Rear Shocks

[North by Northwest]

Had one Monroe product fail (piston seal) in over 40 yrs of installing Monroes

Sadly, i usually have to wait till the OEM fails, and then its gets replaced with a greaseable part. Too many parts being manufactured that don't have ZERKS. Rant over.

Yeah I pretty well order serviceable units . I remember when Moog went zerkless a few yrs back . They were getting complaints when they began using the plastic inserts into their ball joints . Cowboys with the high pressure grease guns were blowing the inserts out lol.

 

[djg james]

I had to drive into town today, and the noise, for the most part, is gone. I still have an occasional creak in the rear, but I bet that's the shock. Any way, as stated, I'll change them in the spring. I'm pretty sure my neighbor has an impact wrench. Those bolts are going to be a PITA to remove. Tucked away as they are.

 

[djg james]

I imagine everyone is getting tired seeing this thread . The creaking came back and got really bad. Every bump. In anticipation of changing the shocks in the Spring, I slide under the truck yesterday and inspected everything again. I even shot the nut/bolts with PB Blaster and loosened/tightened the bottom bolts. I couldn't get to the top without removing the wheels. Any way, I drove the truck after and not a squeak. I can't believe that's where all the noise was coming from. Still plan on changing shocks since these are the originals.

 

[djg james]

OK, I going to show my ignorance again, so get ready. Right now, with the tire on the ground, the center to center distance of the old shock is 22" I purchased Monroe Load Adjusting Shocks 58640 for my 2008 Dodge Ram RWD 1500 Long Bed (8') Standard Cab Truck. These shocks have coil springs around them and can not be compressed by hand. The center to center distance on them is 26-1/2". Could the old springs be compressed 4-1/2" since they're shot? I just checked the Monroe website to make sure I ordered the right ones. They said they should. Just trying to make sure I didn't miss anything before I get started.
Thanks

 

[North by Northwest]

Yes there will be some sag in old shocks , especially oem non spring over units .

 

[GeeVee]

I had three mesured inches before and after changin OEM with OEM replacements. I'd say yes. Four inches would not be a stretch, no pun intended.

 

[djg james]

... I'd say yes. Four inches would not be a stretch, no pun intended.

But I said, I have 4-1/2" inches. Oh, I guess I shouldn't be proud of that (lol).

 

[ericm979]

OK, I going to show my ignorance again, so get ready. Right now, with the tire on the ground, the center to center distance of the old shock is 22" I purchased Monroe Load Adjusting Shocks 58640 for my 2008 Dodge Ram RWD 1500 Long Bed (8') Standard Cab Truck. These shocks have coil springs around them and can not be compressed by hand. The center to center distance on them is 26-1/2". Could the old springs be compressed 4-1/2" since they're shot? I just checked the Monroe website to make sure I ordered the right ones. They said they should. Just trying to make sure I didn't miss anything before I get started.
Thanks

With the tire on the ground the weight of the truck is compressing the spring and shock some. So it won't be at full extension.

You need to jack up the frame of the truck until the tire is off the ground and measure the extended length of the shock. Or remove the shock and fully extend it if it does not have enough gas pressure to extend on its own.

 

[GenXer]

Remember, lift the frame/body not the axle when you go to change them

 

[djg james]

Remember, lift the frame/body not the axle when you go to change them

Thanks, I was going to jack the bumper up then block under the axle for safety.

 

[ericm979]

Block under the frame. If you block up the axle and the jack fails, the frame and body will drop, potentially hurting you. Also I'd use jack stands instead of blocks. I lower the vehicle onto the stands and then use the jack to back up the more reliable stands rather than the other way around.

You may want to put a jack under the axle to raise it a bit from full droop when removing the shocks and then use it to get the axle at the right height for the new shocks. If they are gas filled will be difficult to compress by hand so getting the two mounting points exactly the right distance makes it a lot easier to get them on.

 

[GenXer]

As Eric said, block the body. You only need to lift the rear of the truck. I use the hidden hitch on mine to lift up.

 

[djg james]

Block under the frame. If you block up the axle and the jack fails, the frame and body will drop, potentially hurting you. Also I'd use jack stands instead of blocks. I lower the vehicle onto the stands and then use the jack to back up the more reliable stands rather than the other way around.

You may want to put a jack under the axle to raise it a bit from full droop when removing the shocks and then use it to get the axle at the right height for the new shocks. If they are gas filled will be difficult to compress by hand so getting the two mounting points exactly the right distance makes it a lot easier to get them on.

Da! I was having a blonde moment. That makes sense.

 

[SweetMK]

If there still is not enough axle drop to fit the shock, do not be surprised if there is some memory in the springs.
you may have to wait an hour or so, for the axle to fully fall.

