Fluid Leak
Cargo Master
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 3,087
Likes: 24
From: Central Florida
i've never actually used the access hole there. I had a pretty bad back and paid a friend to do my shocks. He never did tell me if it was helpful or not, so I hope you will report back.
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Tuned
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 411
Likes: 7
From: Proctorsville VT
Embarrassingly enough and prompted by new tires and other front end work, I finally got around to changing out the front shocks on this '04 E350 with Monroe 34760's.
The old passenger side shock had zero resistance and undoubtedly has been shot since it lost all fluid two years ago. The top nut on the OEM shock was 15mm and the lower stud nut was 18mm. With access considerably limited, the top nut removal was excruciatingly slow but doable. Replacement was straight forward.
The driver side top nut I accessed through the grommet hole in the firewall. I ended up using a 15mm flex head ratcheting wrench to remove it. AND I THOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS SLOW GOING !!! With the flex head wrench almost upright at around 70 degrees, a one click ratchet turn was all I could manage through the firewall hole. Due to the incredibly limited access I cannot imagine removing the top nut with anything other than a flex head ratcheting wrench or other thin profile/ max access tool. The lower mounting stud snapped off during the nut removal. It was replaced with Doorman kit 31001. Driver side shock was easier replaced than removed, but curse the engineering here. I did.
The old passenger side shock had zero resistance and undoubtedly has been shot since it lost all fluid two years ago. The top nut on the OEM shock was 15mm and the lower stud nut was 18mm. With access considerably limited, the top nut removal was excruciatingly slow but doable. Replacement was straight forward.
The driver side top nut I accessed through the grommet hole in the firewall. I ended up using a 15mm flex head ratcheting wrench to remove it. AND I THOUGHT THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS SLOW GOING !!! With the flex head wrench almost upright at around 70 degrees, a one click ratchet turn was all I could manage through the firewall hole. Due to the incredibly limited access I cannot imagine removing the top nut with anything other than a flex head ratcheting wrench or other thin profile/ max access tool. The lower mounting stud snapped off during the nut removal. It was replaced with Doorman kit 31001. Driver side shock was easier replaced than removed, but curse the engineering here. I did.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 786
Likes: 26
There ya go. I was thinking shocks as soon as you posted that it was on the passenger side. That's not where the steering gear is located.
Yeah, that "engineering" is pretty pathetic. I just did my front shocks, and it's far more difficult than it should be.
Yeah, that "engineering" is pretty pathetic. I just did my front shocks, and it's far more difficult than it should be.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 21,255
Likes: 1,657
From: Reynoldsburg, Ohio
Front shocks can be a real bear, here's a video I found helpful for the first timers. If you fast forward to about 3:38 into all the chattering commentary you'll get to the heart of the matter:
I use Bilstein shocks which have an added benefit of a rather large and thick lower "nut" that's located under the shock tower when installed. Along with coating the top threaded stud of the new shock with anti-seize before installed the nut removing them is relatively easy. Blistein are also a mono-tube design with flexible boots over the piston-side rod---those with the thin metal shield can be a huge PITA during removal as that shield makes removal very difficult.
HTH
I use Bilstein shocks which have an added benefit of a rather large and thick lower "nut" that's located under the shock tower when installed. Along with coating the top threaded stud of the new shock with anti-seize before installed the nut removing them is relatively easy. Blistein are also a mono-tube design with flexible boots over the piston-side rod---those with the thin metal shield can be a huge PITA during removal as that shield makes removal very difficult.
HTH
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John7894
1999 - 2003 7.3L Power Stroke Diesel
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