Write Up On How To Replace Shocks?

[Se77vN]

Hello all!! Don't flame me here. I did run a search both here and google in general. I am looking for a good write up with pics on how to place the shocks (front and rear) on my 04 silverado 1500.

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

-John

[brainpause]

John, it is a pretty easy thing to do. I did it in my garage: bolt off, bolt on.

 

The only other thing I did was put an ATV jack (1500# cap) under the frame near each corner as I worked on them. this aided in putting the new ones on, especially. The jack didn't lift the truck off the floor, but just unloaded the corner a bit.

 

I don't know the torque specs of the nuts/bolts.

 

As a funny aside story, I had a Frontier in which I replaced maybe 15 or 20 headlights in 120K miles. I found out that shocks don't last that long, so I replaced them. No more headlight replacements in the last 15K I owned it. The shocks had no dampening at all left (originals).

 

Larry

[jblakeney]

Hello all!! Don't flame me here. I did run a search both here and google in general. I am looking for a good write up with pics on how to place the shocks (front and rear) on my 04 silverado 1500.

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

-John

 

Its pretty easy... But what suspension do you have?? Torsion bars? Coil Springs?

 

Jbo

[brims]

John, it is a pretty easy thing to do. I did it in my garage: bolt off, bolt on.

 

The only other thing I did was put an ATV jack (1500# cap) under the frame near each corner as I worked on them. this aided in putting the new ones on, especially. The jack didn't lift the truck off the floor, but just unloaded the corner a bit.

 

I don't know the torque specs of the nuts/bolts.

 

As a funny aside story, I had a Frontier in which I replaced maybe 15 or 20 headlights in 120K miles. I found out that shocks don't last that long, so I replaced them. No more headlight replacements in the last 15K I owned it. The shocks had no dampening at all left (originals).

 

Larry

 

Quality written all over that thing.

[Se77vN]

Hello all!! Don't flame me here. I did run a search both here and google in general. I am looking for a good write up with pics on how to place the shocks (front and rear) on my 04 silverado 1500.

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

-John

 

Its pretty easy... But what suspension do you have?? Torsion bars? Coil Springs?

 

Jbo

 

 

Hello,

 

I actually am not sure what type I have. I took some pics, maybe you can help identify it and then point me in the right direction. I am fairly confident of my mechanical abilities however when you do something for the first time it is very helpful to have step by step instructions and pics are even better.

 

Here's some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a couple of the rear:

 

 

 

Thank you all kindly!

[jblakeney]

Hello all!! Don't flame me here. I did run a search both here and google in general. I am looking for a good write up with pics on how to place the shocks (front and rear) on my 04 silverado 1500.

 

Your help is greatly appreciated.

 

-John

 

Its pretty easy... But what suspension do you have?? Torsion bars? Coil Springs?

 

Jbo

 

 

Hello,

 

I actually am not sure what type I have. I took some pics, maybe you can help identify it and then point me in the right direction. I am fairly confident of my mechanical abilities however when you do something for the first time it is very helpful to have step by step instructions and pics are even better.

 

Here's some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a couple of the rear:

 

 

 

Thank you all kindly!

 

 

I looked the shocks up they are the premium Monroe shocks, that I looked up. Monroe Reflex Mono-Tube's. Quite possibly the best shock on the market today.

 

Fronts Shocks. Raise truck, enough you can sit a jack stand under the lower control arm (as close to the hub as you feel comfortable but still on the control arm and not on the ball joint). *** USE A JACK STAND TO KEEP IF FROM FALLING ON YOU ****. Top stem on the shock, remove nut. On the lower remove cross bolt. Remove old shock and go backwards with the steps.

 

Rear Shocks. Raise the entire rear of the truck again USE JACK STANDS, get both back wheels off the ground, and before jacking rear axle up CHOCK both front tires, to keep it from rolling. Remove the bolts from the top and bottom. Replace old shock with new one. Notice which way the plastic boot is on the old one and put the new one back in the same direction (aka Plastic to the top).

 

Jbo

 

EDIT: DO NOTE you need to remove the front tires to have easy access to the shocks!!!! You may can do it with the tire on the truck but will be safer if only doing one side and again make it EASY.

