Help, step by step instructions to replace front shocks/springs?

[impalajunkie]

Can anyone that has done this help me out?
I got my ground force kit installed at a shop, and would like to do my new DJM kit on my own. The rear I can handle, but what about the front? I dont want the spring flying out or anything!
Thanks in advance

[Bearcat]

Do a search in the suspension section. The Roadie gave me some outstanding guidance in the past 10 days or so.

[the roadie]

Can anyone that has done this help me out?


I've posted a few pictures in other threads. One very important tool is a heavy duty spring compressor; another is the strut removal tool you can see in my gallery photos and here.

http://www.roadie.org/RemovalTool.JPG

Some folks have the lower end of the strut just fall off, others really, really need the tool - then it's a piece of cake to get the strut out.

Here's what it looks like, compressed spring, ready to remove the top nut on the shock tower. (This is the old OEM Bilstein shock, not the yellow/blue gas pressurized aftermarket ones I put in later.)

http://www.roadie.org/compressedspringloose.JPG

[rreimund]

I've posted a few pictures in other threads. One very important tool is a heavy duty spring compressor; another is the strut removal tool you can see in my gallery photos and here.

Some folks have the lower end of the strut just fall off, others really, really need the tool - then it's a piece of cake to get the strut out.

Besides a standard socket and wrench set and the spring compressor and strut removal tool.. is there anything else that I might need (grease/lube for bushings, loctite, anything like that?)

[the roadie]

Besides a standard socket and wrench set and the spring compressor and strut removal tool.. is there anything else that I might need (grease/lube for bushings, loctite, anything like that?)

The lower attachment point doesn't need lubing, but if I did it again I might put in some anti-sieze compound to make future removal easier.

One important item I forgot to mention because I take it for granted, but it's in the picture, is an allen wrench (I forget the size) to make sure the threaded stud on the top of the shock doesn't spin while you loosen the nut on the threaded end. And jack stands so you're not working under a vehicle supported only by a jack.

[rreimund]

The lower attachment point doesn't need lubing, but if I did it again I might put in some anti-sieze compound to make future removal easier.

One important item I forgot to mention because I take it for granted, but it's in the picture, is an allen wrench (I forget the size) to make sure the threaded stud on the top of the shock doesn't spin while you loosen the nut on the threaded end. And jack stands so you're not working under a vehicle supported only by a jack.

Thanks.. I just did it today.. I hear ya on the allen wrench, but the one thing that I will use next time around is a my brother-in-law's compressor and impact wrench.. those spring compressors are a bear without one. That said, Steer clear of those two piece compressors. I had one swing all the way around on me which left the two compressors on one side of the spring!!!! and the middle of the spring bowing away from the compressors.. NOT PRETTY, and VERY DANGEROUS..

Took it to a buddy who has a shop and had one that looks more like an overgrown letter A laying on it's side.. I'll have pictures up, and I'll try to put together a consice HOW-TO..

Oh, the only thing I screwed up was that at my buddy's shop I didn't have the Ground Force instructions on me (left them in my garage).. and didn't read them completely ahead of time.... sooo. my front bump stops didn't get cut. How much of a big deal is that? I did bottom her out when test driving it once.. but it was on an awful dip where I came close to bottoming out when I was stock.. and I wasn't going slow. :)

Anyways, any thoughts on how critical it is to have cut the front bump stops? Is it worth going to the trouble taking out the assemblies again and having my buddy take them apart again and take out that inch and an 1/8?

I'll post up a new thread when I've got the pictures online and the how-to put together.

[Envoy Fan]

I didn't cut any bumpstops on my '03 Envoy SLT when I had the GF on it. No problems.

[impalajunkie]

thanks for the help/info guys. I'll be removing my ground force kit and installing the DJM kit in the coming weeks, i'll take photos and get together an article to help everyone out.
Ground force kit will be for sale!

[ltz03]

dont cut the bump stops on the front shocks you could damage the shock it self by compressing it too far

[dirthopn1]

All projects start here http://www.alldata.com/ good luck