Help this is Shocking

[CriscoCan]

We choose to replace the shocks on our 1969 Overlander. We bought $750 tires and $150 rims so we decided $148 including shipping was not to much to spend on the extra confidence we felt with shocks. But help us how do you get the old ones off and the new ones on with out dropping the axle? The bolt head are welded on the bracket and there just isn't any room on top mount to remove or install new one. We watched a video on how to change shock on an AS, but ours must be different because there is no play, two strong young men with a tire tool could not budge it.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by CriscoCan

We choose to replace the shocks on our 1969 Overlander. We bought $750 tires and $150 rims so we decided $148 including shipping was not to much to spend on the extra confidence we felt with shocks. But help us how do you get the old ones off and the new ones on with out dropping the axle? The bolt head are welded on the bracket and there just isn't any room on top mount to remove or install new one. We watched a video on how to change shock on an AS, but ours must be different because there is no play, two strong young men with a tire tool could not budge it.

Easy fix.

Back off the shock nuts on the axle stud until they cover the beginning of the threads.

Then, take a crow bar and simply bend the bracket enough so that you can remove the shock.

Place the crow bar on the shock nut.

Hundreds of other owners have done the same thing.

Then, the best thing is you do not have to bend the bracket back into it's original position.

Try it, and then report back.

Andy

[CriscoCan]

We attempted to remove shocks as instructed, but were unable to budge the brackets, used crow bar and two strong men. No luck bending at all, guess they were made to stay there. How stupid or unthinking the manufacturer was. We went on our trip of 3400 miles without changing them. My husband said the old ones still had life in them. So now we have new shocks we can't use unless someone has a different approach on how to replace them.

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by CriscoCan

We attempted to remove shocks as instructed, but were unable to budge the brackets, used crow bar and two strong men. No luck bending at all, guess they were made to stay there. How stupid or unthinking the manufacturer was. We went on our trip of 3400 miles without changing them. My husband said the old ones still had life in them. So now we have new shocks we can't use unless someone has a different approach on how to replace them.

Drop the axles, one side at a time.

Then replace the shocks.

Unless the trailer was parked for years, odds are that the shocks are bad.

Also, you might check out the axles, as torsion axles only last about 25 years. Yours are 45 years old.

The following article will help you do that.

The Dura-Torque Axle

Andy

[Belegedhel]

Out of doors mart has a little video on their website that shows their recommended technique for shock replacement:

Airstream Shock replacement guide

[Belegedhel]

And I would second checking your axles. Not much sense in having brand new shocks on a sagged out axle that is only traveling an inch or two anyway.

Good luck!

[CriscoCan]

Originally Posted by Inland RV Center, In

Drop the axles, one side at a time.

Then replace the shocks.

Unless the trailer was parked for years, odds are that the shocks are bad.

Also, you might check out the axles, as torsion axles only last about 25 years. Yours are 45 years old.

The following article will help you do that.

The Dura-Torque Axle

Andy

Thanks Andy, Guess what the head of the bolts for the shocks are welded to the bracket. What now? Also the axles were replaced in 1992. And a Frame stiffener was installed in 2002.

[Belegedhel]

Have you checked out the video in post #5?

[Inland RV Center, In]

Originally Posted by CriscoCan

Thanks Andy, Guess what the head of the bolts for the shocks are welded to the bracket. What now? Also the axles were replaced in 1992. And a Frame stiffener was installed in 2002.

One end of each shock stud is supposed to be welded, one into the bracket and one into the frame.

The back side of the stud that's welded to the shock bracket, is correct.

The other end is where the shock nut is located.

Andy