[Se77vN]

Thx JBO, are the monroe's ok for moderate off road use?? I don't go off much but there is the occasional weekend warrior in me. I am trying to decided betweem the replacement Monroe's and the bilstein HD's.

 

Thank you very much again for your help. *big thumbs up*

[jblakeney]

Thx JBO, are the monroe's ok for moderate off road use?? I don't go off much but there is the occasional weekend warrior in me. I am trying to decided betweem the replacement Monroe's and the bilstein HD's.

 

Thank you very much again for your help. *big thumbs up*

 

Yeah, as long as you have no lift on the truck. You will be just fine with the reflex's...... I have been selling them since they came on the market. That truly is the best thing I have ever put on a vehicle!! I am not gonnnna bash the bilstein's I have them on my Jeep, but your going to be doing more on the road than off.. So you will be just fine with the reflex's.... Not to mention their is a Life Time warranty on Monroe shocks, just hang on to your receipt.

 

Jbo

[Se77vN]

Thx JBO, are the monroe's ok for moderate off road use?? I don't go off much but there is the occasional weekend warrior in me. I am trying to decided betweem the replacement Monroe's and the bilstein HD's.

 

Thank you very much again for your help. *big thumbs up*

 

Yeah, as long as you have no lift on the truck. You will be just fine with the reflex's...... I have been selling them since they came on the market. That truly is the best thing I have ever put on a vehicle!! I am not gonnnna bash the bilstein's I have them on my Jeep, but your going to be doing more on the road than off.. So you will be just fine with the reflex's.... Not to mention their is a Life Time warranty on Monroe shocks, just hang on to your receipt.

 

Jbo

 

 

Thanks JBO!

 

Yeah currently the truck is stock ride height, with no lift. I would like to add a 2in lift someday and stuff some larger tires on it. But I doubt I will have the funds for that till it's paid off. So in the meantime, I will just get a set of the monroe's.

 

I found them on rockauto for $213.52 shipped. So I think I will be putting them on the old plastic here in the next couple of days. Unless you have them for a better deal??

 

BTW, are these the correct part numbers for my truck??

 

MONROE Part # 911502 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Rear; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58MONROE Part # 911501 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Front; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58

Thanks bro!

[Se77vN]

Yeah currently the truck is stock ride height, with no lift. I would like to add a 2in lift someday and stuff some larger tires on it. But I doubt I will have the funds for that till it's paid off. So in the meantime, I will just get a set of the monroe's.

 

I found them on rockauto for $213.52 shipped. So I think I will be putting them on the old plastic here in the next couple of days. Unless you have them for a better deal??

 

BTW, are these the correct part numbers for my truck??

 

MONROE Part # 911502 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Rear; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58MONROE Part # 911501 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Front; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58

Thanks bro!

 

 

I checked it out on the mfr website. ^^ theose are the correct part numbers. Thanks again for your help.

[jblakeney]

Yeah currently the truck is stock ride height, with no lift. I would like to add a 2in lift someday and stuff some larger tires on it. But I doubt I will have the funds for that till it's paid off. So in the meantime, I will just get a set of the monroe's.

 

I found them on rockauto for $213.52 shipped. So I think I will be putting them on the old plastic here in the next couple of days. Unless you have them for a better deal??

 

BTW, are these the correct part numbers for my truck??

 

MONROE Part # 911502 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Rear; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58MONROE Part # 911501 {Reflex Monotube Shock Absorber}

Front; Crew Cab; Extended Cab; Regular Cab; 4 Wheel Drive; With Front Torsion Bar Suspension

$53.79$0.00$107.58

Thanks bro!

 

I checked it out on the mfr website. ^^ theose are the correct part numbers. Thanks again for your help.

 

 

They should be it's whats in the Monroe catalog.....

 

Jbo

[brantmacga]

i put a set of reflex's on my truck this weekend. so far they seem like good shocks but the ride is very stiff. i went over a bump on my road last night and i swear it felt like the whole truck left the pavement.

 

 

no need to remove the rear wheels for changing them out; i didn't even jack the rear of the truck. you can compress them by hand for installation.

 

 

front wheels had to be removed for installation. the threaded stud on top of the monroe's is about 1" shorter than the stock ones, so you'll need to jack the control arm pretty good for installation.

