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Andrew
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
14:13:39
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 Subject: rear shocks
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I have a 1998 4x4 5.2 L Dakota with about 125,000 miles and am looking at replacing the rear shocks and was wondering how difficult it is and if anyone could recommend some good shocks?
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Lucas
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
15:40:03
|  RE: rear shocks
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99 5.2 4x4 95,000 miles. i just ordered 2 for the back, they are in the mail. i would alson like to know how to install as well. i know you have to get the weight off of them by putting jack stands on the frame and take old one off, install new one then replace the other. am i missing anything? some one knows more about this than me.
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Lucas
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
15:41:34
| RE: rear shocks
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99 5.2 4x4 95,000 miles. i just ordered 2 for the back, they are in the mail. i would alson like to know how to install as well. i know you have to get the weight off of them by putting jack stands on the frame and take old one off, install new one then replace the other. am i missing anything? some one knows more about this than me.
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ewraven
Dodge Dakota
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2/22/2006
16:50:49
| RE: rear shocks
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Message:
I think replacing shocks on trucks is pretty easy; I'm not a mechanic or anything so don't take this as professional advice. Get a Haynes manual or something if you are nervous about replacing your shocks.
Put the frame on jack stands, and slide under there. Unbolt them and remove them, and do the reverse to install the new ones. It's not much more difficult on our trucks for the front ones except you also have to remove the wheels. Remember to wear eye protection though because dirt and stuff WILL fall into your eyes.
The new shocks will also come with a piece of plastic keeping them compressed, don't cut that or remove it until you have one end of the shock mounted to the vehicle and are ready to mount the other end on it's bolt. These Edelbrocks I went with weren't 'too' tight but I've installed some gas shocks before that it was impossible to re-compress them once that piece of pastic was cut. And if the shocks include boots; don't forget to slide the boot onto the shocks before you install them.
The weight of the truck though is really on the leaf springs. The shocks are there just to keep the truck from bouncing after every little bump. Something is wrong if the shocks have the weight of the truck on them. Putting the frame on jackstands is really just a safety issue; just to be on the safe side. Unless your truck sits low to the ground in which case you have to have it on jack stands. I don't think I would jack it up so much that the back tires are off the ground because in that case, the axle might drop down some when you remove the shocks. I'm just guessing on that though, I've never tried it.
The Edelbrock IAS Twin-Tube Shocks EDL-20179 at www.summitracing.com are the best deal out there for shocks right now. They are marked down from 49.95 dollars each to 19.98 dollars right now.
Copy and paste the following link into your browser...
http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?Ntt=dakota+shocks&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=115&target=egnsearch.asp&x=0&y=0
If the link doesn't work, just do a search at www.summitracing.com for "EDL-20179" to get to them.
I just put some on the rear of my truck and they work great. The ride isn't too soft and it isn't too rough either.
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wahrsuul
Dodge Dakota
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2/23/2006
13:38:41
| RE: rear shocks
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Unless there's a clearence issue getting to the bolts/nuts, I've always found it easiest to keep the pressure on the suspension. Sometimes the suspension will drop further after the shocks are removed making it much harder to get the new ones in.
What I do is raise the truck, put the jackstands under the frame in front of the wheels, then use the floor jack to raise the axle up a few inches. That should give you room enough to work and not make you have to stretch the shocks to the limit when installing.
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Fishful
Dodge Dakota
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2/25/2006
18:00:18
| RE: rear shocks
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Message:
Really appreciate the tip on ordering rear shocks from Summit. I placed an order last night for them. Never heard of the company before. Wish I could get a good price on a pair for the front. Any suggestions of where to buy, or what to use. I have a 2002 Club Cab SLT with the 4.7 L 4 x 4. With 90,000 miles on the truck I guess it is time. Just did the Wagner rotors and ceramic pads--fantastic. What an improvement. I couldn't get more than 15,000 miles on the OEM Mopar rotors without warping. This is my 5th set of rotors. Thanks again, Fishful Thinking (boat name)
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ewraven
Dodge Dakota
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2/25/2006
19:02:20
| RE: rear shocks
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Message:
Yeah, it'd be nice if they had a pair of the matching shocks for the front marked down too.
I'll probably get another pair of Edelbrocks for the front of mine when I replace them. I don't know which ones though.
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