E350 SD Front Shock Absorbers - Jacking necessary?
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1st Gear
Joined: Nov 2022
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E350 SD Front Shock Absorbers - Jacking necessary?
Hey y'all! Thanks for having me! My guts are telling me I'm about to make a crucial mistake soooo.. Question about my 2014 E350 XLT SD Extended Passenger van. Is it necessary to jack up the front end and remove the tires when replacing the front shock absorbers? I see folks are recommending to jack up the front end but then still use a different jack on the sway bar to compress the shocks for replacement. It seems that leaving the tires on the ground would be a better idea/safer?... Do you think leaving the wheels on and on the ground would work? Thanks in advance!
Trailering
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 15
Likes: 0
From: Morrisville, VT
If you leave the vehicle on the ground then there will be pressure on the suspension. I would think you’d have to jack it up to relieve that pressure and remove the shocks. You don’t have to compress the shocks to remove them. Jack it up, unbolt and they’ll fall right off. Shock absorbers are at rest when fully extended. Just make sure to jack it up on the frame and not the hub assembly so the wheels hang. You might want another jack to put under the hub so you can make little adjustments when you match up the holes in the new shock with the holes in the mounts
Last edited by Danimal Planet; Nov 6, 2022 at 01:15 PM.
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,112
Likes: 286
From: Eastern TN
I jacked up the corner for more working room in the wheel well and to not fight the Bilsteins so much getting the lower attachment started.
In our ‘07, there’s an appendage on the frame that severely restricts access to the top mount on the driver side. There’s an access port by the brake pedal covered by the shift cable grommet that can help.
Sixto
07 E350 5.4 189K miles
In our ‘07, there’s an appendage on the frame that severely restricts access to the top mount on the driver side. There’s an access port by the brake pedal covered by the shift cable grommet that can help.
Sixto
07 E350 5.4 189K miles
Hotshot
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 10,554
Likes: 2,670
From: Near Salt Lake City
The gas filled shocks are hell to get compressed enough to install at normal ride height
I jack the vehicle up and put a jackstand under the axle and drop it down about 2 inches
The shock is the limiting factor so the truck cannot have the wheel off the ground unsupported and change the shock easy
Good luck
I jack the vehicle up and put a jackstand under the axle and drop it down about 2 inches
The shock is the limiting factor so the truck cannot have the wheel off the ground unsupported and change the shock easy
Good luck
Cargo Master
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 2,112
Likes: 286
From: Eastern TN
Hmm… good point on the shock serving as suspension limiter. I changed shocks 6 weeks ago and I’ve already forgotten what I did. I know there was a floor hack involved and minimal wrestling to compress the shocks.
Sixto
07 E350 5.4 189K miles
Sixto
07 E350 5.4 189K miles
FTE Legend
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
Likes: 1,499
From: Ottawa, Ontario
Gas shocks aren't that bad to handle, what I do is put it into place with the strap still on it, put the upper nut on but not torqued down, then get ready with the lower bolt and cut the strap with cutters and when the hole lines up push the bolt in. If you don't get the bolt all the way through a little prying under the shock with a flat blade screwdriver will get it done. And I think you will want to jack up the truck and remove the tire to get more room to work.
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