 

my part #'s were 91151 and 91152, no 0's and that's what is stamped on the shocks as well. but i'm sure its all the same.

 

they were $50 a piece @ o'reilly auto parts.

[jblakeney]

i put a set of reflex's on my truck this weekend. so far they seem like good shocks but the ride is very stiff. i went over a bump on my road last night and i swear it felt like the whole truck left the pavement.

 

 

no need to remove the rear wheels for changing them out; i didn't even jack the rear of the truck. you can compress them by hand for installation.

 

 

front wheels had to be removed for installation. the threaded stud on top of the monroe's is about 1" shorter than the stock ones, so you'll need to jack the control arm pretty good for installation.

 

my part #'s were 91151 and 91152, no 0's and that's what is stamped on the shocks as well. but i'm sure its all the same.

 

they were $50 a piece @ o'reilly auto parts.

 

The reason the fronts are tooo short you got the wrong ones. Probably why you have a ride quality problem.... The shocks you got are a 1/2 inch to short for a z71.... They are 15.125 and the 911501 is 15.375........

 

Providing you have a Z71.... You need:

911501 for the fronts 15.375 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.5 inches of travel.

911502 for the rears 25.625 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.875 inches of travel.

 

What you got

911151 they are 15.125 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.25 inches of travel.

911152 they are 25.5 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.75 inches of travel.

 

Jbo

 

Edit: Check your RPO Code in the glove box on the white sticker (see if you have a z71).... Also, Since you have the originals off take them back with you they can cross the OE number over most of the time.

 

Oh yeah I forgot.... THE SHOCK IS THE STOP FOR THE SUSPENSION TRAVEL DOWNWARDS. With out the shock to hold up, the suspension will travel downward with no control unless you have the lower control arm held up by something (until the control arm reaches its lowest possible position).

[brantmacga]

The reason the fronts are tooo short you got the wrong ones. Probably why you have a ride quality problem.... The shocks you got are a 1/2 inch to short for a z71.... They are 15.125 and the 911501 is 15.375........

 

Providing you have a Z71.... You need:

911501 for the fronts 15.375 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.5 inches of travel.

911502 for the rears 25.625 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.875 inches of travel.

 

What you got

911151 they are 15.125 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.25 inches of travel.

911152 they are 25.5 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.75 inches of travel.

 

Jbo

 

 

Where can I get this information on monroe's website? I've been looking the past few minutes and can't find the part #'s I have.

 

O'reilly's computer shows the ones I have as being the correct part, and they will not take them back unless I've got something from the manufacturer that says they're wrong.

 

I took the OE shocks up there after noticing the height difference, and was told not to be concerned because it was the correct part.

 

And yes I have a z-71.

 

 

 

 

edit - I just sent an e-mail to Monroe for clarification. Maybe they'll respond with info soon.

[jblakeney]

The reason the fronts are tooo short you got the wrong ones. Probably why you have a ride quality problem.... The shocks you got are a 1/2 inch to short for a z71.... They are 15.125 and the 911501 is 15.375........

 

Providing you have a Z71.... You need:

911501 for the fronts 15.375 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.5 inches of travel.

911502 for the rears 25.625 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.875 inches of travel.

 

What you got

911151 they are 15.125 extended, 10.875 compressed, and 4.25 inches of travel.

911152 they are 25.5 extended, 16.75 compressed, and 8.75 inches of travel.

 

Jbo

 

 

Where can I get this information on monroe's website? I've been looking the past few minutes and can't find the part #'s I have.

 

O'reilly's computer shows the ones I have as being the correct part, and they will not take them back unless I've got something from the manufacturer that says they're wrong.

 

I took the OE shocks up there after noticing the height difference, and was told not to be concerned because it was the correct part.

 

And yes I have a z-71.

 

 

 

 

edit - I just sent an e-mail to Monroe for clarification. Maybe they'll respond with info soon.

 

 

monroe.com

pick correct location

on left online catalog

e-Catalog

Passenger Cars and Light Trucks

Chevrolet

Pickup (1/2 Ton) 4 W.D. (Silverado, K & V Models)

2005

1500 Silverado Series w/ Z71 Off Road Package

 

That should get ya down to where you need to be....

 

Jbo