help with shocks

[qball]

Hey ppl,

help is needed!
I've got round to replacing my dented/rusty shocks (Rancho 9000s) with ES3000/ES9000. All of my nuts are rusted heavily to the threaded tops of the shocks and i'm have a massive problem getting them off - just loads of elbow grease needed unless anyone has tips?

But the important thing i need to ask you people is this :-

I've managed to get one of the front shocks off and went to replace it with a ES3000 which came with the bushes and a metal collar in the 'hoop' end of the shock. This metal collar makes the hoop end too wide to fit in the brackets. I assume i can't removed this collar, and is it a case of just bending the brackets (as the Ranchos aren't factory fit, perhaps the previous owner bent the brackets inwards?)...

Any help would be appreciated....

Robbie (qball)

[marky]

Dont know about the Brackets, I always grasp the tube part of the Shock with a pair of MOLEGRIPS then undo the nut, It stops it all from spinning.

[surfenstein]

bend the bottom brackets straight leave the metal bush out you wont need it as the bolt is to big for the bush anyway.

[qball]

cheers dudes, needed to double check about that metal collar insert!

Tried the whole molegrips method - still spins - these nuts are the most rusted thing i have ever come across. I tried with a spanner on the squared off top of the threaded part and within 5 secs, the spanner shattered.... not a cheapie spanner either (Teng Tools)...

I've just been using a hacksaw (tiny one) on the nuts on the fronts but haven't a clue how i'm going to do the backs.... lol

-Robbie

[surfenstein]

use a 4" metal skinny cutting disc in an angle grinder.that'll get the begger off.

[marky]

cheers dudes, needed to double check about that metal collar insert!

Tried the whole molegrips method - still spins - these nuts are the most rusted thing i have ever come across. I tried with a spanner on the squared off top of the threaded part and within 5 secs, the spanner shattered.... not a cheapie spanner either (Teng Tools)...

I've just been using a hacksaw (tiny one) on the nuts on the fronts but haven't a clue how i'm going to do the backs.... lol

-Robbie

You need to CRUSH the outer tube to stop it moving.

[davemaxx]

like marky says, crush the bottom tube, grab the top nut with good mole grips and cut away the bottom shielding to expose the plunger shaft and then turn it anti clock ways with a pair or stilsons or anouther mole grip,and let the top grips lock against the shassie, other than that get a nut splitter from machine mart or halfrauds.

tip with thoes es shocks, run the top nut all the way down the thread to clear the paint out the thread beffor you fit them, because you are fitting the rear shocks almost blind handed, there will be less chance of the top nut seating wrong and cross-threading.

[Slugsie]

Also, don't forget the old 'drench the whole thing in WD40 and leave overnight' trick. Should help to loosen it up a bit.

[qball]

Cheers dudes,

Good progress is being made - i've got the front shocks loose and the backs are being dealt with a 'nut splitter', an old chiesel and lots of patience.

Just a quick note - how do i get the metal collar/bush out from the middle of the ES3000's?

Thanks for all your help - hope to have the surf on the road soon and then i'm sure i'll be posting a lot more!!

-Robbie

[davemaxx]

if you got supplied with 2 difrent sizes like i did and the ones in it need removing, just push out the metal sleave with your thumb and leaver out the bush with a screwdriver. you w'ont be needing it, so it doesn't matter if it gets mashed