Changing shocks on Ford E450 Chasis

You might want to check out Koni with FSD technology, made for E350/E450 based motor homes. A valve inside the Koni-FSD shock provides a very soft ride under normal conditions, but immediately closes when conditions call for it, allowing the shock to perform as needed.

I understand the shocks eliminate the feel of every expansion joint, yet provide great handling too.

I wish they were available back in 2007, but at the time available only for class-As.

I'm having four Bilsteins HDs installed on our 2010 Fouwinds 31R today.at a springs/suspension shop. Had a very tough time finding the Bilsteins on line. Delivery from the factory kept getting pushed back month to month. Apparently Bilstein is way behind on orders - especially for the HDs. Finally connected with a local (Boston area) shop with a connection to a supplier. Had them within two days. How - I didn't ask! Cost for four installed estimated at "...about a grand,,,! We'll see!

Jim

I watched them change my shocks on E350 and was glad I wasn't trying to remove the drivers side front shock - you could hear the guy swearing up a storm and he finally ended up cutting it off. Hope E450 is simpler.

Tito, Who did your Front End Alignment?
Can you post the final settings?
Did you install "Comfort" or "HD" Bilsteins?
When I installed the rear Hellwig bar, I slid it under on top of the box it came in. Brought it much closer to the mounting pads on the axle. I mounted a bracket without its bushing and one loose screw, just to hold the bar up while I assembled the opposite side.
You can upgrade your front axle and brakes to the heavier 2008-and-later version with takeoff parts from QuadVan down in Portland.
AND the Hellwig Front Sway Bar from your earlier chassis will mount on the new axles.

I had Bilstein shocks installed. I purchased them online and had the alignment/suspension shop do it with an alignment. I replaced my anti-sway bars myself though. Here's a video.

It made a huge improvement to the driving experience.

Ditto on what's posted above. It's as if Ford never wanted anybody to change those shocks; they're jammed up under the wheel-well pretty bad and were not accessible from the top in my 2000 model year chassis. The rears seemed like a piece of cake compared to the front.

It was worth it. My rig rides so much better now.

You're welcome. I've read accounts of OPs being able to work the top nuts from under the hood but I sure couldn't see that on ours. We had an earlier E350 (the pre-1992 chassis) where the front shocks mounted the same at the top but differently at the bottom. Those must've been simpler days because I could get at the tops with a flex ratchet and deep socket.
I should mention two things:
1. The lower mount on our current chassis is easier to work if the wheel is off the ground and/or removed. At that point, the suspension drops to where the shock is fully extended. That way you don't have to compress the gas charge to get the shock over its mount. I found I could not push the new shock straight onto the mount. Had to start from the side and twist it into alignment then push it the rest of the way on.
2. I changed only the front shocks on both of the C's we've owned. Looking at the rears, it just seems awkward to reach the top mount, not particularly tricky. Ours will be, because it's tied up in the Exhaust, the Sway Bar, and the Track Bar mounting bracket.

Thanks so much, I think I will be tackling this project in the next couple of weeks. Thanks for the insight and 'first hand information'.

Wrench sizes depend on the Chassis Year. I installed 2012 shocks in our 2002 chassis. Removing the old shocks:

The top wrench is 17mm and the bottom is 19mm or 3/4"
But the new shocks called for around 21mm or 13/16" top and bottom. The mounting washers and bushings were also different:

The 2012 shock and its bushings are on top and the 2002 with bushings is on the bottom. The bushing for the 2002 was (what I'll call) pressed into the frame. You can see where it was cut in half. I stuck it back in for the picture. Also, the top of the 2002 shock is short because it broke off coming apart. Both sides actually broke. I did what I could with spray etc. but the nut galled in place and the stem broke. I did passenger side first and wasn't expecting it to break. When it let go, I heard the 17mm wrench and the washer/nut combo rattle down into the frame and never found either. On driver side, I was batter prepared.
Like HomeSkillet says, a ratcheting box-end wrench would be great for the top nuts. Then you could just put an open end wrench on the bottom nut and seesaw back and forth to loosen, flip the ratchet wrench over to tighten. I did ours with the springs out. That gave me plenty of throw on the bottom nut. There isn't much with the spring in place.

I did mine in the driveway.
You will need a ratchet wrench for the front shock upper nut. 15mm I think.