This page covers installing 4 new shocks on my truck. I wanted a more controlled ride, so I decided to try Monroe Reflex Shocks. They are essentially the same as the Rancho RSX shocks, but are designed for coil suspensions. Both Monroe and Rancho shocks are made by Tenneco, so there are no drawbacks to using the Monroe version of the product.

Before we begin, lets get more familiar with the suspension system. I decided to start with the front shocks, as they are harder to install. Once you get the front complete, you can tell yourself "It's all downhill from here".

The front left shock is depicted in the following diagram as number 15. The shock is actually inside the coil spring (16), and needs to be removed through the bottom of the truck. Removal is quite easy, just unscrew the single top nut (4) and then the two bottom nuts (21).  After removing the nuts, the shock will drop out the bottom of the A arm. Then just use a jack to lift the truck, and remove the shock.

A few hints to help before we get to the pictures.

1. Do not jack up the truck when removing the nuts, as this will unload the suspension and make the job harder. Turn the front wheels to their maximum turn point and work from inside the tire area. It's much easier than working from inside the engine bay.

2. The whole upper piston of the front shocks will turn as you try to loosen/tighten the upper shock nut (number 4 in the diagram). To stop this, you can either invest in a shock removal tool, or use an adjustable crescent wrench to hold the flat top part of the shock bolt as you turn the nut. The turning action of the upper bolt makes it impossible to use a socket wrench.

3. My 2001 Ranger uses metric nuts and bolts for the front/rear shocks. You will need the following sizes: 13mm, 15mm, and 18mm. A 15mm ratchet wrench from Harbor Freight really came in handy for this job. 

4. If you are even thinking about installing new shocks in your truck, STOP right now, go outside and spray penetrating oil on all the shock nuts. This way, they will be nice and clean before you begin the install. The oil will have time to remove rust, dirt, and allow the bolts to break free. Do it now, as the oil needs time to work into the threads.

Ok, now for some install pics. First off, this is the tool I use to remove the plastic rib bolts on the inner fender cover. I call it the FuF, and it was made from a discarded fork. The center is spread to allow you to get under the plastic head and gently pry it up. I only had to remove 3 bolts to gain access to the top of the shock. As you can see, there is plenty of room in the tire well when you turn the tire. I started work on the right front shock, as this is the hardest one of all four.

In the next picture, you will see me holding one of the plastic rib bolts that hold the fender liner in place. It's hard to see, since the bolt is black, my gloves are black, and just about everything under the truck is black. Next to my hand, you can see that the top of the shock is now exposed, and we can remove the nut. Please note that the nut is welded to the dome shaped metal cover, so don't be concerned as they will come off together. Grab the top part of the bolt with a wrench or shock removal tool, and start turning. The nut size is 15mm.

Next we see the bottom of the shock and the two nuts that hold it on. They are 13 mm in size, and are very easy to access and remove. Once these nuts are removed, the shock will drop out the bottom of your suspension arm. Now just jack up the truck to remove it.

MPORTANT: there are 2 rubber bushings that come with the new shocks. These will replace the old factory white bushings. On the new shock, first place the old factory metal disk on the top shock bolt, then the new rubber bushing. Now insert the shock up into the suspension, and guide the top shock bolt through the hole. Now, loosely attach the lower 2 shock nuts to hold the shock in place while you work on the top. Since the shock is now held in place, you can lower the truck to put weight on the springs. Here is another picture of the bottom two nuts, and you can see the shock is ready for removal. PLEASE NOTE, the lower shock bolts are welded to the lower control arm. If you break the bolts or destroy the threads on them, this job can get very expensive very fast.

And now a picture of the newly installed Monroe shock. First, place the new rubber bushing on the top shock bolt, then screw down the factory nut with attached cover disk. When you tighten the nut, it will compress the bushings. The factory Ford manual specs 30-41 Lb-Ft for the top nut and 15-21 for the lower nuts, so don't over tighten them. After you finish the top nut, finish tightening the two lower ones. Replace the fender liner, and move to the other side of the truck.

The next picture shows the left side shock nut from inside the engine bay. Even if you could get a socket down in there; the shock bolt would turn with the nut, and you would never remove it. Accept the fact that you have to work from inside the wheel cavity.

My favorite tool became the $4 ratchet wrench from Harbor Freight. It allows me to turn the nut on the shock while holding the top potion with an adjustable wrench. Here I am finishing up the left side upper shock nut. The procedure is the same as the right hand side. Once done, we move on to the rear shocks.

Next up, the rear right shock. It's number 17 in the picture and held on by nut 13 at the top, and nut&bolt 15&16 on bottom. I removed the bottom nut&bolt first, then the upper nut to remove the shock. To install the new shock, just slide in into the upper bolt, and loosely tighten the #13 nut. Now, compress the shock by hand, and guide it into the lower bracket as it expands. The lower #16 bolt should slide right in, then secure it with the #15 nut. Ford suggests 39-53 Lb-Ft for all the shock nuts in the rear suspension, so do not over tighten them.

To remove the lower nut and bolt, just use 15mm and 18mm size tools. I used a socket and ratchet wrench to make quick work of the job.

OK, almost done, now the left hand side. The shock is 17, upper nut 13, lower nut/bolt is 15&16. Same procedure as the right side rear shock.

This is the lower shock bracket for the left rear shock. I chose to remove the compression straps on my new shocks, as removing them under the truck would have been difficult. When you do this, the shocks will expand to full length and must be compressed by hand during install. As they slowly expand again, you must guide the bottom into the lower bracket. It's not hard, as the shock expands slowly.

Just to be fun, Ford put a big component from the fuel system right next to the left shock nut. This means I couldn't use the socket wrench, as I didn't have a short 18mm socket. I was almost done, so I didn't really care at this point.

OK Done! Make sure all the parts are installed correctly, and that there are no tools still under the truck. Now go for a test ride, and check for clunks or squeaks.

So far, I am very happy with my Monroe Reflex shocks. The ride is firm and controlled, with much less lean during turns. The truck also does not "nosedive" under breaking. I could tell that the rear shocks needed replacement, as they were easily compressible by hand. The front shocks were still firm, but it's good to replace all four at the same time.