they do I do not care.....They are tough however...Most of my Stuff is Milwaukee/Bosch/Walter and on the air side Hitachi/Paslode and Senco

 

I've done many of these. I know what you mean about the driver's side. Piece of cake on the passenger side, a few minutes and the shock is changed. Driver's side is another story. I've never cut the shocks, always unscrewed them properly BUT our vehicles never stop running and so I don't see a lot of rust. I have a combo 14mm and 15 mm gear wrench for the top nut. The 14 doesn't always sit on it well so I end up using 15mm. I think it is a lock nut that is slightly egg shaped, so that's why sometimes it's 14 and sometimes 15. I'll hit it with a little JB-80 penetrating oil beforehand to help the process. With the gear wrench on top, you can wrench the lower nut on the shock body and turn it off. Our aftermarket shocks don't have full width lower nuts (because they are garbage and I'm never buying them again) and so I've used needle nose vise grips to grab the lower nut when removing aftermarket shocks.

I'll have to look into the sawzall route, never thought of that, might speed things up. I've never had significant problems with the rear shocks. They wheel right off for the most part, but I do recall one time when a sawzall might have been appreciated.

FWIW, I operate Makita tools. Not because I know anything about them being better than the others but because they've done the job and that's what I got for christmas one year a while back so the charger and batteries were already there. Handy trick - a 3/8 paddle bit in a drill will run the Ford screw jack up and down like a *****. I jack up our vans that way often. Shock changes, jack on the I-beam pivot point for the shock you are changing. Standard disclaimer, this is no doubt not recommended by anyone anywhere, but hey it gets the job done.

-Del