Difficulty rating: 1/5,very easy, the only hard part is to compress the new shocks so it will fit over the mounting bracket, other then that it was smooth sailing. Funny, it was the first time i didnt run into anything that would extend the project to a couple days.
This applies to 1998/1997 qx4 and pathfinders, i dont know about other years, so just be aware
Things needed:
Jack (i used the emergency bottle jack)
Scissor jack (would make life much easier)
Jack stands
17, 19, 22 mm sockets
screwdriver
Wd-40 or equivalent
Your New shocks
paper towels
an hour of your day
Prep:
1. jack up the rear of the frame, using tire chocks up front (the front brakes arnt engaged) remove spare (i never have my spare on anyways, too heavy)
2. you might want to wear safety glasses as there are a bunch of lodged dirt and debris that falls down, i had to rinse my eyes out like 3 times
3. spray penetrating fluid on the nuts, spray both sides on the bottom bolts n nuts, and just the nut on the top and wait a bit, 5-10 mins
Removal:
1. Using a 17mm socket for the outer nut and a 19mm for the inner bolt, loosen and remove the bottom bolt and nut, it might take a bit of strength, but it will come out.
2. then, using a 22mm socket for the top nut, remove that too, i kept the tire on, but it might be easier to take the tires off. Make sure you dont lose the washer that goes between the eyelet and the nut.
3. after you loosen the top, compress the shock from the bottom and take the bottom eyelet off the bottom mounting bracket. My shocks are 90k old, they compressed without any strength at all. To remove the top part, you have to unscrew 1 screw off inside the fender, that way it can be pulled back, and the top shock eyelet can be taken out.
3. remove the shock, then clean the mounting brackets, bolts and nuts. my old shocks were soo bad, that they dont even decompress LOL
Install:
1. For the install, you want to install the top part first, take your new shock (this case my kyb gas-a-just with polyurethane boots) and while pulling plastic, push the top eyelet through the bolt. I know some people install these shocks upside down (i guess rancho does it that way?) but DO NOT do that, if you do, there will be a "cup" for water to sit which will seriously kill your shocks pretty fast.
2. Do not tighten the top bolt yet or even put the washer and nuts on, with the shock hanging straight down, you need to compress the shock so it will fit the lower mounting bracket. These new shocks were really hard to compress, so i got a scissor jack off the lexus and pushed it up like so...
3. you just need it to be about as high as the lower mounting bracket. This is the tricky part, quickly push the bottom shock eyelet towards the lower mounting bracket and it should decompress perfectly into the bracket.The point is to use the time it takes to decompress to put the eyelet over the bracket.
4. now that the shock is pretty much mounted, put on all bolts washers, and nuts, the lower bolt might be a little tricky to put on, you can use the scissor jack to move it around a little but i just used my arm with my elbow against the ground. I put a little loctite blue,a habit. tighten the nuts a little, do NOT torque them to spec until you are done with both sides and the jacks are off. I dont know the torque specs yet so i just tightened them really hard. edit= FSM says the top nut is 59-78 Ft LBS and the bottome bolt n nut is 67-88 Ft LBs
Install on the other side and voila
The test drive. wow. there was an IMMENSE reduction in body roll, i couldnt find any speed bumps but i went pretty fast around the corners and it was really nice, not knife point precision, but it was way better then before. Once my jackson missing link comes in,
anyways, after the test drive and you are happy with everything, retighten everything, clean up, and relax! Seriously, if you never replaced your stock shocks before DO it, its not only safer, it makes it a bit more fun to drive!
Observation, did you know our stock shocks are also KYB?
And i cant believe they cost so much at the dealers, well , what DOSNT cost a fortune at the dealers
