Shock removal question

UKTJ

UKTJ

TJ Addict
Original poster
Joined
Dec 30, 2020
Messages
1,263
Location
Hampshire, UK
OK, so I am no doubt being dumb, but this is the first time I have removed a shock.

How do I get the nut on the top mount on the front shock undone? When I turn the nut the upper part of the shock body rotates with it. I have looked at one of my new shocks and it does the same, so I guess it is meant to do that. I can't hold it tightly enough with my hand, so how do I stop the shock turning to get the nut undone?
 
The options already given are great so I'm going to give you the last resort but typically what I go to in my rusty part of the world.

If you are throwing away the shocks.
I Sawzall just under the nut and cut the shock right off.
 
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If you are saving the shocks try using a impact from above: this requires unbolting the airbox and cruise control module. You will then have enough room to use a impact socket and gun from above.

In your case you have new shocks. Either unbolt, cut out, or snap the bottom bolts first. Then after the bottom is free grab the body of the shock and bend it towards you. It will snap the shaft in half.

No need to waste time whipping out a Sawzall or dremel but that works too.
 
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do it like any muffler and brake shop does leave the wrench's in the box and get the OA torch, gone in 30s.
 
jjvw said:
He's saying don't try it because his jeeps will explode.
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I'm saying this...any Neanderthal that removes a front shock by somehow rigging up a way to Jerk it away from the shock tower, breaking the upper stud does not need to be anywhere near my jeeps let alone working on them...clear now? What @jjvw Does on his jeeps is his own business but it ain't happening on my time
 
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Well they're off, good job I don't need them!
Couldn't get a big enough set of vise grips on a Sunday afternoon. Hadn't seem suggestion of oil filter wrench. So, bit embarrassing, but it got ugly. I snipped at the metal sleave over the shaft until I had a section I could get some vise grips on...
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One of the nuts was so stuck on the top of the shock actually sheared off anyway, second one undid but was by far the most unhelpful nut I have had on the Jeep so far.
 
P man said:
...some shocks also have a hex built into the top of the shaft you can put a wrech on and use another wrench to remove the nut. I would imagine this would only work on a rust free jeep like we have out west though.
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This. At least on all the vehicles I've had.
 
P man said:
I'm saying this...any Neanderthal that removes a front shock by somehow rigging up a way to Jerk it away from the shock tower, breaking the upper stud does not need to be anywhere near my jeeps let alone working on them...clear now? What @jjvw Does on his jeeps is his own business but it ain't happening on my time
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I'm honestly not sure how to even respond to this. I want to start off by saying that not everyone has the privilege of working on a California vehicle that is in pristine condition. Everything we are posting here is for the benefit of the op's info or anyone else who comes across. If it were not for the op's question everyone would be back to working on their jeeps in their own fashion.

Now I don't know if you have seen pictures of UK TJs suspension from the other thread it's not too rusty but it's not exactly the immaculate conception like your California jeeps. I had shocks on my TJ that were practically brand new and they fought me tooth and nail since the threads on the upper stud were a little rusty. I had new shocks ready to go I didn't need the old ones but out of pure curiosity I tried everything to save them. Isn't that what it's about? Finding the best method to do a job for the future reference?

I tried holding the shocks with a vise grip on the hex part didn't work. I tried a vise on shaft didn't work. Then I used a impact from above after removing the airbox, along with keeping the vise on the shock, worked like a charm. But on the driver side not at all. Mind you I soaked in kroil for 5 days before hand, I even used angle grinder to clean out the upper stud threads. The nut only made it halfway then stopped. I went back and forth tightening and loosening but it wouldn't thread any further up. I tried drilling a hole through both sides of the metal cover of the shock, sticking a flathead screwdriver in there, and letting the flathead hit the shock mount for leverage. all it did was destroy the metal cover like UK Tj just did above ^^^^^^

At that point you have two options, you can cut the shaft or you can snap it, and it doesn't make any difference at all except one takes 2 minutes and the other takes one nano second. And it doesn't require any special rigging or gigging up of any method, you just grab the body after freeing the lower bolts and pull it with like 20 pound of pressure and it snaps. It falls to the floor doesn't go flying or anything like you need safety googles or something. It won't even scratch up the frame shock mount hole. No one could tell you by looking at the shaft whether it had been cut or snapped. But you wouldn't know because clearly you have only worked on clean jeeps and that's good for you that's great. I have a jeep that was garage kept and another that has a fair deal of rust issues. It's not for everyone. In the OP's case he sheared the nut/stud so there you go.
 
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P man said:
I'm saying this...any Neanderthal that removes a front shock by somehow rigging up a way to Jerk it away from the shock tower, breaking the upper stud does not need to be anywhere near my jeeps let alone working on them...clear now? What @jjvw Does on his jeeps is his own business but it ain't happening on my time
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Like I said, I have seen this recommended many times over the years and have even seen images of successes, but I have never personally needed to resort to snapping the stud off. But if I was in this predicament without other immediate options and I did not care about the shock, I would certainly give it a try. It would satisfy my curiosity and there is absolutely nothing to loose by trying. But I will certainly refrain from doing so anywhere near Washingmachine, WA for fear of upsetting your sensibilities.
 
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