Best way to remove front shocks?

[Trza]

Too much work to do it that way on a badlands. Do it the other way and pull it out from the top.

I am trying to avoid removing the 35mm axle nut. It seems that due to the length of the lower strut studs, you need to remove the axle nut and other suspension components to free up enough space to clear the lower strut bolts from the lower control arm in order to pull the strut out completely.

If I were to push out the lower strut studs with a ball joint joint press, remove the sway bar end link, tie rod end, and upper ball joint, would that give enough room to pull the strut out (which would avoid removing the axle nut)? Again, it seems that most recommend to remove the axle nut, but I am not looking to reuse the lower strut studs, and the Zone 1 inch kit and other kits, replace the studs with new nuts and bolts.

Has anyone done it this way or know if this would work?

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[kodiakisland]

Having pulled front coilovers 4 times on several Broncos, I don't know why anyone would do anything other than pulling the LCAs. I like simple.

 

[Trza]

Having pulled front coilovers 4 times on several Broncos, I don't know why anyone would do anything other than pulling the LCAs. I like simple.

I was planning to remove the LCA, however, the Badlands with the sway bar disconnect makes it more complicated versus a standard swaybar which can easily be removed.

Hoping someone who has done this on a Badlands would have some advice.

 

[contented]

I guess I’m in the minority. I separate upper ball joint, tie rod end, sway bar link, pull speed sensor and brake caliper, loosen axle nut and pop it loose in knuckle. Coilover is out in forty minutes. If you aren’t going to reuse the original shock, cutting the studs off does make it easier. I’m just a shade tree mechanic, so the first one was a bitch, then much easier. I put the joince bumper on upside down on one and had to remove and fix. While in the process of installing Bilstein 6112’s, I discovered a pinhole in the outer driver’s side cv boot, so I installed a new half shaft also.

Edit - the 35mm axle nut is nothing to be afraid of. New ones are $10 a pair on-line. I just ran it out w/ my Makita impact gun. I did buy a 250 ft-lb torque wrench and ball joint separator tool on Amazon.

 

[Brian_B]

I am trying to avoid removing the 35mm axle nut. It seems that due to the length of the lower strut studs, you need to remove the axle nut and other suspension components to free up enough space to clear the lower strut bolts from the lower control arm in order to pull the strut out completely.

So, you are correct, there is enough play that you can get the strut out with the LCA dropped without pulling the front axle or messing with the axle nut.

BUT

That play is there because the CV is extending and angling, and very high odds of it getting overextended, and the weight pops the clip, and you don’t know it until a few days later when your boot blows out.

It’s highly recommended to remove the axle from the wheel hub, and that nut (and a few licks of a dead blow) are all it takes. You don’t have to remove the CV entirely, just pop it out of the wheel hub. Or you can play the lottery and probably end up just replacing the entire CV anyway.

 

[PWillette]

I was planning to remove the LCA, however, the Badlands with the sway bar disconnect makes it more complicated versus a standard swaybar which can easily be removed.

Hoping someone who has done this on a Badlands would have some advice.

On my BL, after disconnecting the UCA from the knuckle, I was able to just loosen the LCA cam bolts and disconnect the sway bar link to get the OEM coil overs removed with the axle and axle nut in place.

I did need to compress the new coil overs to get them in.

 

[Trza]

So, you are correct, there is enough play that you can get the strut out with the LCA dropped without pulling the front axle or messing with the axle nut.

BUT

That play is there because the CV is extending and angling, and very high odds of it getting overextended, and the weight pops the clip, and you don’t know it until a few days later when your boot blows out.

It’s highly recommended to remove the axle from the wheel hub, and that nut (and a few licks of a dead blow) are all it takes. You don’t have to remove the CV entirely, just pop it out of the wheel hub. Or you can play the lottery and probably end up just replacing the entire CV anyway.

Better safe than sorry! Looks like I'll be removing the axle nut. Thanks for the input!

 

[AK SNO RIDER]

I was planning to remove the LCA, however, the Badlands with the sway bar disconnect makes it more complicated versus a standard swaybar which can easily be removed.

Hoping someone who has done this on a Badlands would have some advice.

You just pull the 4 bolts holding the swaybar up and lower it down onto a jackstand. You only need enough clearance to get the rear LCA bolts out.
The wires are long enough to lower it down without unplugging anything.

So, you are correct, there is enough play that you can get the strut out with the LCA dropped without pulling the front axle or messing with the axle nut.

BUT

That play is there because the CV is extending and angling, and very high odds of it getting overextended, and the weight pops the clip, and you don’t know it until a few days later when your boot blows out.

