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dodge ram van front shock

Sent to Car Experts July 25 2006 at 2:10 PM
   

I have a 1996 dodge ram van B2500. It is a rear wheel drive van. I noticed the front shock absorber under the driver side was leaking. I intend to replace it with a new one. The shock absorber is between the upper and lower control arm and is inside the coil spring. I consult the service manual. It just says 1)remove nut and bushing from the shock absorber upper stud. 2)Raise vehicle, remove the lower attaching bolts and remove shock absorber. When I try doing those steps, I find that I cannot even do step number one because the nut and the shock upper stud were so rusted that they stick together. When I use a socket and wrench to turn the nut, both the nut, the bushing, as well as the upper stud turn together. I spring some W40 but it does not seem to help that much.   I was not even able to complete step number one as described in the manual.
My question then is what can I do now to loosen the nut so that I can remove the old shock absorber.

 

Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Status:  Closed   Value: $3
Answer
July 25 2006 at 2:18 PM (7 minutes and 43 seconds later)
         
REPLIEDCheck Mark
The best and easiest way to do this is cut the nut off with a torch.If youdon't have access to torchs,take a pair off vice grips and grab ahold of the rod then turn the nut off. Just stick the vice grips into the spring and grap ahold of the shock rod(i know it's hard to get them in there)
GENE -- Auto Service Technician -- 100% Positive Feedback on 519 Car Accepts
ASE MASTER TECH 40 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY
Reply
July 26 2006 at 5:30 PM (1 day and 3 hours later)
         
Reply to GENE's Post: Thanks for your answer. If I want to get one of those torches that you talk about, where can I go to get it? Also which part of the shock should I cut? Should I go through the spring and cut at the middle part of the shock rod?
Customer (name blocked for privacy)
Answer
July 26 2006 at 5:43 PM (12 minutes and 35 seconds later)
         
ACCEPTEDCheck Mark
you can get torches at tool rental stores and cut off the nut and stud at the top of the shock. The nut you where trying to remove and was spinning. becareful as the rubber under the nut will catch fire.I use a spray bottle with water in it to put out any fire
GENE -- Auto Service Technician -- 100% Positive Feedback on 519 Car Accepts
ASE MASTER TECH 40 YEARS IN THE INDUSTRY
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