Rear shock questions

[tdtony]

I've read a little on the forum about replacing the rear shocks, and I'm going to use a nut splitter to break the upper nuts off the stud, but what size and pitch are the nuts so I can't get a replacement?

 

Also do I need to jack up the truck to replace the shocks? I think I saw a video a while ago of someone doing it with the truck on the ground, but now I can't find it.

[ghetdjc320]

Are the nuts seized on or something? I just sprayed some blaster on it and waited a day. Came right off with zero issues. I added a touch of copper based antisieze to all the bolts under the truck when reassembling any suspension parts.

[gogmorgo]

In most cases you should be able to install shocks at ride height. Gas shocks charged to a high pressure might be difficult to compress by hand, but in most cases the shocks come with a plastic strap holding them compressed, so put one end of the shock onto its mount, snip the plastic strap, and as the shock expands shove the other end on right when it gets to the right length. And if you miss usually it’s not too difficult to push the shock back in to get it to fit, you might just need to find the right angle to push on it. 
 

I’m also curious about the decision to go straight to a nut splitter. I’d go for heat myself, expand the nut.

[tdtony]

The nuts don't look too bad, but I read an old thread on here where eagle said something along the lines of not messing with it because if you break the upper stud off your screwed. I'll see if I can find it

[tdtony]

I read that thread a while ago and I think it scared me into going straight to the splitter. 

 

I'll see if it breaks lose easily this weekend and if not I'll split it. Looking at that thread someone mention that the stud is threaded M12X1.75, so over got that as a back up

 

 

[ghetdjc320]

No need to baby it. If it takes massive amounts of torque to remove then maybe split it. But an impact and some pb blaster will probably zip that right off. 

[tdtony]

Thanks @ghetdjc320, the nuts came off pretty easy after some pb and I got the new shocks on no problem. Thanks for the advice!