I've done the search but can't find anything concrete to my problem. I hate to have a second open thread but while I'm going my brakes I figured I'd replace the front shocks. It's a 1990 Triple E Ford F53 chassis. It is going to be a serious pain in the but to get the top bolts loose. My problem is the new shocks are strapped at about 18" long. The distance between the top mount and bottom is about 21". I can't see myself being able to compress the leaf springs another 3-4" to be able to install these shocks with the strap on them. My thought is to cut the strap, let them extend. Then mount the top hole and then use a 2x4 to pry the shock up into the bottom mount. I've gone by the part numbers listed on RockAuto and they were right on the calipers so I figure they must be the right shocks. I've done automotive shocks before on my Jeep, that's easy. This, is an entirely different animal. Thanks in advance for any tips, hints, suggestions and even the polite point and laugh is okay.

In hindsight, perhaps this should have been posted in Projects and Upgrades, although it is a repair.. my apologies.

I'm going to guess you have yourself a set of gas charged shocks. The gas will extend them slowly once you cut the strap. Without the strap they would need a bigger box. The strap costs less than the box. Holding them in your hand they are not that hard to collapse but under the coach the angles are not good for leverage. 2 x 4 should work without much of a problem. I used a floor jack. Easy job on my rig.You could also install them still strapped. Bolt the top in place, cut the strap. Once the low whole lines up quickly slip the bolt in place. Or have a bottle or scissor jack in place as a landing pad as the shock extends.

Dale.Traveling wrote:I'm going to guess you have yourself a set of gas charged shocks. The gas will extend them slowly once you cut the strap. Without the strap they would need a bigger box. The strap costs less than the box. Holding them in your hand they are not that hard to collapse but under the coach the angles are not good for leverage. 2 x 4 should work without much of a problem. I used a floor jack. Easy job on my rig.You could also install them still strapped. Bolt the top in place, cut the strap. Once the low whole lines up quickly slip the bolt in place. Or have a bottle or scissor jack in place as a landing pad as the shock extends. Excellent, thanks. I wondered how quickly they would extend. Yes, they're Monroe gas charged shocks. Some info I read implied it was impossible to compress by hand. I really couldn't imagine they would be, but I've never installed a shock this size before. Now just to pick the appropriate tools to make this easier. I took a stab at it this afternoon but a regular 1 1/8th wrench wasn't enough to cut it. Time to buy a new breaker bar I think. :)

I installed Monroe Gas Shocks on my '97 F53, by myself, and I'm 76 years old. Those shocks are not as difficult to compress as some folks claim.

Be sure to check your VIN before ordering shocks! This might not apply to you but my coach has a 2003 chassis with a 2004 living area mounted on the chassis. Therefore, my coach was registered as a 2004. My coach manufacture changed chassis in 2004 so 2004 shocks will not fit on my 2003 chassis. Just a heads up to you! Good Luck

Front shock replacement tips? | Good Sam Community

Raist11
Explorer
Jun 26, 2015
In hindsight, perhaps this should have been posted in Projects and Upgrades, although it is a repair.. my apologies.
Dale_Traveling
Explorer II
Jun 26, 2015
I'm going to guess you have yourself a set of gas charged shocks. The gas will extend them slowly once you cut the strap. Without the strap they would need a bigger box. The strap costs less than the box. Holding them in your hand they are not that hard to collapse but under the coach the angles are not good for leverage. 2 x 4 should work without much of a problem. I used a floor jack. Easy job on my rig.

You could also install them still strapped. Bolt the top in place, cut the strap. Once the low whole lines up quickly slip the bolt in place. Or have a bottle or scissor jack in place as a landing pad as the shock extends.
Raist11
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
Dale.Traveling wrote:
I'm going to guess you have yourself a set of gas charged shocks. The gas will extend them slowly once you cut the strap. Without the strap they would need a bigger box. The strap costs less than the box. Holding them in your hand they are not that hard to collapse but under the coach the angles are not good for leverage. 2 x 4 should work without much of a problem. I used a floor jack. Easy job on my rig.

