Live Valve delete ride quality

[Dustan]

Rear shock bolts are 81 ft lbs on the left and 66 ft lbs on the right. I learned the hard way, tight is tight to tight is broken.

 

[MattACK]

Got an update on shipping... Shocks arrive tomorrow and delete kit on Friday. I may get them done and refilled with nitrogen this weekend. Once the brakes and lines get here I'll make a day of it and knock it out next week hopefully.

Rear shock bolts are 81 ft lbs on the left and 66 ft lbs on the right. I learned the hard way, tight is tight to tight is broken.

Good intel, thanks!

 

[MattACK]

They're here! They're very clean and obviously have little to no miles on them.

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[BroncoAZ]

They're here! They're very clean and obviously have little to no miles on them.

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Love that color on the Lightning. 2003?

 

[MattACK]

Love that color on the Lightning. 2003?

Good guess, yep. I thought it was quite fitting that my Raptor's color is Lightning Blue... .

 

[MattACK]

I started to convert the rear shocks today and knocked out both of them. Watched the RPG video regarding the install and went to town.



If anyone else attempts this, be mindful of...
Locking collar was set with loctite. Looked like loctite 545 which is used for hydraulic fittings. I had to use a mallet and adjustable wrench with the RPG socket to break it loose. After cleaning the threads with some picks and getting all the old loctite out, it went back together smoothly. I added a few dabs of 545 and torqued it down. Try to get a jig to hold the shock, otherwise it will be a huge pain to break that collar loose and you risk losing fluid if it rolls to the side. I used some styrofoam and cut some slots in it, worked great.

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Try to pull the washer out first before pulling the needle valve out. Then use an Allen key or another tool to hold the larger black valve body in place when twisting and pulling the needle valve. On the first shock, I pulled the entire valve assembly out which made quite a mess and confused the hell out of me at first.

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Here is the needle valve and shows the installed orientation of the plug. I had already swapped the o-ring.

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Here is me inserting the valve body back into the shock with the plug inserted. You'll need to press it in firmly or may need to use the compression of the collar to seat it. Here is an image of it not fully seated.

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And it's done. Hopefully it doesn't leak and rides like stock!

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Will do the fronts this week.

 

[BroncoAZ]

I started to convert the rear shocks today and knocked out both of them. Watched the RPG video regarding the install and went to town.



If anyone else attempts this, be mindful of...
Locking collar was set with loctite. Looked like loctite 545 which is used for hydraulic fittings. I had to use a mallet and adjustable wrench with the RPG socket to break it loose. After cleaning the threads with some picks and getting all the old loctite out, it went back together smoothly. I added a few dabs of 545 and torqued it down. Try to get a jig to hold the shock, otherwise it will be a huge pain to break that collar loose and you risk losing fluid if it rolls to the side. I used some styrofoam and cut some slots in it, worked great.

View media item 15287
Try to pull the washer out first before pulling the needle valve out. Then use an Allen key or another tool to hold the larger black valve body in place when twisting and pulling the needle valve. On the first shock, I pulled the entire valve assembly out which made quite a mess and confused the hell out of me at first.

View media item 15295
View media item 15294
Here is the needle valve and shows the installed orientation of the plug. I had already swapped the o-ring.

View media item 15293
Here is me inserting the valve body back into the shock with the plug inserted. You'll need to press it in firmly or may need to use the compression of the collar to seat it. Here is an image of it not fully seated.

View media item 15290
And it's done. Hopefully it doesn't leak and rides like stock!

View media item 15286
Will do the fronts this week.

My wife sympathizes with yours with regards to you working on stuff on the granite countertops. I enthusiastically approve.

 

[K223]

My wife sympathizes with yours with regards to you working on stuff on the granite countertops. I enthusiastically approve.

When a shop bench just won’t do lol. Nice pics. About as much as I have seen inside one of these shocks. I see some little helpers hands in there too.

 

[MattACK]

Haha, yeah the kids are helpful. The wife didn't see me spill a little hydraulic fluid, so that will just be our little secret.

 

[BroncoAZ]

How did you bleed the assembly to ensure there wasn’t any air inside? I would think in that type of setup you’d almost have to assemble it submerged in a tub of fluid, or at least have it full to the point where you’re squeezing it out as you assembled the pieces. I used to rebuild the Fox shocks on my brother’s Tacoma and my Swayaway 2.5 on the Bronco regularly. Both has their own procedure to remove all the air.