DIY Shock Change?

[psyflyjohn]

I have a 2004 Sea Breeze and have read with interest about the new Koni FSD shocks. I'm thinking about ordering some, and changing them myself. Any advice about doing that, or is there some reason a mechanic needs to do it?

[psyflyjohn]

I have a 2004 Sea Breeze and have read with interest about the new Koni FSD shocks. I'm thinking about ordering some, and changing them myself. Any advice about doing that, or is there some reason a mechanic needs to do it?

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by psyflyjohn:
... Any advice about doing that ... </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Just need big enough tools is all. It's a lot easier with air tools. There's no reason you can't do it yourself.

[rotts4u]

My rears were done at home in the driveway with a large 1/2" air impact wrench. Even with it the removal took several seconds of it poinding away until the bolt broke loose.

Don

[adj]

I replaced my front shocks using an electric impact wrench. They must use crush nuts because it took just as long to get the nuts back on as it took to take them off.

[tvp]

Is it as easy as just reomve old ones and slip on new ones ?? no Jack required or special clamps etc .???

TVP

[angelman]

I changed the front shocks in the driveway. I had plenty of room to work but those 3/4 inch bolts were a B*@*H! I would never attempt this job again. The shops use a 3/4 drive air impact gun with 250lbs of pressure. My 1/2 inch drive impact gun did nothing with these bolts! Maybe my bolts were a little extra tight. I put the magnums on. What a huge difference. Good luck!

[bowats]

You can do it without air tools if you can borrow or rent a torque multiplier. It has a 3/4" drive output and you can turn it easily with a 1/2" ratchet on the input side. Took me 3 hours to change all four shocks. Be aware the shocks are stout, and require significant elbow grease to compress once the shipping bands are cut. I ended up using a car jack under the bottom of the shock to coax it to the proper height of the mounting location.

[E Z Livin]

I had Workhorse replace mine with Monroe Magnums. The technican mentioned that if you cut the bailing wire before installing, you would not be able to close them again without a press.
If this brand comes with bailing wire keeping them closed, do not cut the wire until the bolts are in place.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by E Z Livin:
If this brand comes with bailing wire keeping them closed, do not cut the wire until the bolts are in place. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>You know you're right about the Monroe's however it is my recollection that the FSDs don't have a wire because they are double acting.

[George Miklas]

I installed Bilsteins on my former class A MH by myself and without air tools. I used the leveling jacks to lift the coach, mounted the top of the shock, and then a bottle jack on the ground to line up the shock with its mount.

Before removing the bailing wire, I found that I could compress the shocks with my body weight. So I removed the bailing wire before mounting the top bolt. To mount the bottom bolt, I compressed the shock with a simple bar lever.

gm

[angelman]

The monroe's that I installed came in the compressed position with wire holding them. When I cut the wire, there was no force pushing them out. I beleive they were dual action gas.There was no problem closing them to any position that I needed.

[skipsor]

I thought about changing my Monroes for the Koni's myself but I didn't have any tools that were big enough for the job so I had it done. As it turned out that was a good idea because one of the nuts was frozen onto the stud and they ended up cutting it off and installing a new stud.

Sometimes it's better to spend a few bucks to have some work done than to spend hours trying to commit suicide.

[al koffman]

Gee, I'm kind of surprised by some of the answers. I changed mine with Bilsteins, the fronts were monroe's, installed by a WCC and the rear were the originals. Was able to take all bolts loose except one with a 3/4 inch rachet and socket. Had to use 3 foot of pipe ext for one the nuts put on by the WCC. Had to use a pry lever on the rear to line them up and on one of the fronts used a small jack. Got the torque values from a thread on this forum. It was really painless (except for my arthritis). My wife's comment was "What are you doing, celebrating your 77th birthday?"