You could also install them still strapped. Bolt the top in place, cut the strap. Once the low whole lines up quickly slip the bolt in place. Or have a bottle or scissor jack in place as a landing pad as the shock extends.

Excellent, thanks. I wondered how quickly they would extend. Yes, they're Monroe gas charged shocks. Some info I read implied it was impossible to compress by hand. I really couldn't imagine they would be, but I've never installed a shock this size before.

Now just to pick the appropriate tools to make this easier. I took a stab at it this afternoon but a regular 1 1/8th wrench wasn't enough to cut it. Time to buy a new breaker bar I think. :)
OnaQuest
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
I installed Monroe Gas Shocks on my '97 F53, by myself, and I'm 76 years old. Those shocks are not as difficult to compress as some folks claim.
J-Rooster
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
Be sure to check your VIN before ordering shocks! This might not apply to you but my coach has a 2003 chassis with a 2004 living area mounted on the chassis. Therefore, my coach was registered as a 2004. My coach manufacture changed chassis in 2004 so 2004 shocks will not fit on my 2003 chassis. Just a heads up to you! Good Luck
Raist11
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
OnaQuest wrote:
I installed Monroe Gas Shocks on my '97 F53, by myself, and I'm 76 years old. Those shocks are not as difficult to compress as some folks claim.

Thanks for the reassurance. After all the dire warnings I read it's nice to see a few that assure it's not all that bad.

J-Rooster wrote:
Be sure to check your VIN before ordering shocks! This might not apply to you but my coach has a 2003 chassis with a 2004 living area mounted on the chassis. Therefore, my coach was registered as a 2004. My coach manufacture changed chassis in 2004 so 2004 shocks will not fit on my 2003 chassis. Just a heads up to you! Good Luck

Yes, I had read about that before. My 1990 Triple E is in fact a 1989 chassis. Thanks.
sailor_lou
Explorer
Jun 27, 2015
I can't speak about the Monroe's, but I did replaced them on our previous MOHO (97 Winne Vectra, F53) using Bilstein gas charged shocks. The first one I cut the strap, bolted the top and used a car scissor jack to compress the shock to align the lower bolt. The second, third and four ones I bolted the top, cut the strap and was able to capture the lower bolt as the shock expanded. As identified above, the shock can be compressed by hand but the angle is awkward (even for a 2x4) so a scissor jack makes the job easier. Good luck.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy
Raist11
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
sailor_lou wrote:
I can't speak about the Monroe's, but I did replaced them on our previous MOHO (97 Winne Vectra, F53) using Bilstein gas charged shocks. The first one I cut the strap, bolted the top and used a car scissor jack to compress the shock to align the lower bolt. The second, third and four ones I bolted the top, cut the strap and was able to capture the lower bolt as the shock expanded. As identified above, the shock can be compressed by hand but the angle is awkward (even for a 2x4) so a scissor jack makes the job easier. Good luck.

Lou
05 Travel Supreme Envoy

I like the scissor jack idea. Perhaps a bottle jack even, since I'm not sure a scissor jack will fit for me in there with the tie rod end. I like to think I'm quick, maybe I can catch the hole as it extends. I'm also unlucky sometimes, so maybe not.

Thanks everyone for the input. This made the idea of tackling the job much easier. I installed a few lift kits on my Jeep so I'm sure I can manage this.
Geocritter
Explorer
Jun 28, 2015
Do yourself a favor and purchase or rent a large power impact wrench. I struggled with removing the Godzilla sized bolts on my shocks and finally rented an air-impact wrench capable of 1,100 ft/lbs torque. It still wasn't quite enough for two bolts and I ended up heating them with a torch and using the air-impact wrench to remove them. This ain't your generic Ford or Chevy your working on here.

BTW I purchased Monroes and have been very happy with them. Other than the fasteners I don't remember having any problems installing them.

Steve
jtfcons
Explorer
Jun 30, 2015
Cut the factory strap and in it's place use a cargo tie down strap with the racheting connector. It's easy, then, to compress the shock to any desired length, slip it over the bolt locations and release the strap and remove.