It’s highly recommended to remove the axle from the wheel hub, and that nut (and a few licks of a dead blow) are all it takes. You don’t have to remove the CV entirely, just pop it out of the wheel hub. Or you can play the lottery and probably end up just replacing the entire CV anyway.

You don't have to take the CVs to full extension to make enough room to get the shocks out. Put a floor jack under the knuckle to prevent it from dropping to full droop and lower it just enough to clear the studs on the shock.

 

[Trza]

You just pull the 4 bolts holding the swaybar up and lower it down onto a jackstand. You only need enough clearance to get the rear LCA bolts out.

This is what I was wondering with the Badlands. I just watched a video of how to remove the sway bar disconnect, now it makes sense what's under there. I wasn't sure if the system was 1 whole piece or if it was in 3 parts. I can see now that it's 1 piece so yes, removing the end links, then the 4 bolts holding up the sway bar should give enough room to get the LCA cam bolts out.



You don't have to take the CVs to full extension to make enough room to get the shocks out. Put a floor jack under the knuckle to prevent it from dropping to full droop and lower it just enough to clear the studs on the shock.

Since I will be replacing the lower strut studs anyways with nuts and bolts, I'll likely cut or pop out the lower strut studs which should require even less space to get the strut out. I'm sure this would mitigate the need to remove the axle nut at all.

Thanks for the advice! This has been really helpful!

 

[Brian_B]

You don't have to take the CVs to full extension to make enough room to get the shocks out. Put a floor jack under the knuckle to prevent it from dropping to full droop and lower it just enough to clear the studs on the shock.

Yeah it can be done - for sure. But for me, it’s way to easy to screw up and you won’t know until your boot blows up. But certainly possible to do it.

Almost everyone I see with a blown CV though has done a lift or suspension upgrade in the week prior though, and tried to do the same thing.

 

[SierraBronco]

Yeah it can be done - for sure. But for me, it’s way to easy to screw up and you won’t know until your boot blows up. But certainly possible to do it.

Almost everyone I see with a blown CV though has done a lift or suspension upgrade in the week prior though, and tried to do the same thing.

Just had a friend go through the same process. They told me they were going to pull LCA bolts, so I warned them to support the knuckle to avoid breaking the CV. Unfortunately the warning was too late. First engagement of 4WD and “click crunch crunch click click crunch.”

Doh!

 

[indio22]

Since I will be replacing the lower strut studs anyways with nuts and bolts, I'll likely cut or pop out the lower strut studs which should require even less space to get the strut out. I'm sure this would mitigate the need to remove the axle nut at all.

Thanks for the advice! This has been really helpful!

How difficult is it to remove those two lower shock bolts while still mounted in the vehicle? Someone mentioned driving up and out with an air chisel.

Given that some kits come with replacement bolts that are not a press fit, I wonder why Ford chose to press fit? Assuming people are using non press fit bolts without issue?

 

[gbub]

Ford does not care about us disassembling the struts. They only care about assembly. Having pressed in bolt makes it easier to assemble and not have to deal with installing bolts and a wrench to hold them.

 

[KillerPenz]

I am trying to avoid removing the 35mm axle nut. It seems that due to the length of the lower strut studs, you need to remove the axle nut and other suspension components to free up enough space to clear the lower strut bolts from the lower control arm in order to pull the strut out completely.

If I were to push out the lower strut studs with a ball joint joint press, remove the sway bar end link, tie rod end, and upper ball joint, would that give enough room to pull the strut out (which would avoid removing the axle nut)? Again, it seems that most recommend to remove the axle nut, but I am not looking to reuse the lower strut studs, and the Zone 1 inch kit and other kits, replace the studs with new nuts and bolts.

Has anyone done it this way or know if this would work?

I did it pretty much that way on a BaseSquatch to install a 1" leveling kit...... And because I did it that way, I now have (2) new(er) cv axles. The shaft popped out, drove 30 feet or so and heard a ton of crunching going on.

On the flip side, we did a 2" level lift on brother in laws Big Bend, did NOT remove axle nut, just pushed down on lower control arm and no issues.

I've since done a level lift on my son's Big Bend, and we removed axle nuts and pushed axle through. Honestly, I wouldn't do it any other way.

 

[GI_Jo_Nathan]

How difficult is it to remove those two lower shock bolts while still mounted in the vehicle? Someone mentioned driving up and out with an air chisel.

Given that some kits come with replacement bolts that are not a press fit, I wonder why Ford chose to press fit? Assuming people are using non press fit bolts without issue?

I've read about a few people doing it with the air chisel and apparently it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. At least not without a lot of cussing. I've removed the studs on mine while fully removed and let's just say it wasn't easy even using a bench vise.

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