First off, I replaced my shocks over the weekend. The bolt on top of the front shock can be tightened way down, to the point where the rubber washers are bulging way out. How tight should it be? I'm afraid tightening it too much will cause some premature cracking of the rubber, but obviously I want it tight.

Also, did the PO of this truck put some armor on my front axle, or is this how '79-83 axles look?

 

The gusset on the bottom is stock...

Use a locking nut and tighten the nut down until its tight

 

Would the nut that came with the shocks be a locking nut? They are Bilstiens. The nut is just keeps going down farther and farther, and the rubber is bulging out more & more.

 

Dunno..probably...it should be a locking nut on there

a nylon locking nut has a nylon insert in it...



Are you able to unthread the nut by hand? Tighten it down until the rubber starts to bulge and leave it...the torque is not all that important

 

Thank you. Yes, it has a nylon insert, I was wondering what the deal was with that. No way I could unthread it by hand. I think I'll back it off a little, I've probably got it too tight. Thanks!

 

You got it buddy!

 

Did you do this or was it a pic you found? Is that steering Stablizer have the braket coming off the axle? That work well? I have duels on mine and dont like how they are fasend. Would rather see them attateched to the axle if it works well that way.

 

my shocks came with a small steel sleeve that fits over the bolt and inside the rubber bushing that lets you tighten it all the way tight. but they also came with several sized bushings and sleeves to fit multiple applications.

 

Yeah, that's a picture of my truck. The steering stabilizer is attached to the stock (I think) location on the axle. They did a little modifying on the other end of it, but it's still attached to the stock location, just with some extra bracketry..don't really know if it works "well"...this is my first solid front suspension truck so I don't have much to compare it to.

 

Cool, thanks for the info.

 

looks like an 84/85 axle

 

Really? That would be interesting to know, since it's an '83. My experience is mostly with the '86-88 trucks, so I don't know all the little things to look for on the early '80s ones.

 

That is definitely an 81-83......gusset goes to the u-bolts. 84-85 has the gusset all the way past the ubolts like this>>

 

Great, thanks.