Major Screw Up While Installing Rear Shock Guards?

[khildebr]

So I may have just done a major screw up while installing the first one of a pair of SwarfWorks rear shock mount rock guards. I was able to get the rear bolt (which is attached to the coil spring mount) out and the guard and new bolt in. However, when pulling the front bolt where the shock attaches, the shock fully extended before I could swing the guard up in place and place the bolt through it. I have tried using a hydraulic jack to compress the shock back to the mount point without success. So is there a way that I’m overlooking to get the shock back to the mounting point short of bleeding it off?

Feeling pretty stupid at this point. There doesn’t appear to be any videos or instructions on how to install the Gen 3 shock mount rock guards which would have been very useful and I thought I was doing it correctly based on what I was seeing in the Gen 2 videos (I know entirely different shock/suspension) and obviously this was a mistake. So any advice/help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[SMIKE]

Jack up the frame rail and let the axle droop out. Stop jacking up the frame when the lower shock mount hole is lined up with the axle mount hole.

 

[The Car Stereo Company]

dear stupid in pleasant valley,

the best way to fix your problem, is drink another beer and then laugh about it. then send a message to paul @Swarfworks cause he can surely help.

 

[khildebr]

Jack up the frame rail and let the axle droop out. Stop jacking up the frame when the lower shock mount hole is lined up with the axle mount hole.

Thanks. I’ll give it a shot. I had lifted off the rear bumper and placed jack stands underneath to hold the frame up but that appears to not be enough lift to overcome the shock extension. I suspect this would have been a lot easier with a lift in a shop.

 

[khildebr]

dear stupid in pleasant valley,

the best way to fix your problem, is drink another beer and then laugh about it. then send a message to paul @Swarfworks cause he can surely help.

Been doing the former and did send a note off to SwarfWorks as well. So we’re on the same page.

 

[khildebr]

Well, @SMIKE was correct and my issue was two fold (not counting my stupidity).

1) While I was jacking the vehicle up by the frame, I was in the wrong location to accomplish what needed to be done. Jack in front of the rear suspension and not behind it ;
2) To paraphrase Chief Brody in Jaws: “You’re gonna need a bigger jack”. The one I had didn’t have the lift required to get the frame high enough to relieve all the available movement in the suspension (darn you Ford and your five link suspension and 15” of travel ). After a trip to Harbor Freight and procurement of the last of the Yellow Jacks that they had in stock, life was a lot easier.

So after getting the first guard in place and torquing the bolts to spec, the second one went on without any issues and with the right tools, was as easy as SwarfWorks says it is to install.

Thanks for the advice and while I’m wiser from the experience, I’m probably still on the stupid side of things. Story of my life.

 

[andreb]

Put a ratchet strap around the shock, eye to eye, and compress the shock back to a length were you can install. You probably can't slip the S hook out of the bracket so maybe sacrifice a strap and cut one hook off, tie a loop in that end and make sure the knot can slip back out. The shock extends more than the springs will droop so unless you want to drop a shackle bolt you'll have to find a what to get the shock compressed.

Posted this just as you were updating, good work but I'll leave this here for other. My "get it done" method.

 

[Antho]

The second one is always easier!

 

[khildebr]

The second one is always easier!

Very true.

 

[Chuckaroo91]

Well, @SMIKE was correct and my issue was two fold (not counting my stupidity).

1) While I was jacking the vehicle up by the frame, I was in the wrong location to accomplish what needed to be done. Jack in front of the rear suspension and not behind it ;
2) To paraphrase Chief Brody in Jaws: “You’re gonna need a bigger jack”. The one I had didn’t have the lift required to get the frame high enough to relieve all the available movement in the suspension (darn you Ford and your five link suspension and 15” of travel ). After a trip to Harbor Freight and procurement of the last of the Yellow Jacks that they had in stock, life was a lot easier.

So after getting the first guard in place and torquing the bolts to spec, the second one went on without any issues and with the right tools, was as easy as SwarfWorks says it is to install.

Thanks for the advice and while I’m wiser from the experience, I’m probably still on the stupid side of things. Story of my life.

Do you recall the torque specs on the lower bolt?