On my truck, when I disconnect my tandem trailer, after an hour the hitch will raise about an inch.

 

[djg james]

I finally got the shocks on. Test drove and no noise. Thanks everyone for your help. Went pretty much like it should have without too much of a problem. Which is unusual for me.

 

[old CB]

Just skimmed quickly over the beginning and end of this thread, and have little or nothing to add about shocks (other than when they're no longer working your ride will be bouncy and bizarre).

But as someone who often hauls heavy loads--overloaded beyond specs--I'm always thinking about my springs. (Back in my agricultural days, it was routine to carry a ton or more of hay on a half ton pickup.) I took both my pickup and my utility trailer to Denver Spring and had an extra leaf added to the rear springs. Gives me more confidence going down the road with crazy heavy loads.

Going even further off topic . . . I sometimes go nearly to Denver for firewood scrounges of top notch hardwood (Craigslist finds). Such that the pickup and trailer are piled high with huge rounds. As someone who once (young and in a hurry) dumped twelve large round bales off a truck when I rounded a corner too quickly (and then spent hours rebuilding my neighbor's fence and corner post), I am VERY careful about securing my loads with rope and come-alongs. But I enjoy looking in my mirrors at vehicles that approach me from behind on the interstate . . . and then back way off or steer wide around, like that stuff could come tumbling off at any moment.

 

[ericm979]

But I enjoy looking in my mirrors at vehicles that approach me from behind on the interstate . . . and then back way off or steer wide around, like that stuff could come tumbling off at any moment.

I'd be one of those people, I'm leery of stuff falling off trucks.

I had it happen once. I was on a freeway in LA in heavy traffic, behind a stake bed truck from an HVAC company loaded with ductwork. One of the pieces of duct was moving up and down in the wind and I wondered what I'd do if it came out. I decided that since I couldn't swerve into another lane, I'd just drive over it and hope that the 4x4 I was driving would crush it and not get damaged. Not 10 minutes later, that's exactly what happened. Hopefully the cars behind me came out ok.

One of my friends down there totaled his car when he ran over a bunch of pipes on the freeway.

 

[old CB]

Oh, believe me, stuff falling off trucks . . .

Where I used to live, a woman was on the highway when a car rear axle flopped off a loaded truck in front of her. It bounced once on the pavement and the second time it came down through her windshield. Last thing she ever saw. (This is why every load of scrap you see on the highway anymore is secured with heavy screen.)

I was driving to work one evening and an I-beam had flopped off a truck in front of me. No time to swerve or react--ran right over it. Took out both my right tires (and fortunately nothing more).

And once on a country highway (Pocasset Oklahoma) I followed a box truck for a number of miles. I kept flashing my lights (daytime) trying to get the guy's attention because the back gate was wide open and a heavy hand truck was dancing a tune in the back. It finally flew out, and I gave up trying to chase the guy and let him know.

 

[djg james]

Well, the squeaking was gone for a while. Now it's migrated to the front! Rocking the front bumper up and down causes a lot of squeaking around the shock area. It's a no-brainer the shocks need to be replaced since these too were the originals. Lot of pivot points in the area too.

To recap, so you don't have to read this whole thread, I'm trying to get my truck ready for scrounging season. I have a 2008 Dodge 1500 2WD Regular Cab with an 8' bed. I drive mostly on roads and highways but I do haul firewood in the bed and in my 5' x 8' single axle trailer through some fields sometimes.
I recently replaced the original rear shocks with these HD shocks:
https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=515170&cc=1441427&pt=7556&jsn=1107
I'm looking for front shocks now. Could I get by with "Original Ride" quality shocks since most of my driving is highway, or should I match them with a Heavy Duty pair like I did in the rear.

I'm going to pop off the wheels tomorrow and shoot all bolts/nuts with penetrating oil and I'll oil the joints while I'm at it. I'll inspect the frame too, to make sure nothings cracked. If I find any zerks, I'll grease them. Are there any?

Anything else I need to look at?

 

[North by Northwest]

I would most certainly get a matched pair of Monroe for the front . They may not need to be coil over or adjustible , however a heavy duty shock would enhance the effect of the new rear shocks . Further you have likely focussed or transferred the weight bias to the front end , since most likely your front shocks have sagged over time & the additional load transfer may be the cause of the new noise up front . I would look at rubber bushings as the culprit , mostly likely the torsion bar or sway bar bushings , shock bushing upper / lower control arm bushings etc. Some WD-40 or other lubricant such as Crown lube or lithium spray will quickly penetrate & lubricate & thereby quiet the noisy culprit . Ensure to hit any zerk fittings on the ball joints , tie-rod ends & Pittman arm & any other serviceable suspension components with some quality moly grease !