Shocks - Which ones? Mixed?

Well, I bought (2) 12340070 and was buying (2) 12340071, but the shipper sent me (2) 12340072 instead. I've seen people recommend (4) 0070 and then others recommend (4) 0072. Now my question is, do I have a crappy combination? There are not great specs on the 0072, and they look identical to each other, but I am sure the lb rating is different. I read 0072 are for the heavies. My little 998 is not going to see a ton of loads. Should I go for (2) 0070 on the front and (2) 0072 on the rear or should I return something and go for the same all around?

Edits:

It appears I have (2) 0072's on the back, and (2) 0071's on the front currently.

Are the 0070's ok for the front as replacements?

And the big 1-7/16's nut seems to not want to handle that size socket and wants a 1-1/2 with a bit of slop. I also can't seem to get the socket on the rears unless i bend the bed up a bit. I didn't jack the truck up yet, but since it bolts to the frame, I wouldn't think this would move. Anyone else?

0070 or 71’s up front, 72’s in the rear
or all the same all the way around...I’ve run 72’s all the way around.

Got ONE front done today. Blech. The torque on these guys are brutal. 300 lbs on the lower pin is almost impossible as the bracket is out of anything holding it. The passenger side got struck trying to get the top pin out, and the crescent wrench kept slipping off. Going to give it one more shot before going to a 4x4 place. The trickiest bit is the angle.

The rears look awful.

I have been looking at replacing my shocks lately but I can only find stock 12k shocks and no 10k’s. If I go with the 12k is it going to ride really rough compared to the 10k? I have an aluminum hard top and aluminum hard doors but I wouldn’t think that is enough extra weight to need HD shocks? Are most of you running stock replacements or are most people upgrading to aftermarket stuff? I have found lots of stock 12k shocks for under $100 for a set of 4 vs. $100 or more per shock for aftermarket.

dhaumann69166 said:

I have been looking at replacing my shocks lately but I can only find stock 12k shocks and no 10k’s. If I go with the 12k is it going to ride really rough compared to the 10k? I have an aluminum hard top and aluminum hard doors but I wouldn’t think that is enough extra weight to need HD shocks? Are most of you running stock replacements or are most people upgrading to aftermarket stuff? I have found lots of stock 12k shocks for under $100 for a set of 4 vs. $100 or more per shock for aftermarket.

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Just go on epay and search the part number, there are tons of stat card shocks for sale cheap....don’t go on a listing description, go on the part number or NSN listed, lots of folks get this 10k 12k thing quite confused I find.

therooster2001 said:

Got ONE front done today. Blech. The torque on these guys are brutal. 300 lbs on the lower pin is almost impossible as the bracket is out of anything holding it. The passenger side got struck trying to get the top pin out, and the crescent wrench kept slipping off. Going to give it one more shot before going to a 4x4 place. The trickiest bit is the angle.

The rears look awful.

Click to expand...

Takes approx 1.5 to 2 hrs to do 4 shocks “includes cleaning and painting, less time if you don’t bother “ if your not using a torch to heat your bolts and nuts? Well....your going to be there awhile.

Retiredwarhorses said:

Takes approx 1.5 to 2 hrs to do 4 shocks “includes cleaning and painting, less time if you don’t bother “ if your not using a torch to heat your bolts and nuts? Well....your going to be there awhile.

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Shocks are something I plan on tackling soon. I don't have a torch but I have MAP gas will that be hot enough?

Maybe a clarification on my comment on the 300lbs of torque. I can easily loosen the pins, but getting them retorqued is the issue. With the old shock out, and the new one in the bracket, it's trying to get the lower pin torqued without being held in something substantial is the issue. The top pin will be a piece of cake. How do you guys torque the lower big pin down with it out? set it in a vice and then torque as the TM suggests? That angle is a bit crappy if it's off, then you'll have to loosen and do it all over again.

2 hrs including paint? Well, first timer on it, so that and heat might have sped things up, but the slipping crescent wrench got me nervous. I am NOT about to cut or drill that sucker. Heat might break the blue thread locker, but I figured the impact could break it, but maybe that's it.

I'm sure I can get past the above. Whats the trick to the rears? There doesn't seem to be a lot of room for tools, and even a test fit of the 1-1/2 socket, it didn't really fit. Is there something I'm missing there? It feels like the bottom of the bed is too close for comfort. Ideas? Pict will come if need be.

EDIT: the TM does mention on the bigger models (M1037 and M1042) that "it may be necessary to spread frame from body by positioning prybar between hinge mount bracket and rear bumper to gain access to shock absorber retaining pin nut". That might be my solution.

For the others following:
My shock, when it came out didn't feel terrible, just a bit dirty. No date codes so who knows if I'll find something, but I will know when they were done. I bought them both on the bay (one is a member here), they were a 10K and a 12K. $115 for them both shipped. $100 feels like the going rate for the 12k's but you might get a mix up (I did), but seemed to work out.

Bought a 1-1/4 wrench from Home Creepo, which only had a ratcheting one, so was double the price. The shipper sent me the 0071's, so I now will have 0070's on the back and 0071's on the front. The TM seems to coincide with that. Had a friend help and we got everything off. The rears SUCKED. The bolts were really stuck and I snapped off a grade 8 bolt, so we had to drill it out (5/8 ones). Yuck. We will tackle the broken bolt tomorrow as we drilled it out, but didn't have a 17/32 to get it the proper size. If the bolts come right out, I do agree with RWH, that it would take 2 hrs. First timers, the vice 20 min away, several frozen bolts and a couple of trips to get parts, 5 hrs easily. Snapped bolt, 7 hours and counting. BUT I know that I have new shocks. We ended up using a vice and a 3/4 torque wrench to get them to the right torque. We ended up just barely getting the 1-1/2 socket into the rears so no spreading frame.

therooster2001 said:

Bought a 1-1/4 wrench from Home Creepo, which only had a ratcheting one, so was double the price. The shipper sent me the 0071's, so I now will have 0070's on the back and 0071's on the front. The TM seems to coincide with that. Had a friend help and we got everything off. The rears SUCKED. The bolts were really stuck and I snapped off a grade 8 bolt, so we had to drill it out (5/8 ones). Yuck. We will tackle the broken bolt tomorrow as we drilled it out, but didn't have a 17/32 to get it the proper size. If the bolts come right out, I do agree with RWH, that it would take 2 hrs. First timers, the vice 20 min away, several frozen bolts and a couple of trips to get parts, 5 hrs easily. Snapped bolt, 7 hours and counting. BUT I know that I have new shocks. We ended up using a vice and a 3/4 torque wrench to get them to the right torque. We ended up just barely getting the 1-1/2 socket into the rears so no spreading frame.

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ive never toques those bolts to 300lbs, air impact and red loctite
on the nut. I’ve pulled shocks on literally brand new M115’s and
the lowers nuts come right off.
A torch for heat is your friend...

Also, your 70’s should be up front and 71’s or 2’s in the rear.
but you may not notice a difference

I wish the TM's were better on this subject. I know the 72's are the HD, so definitely in the back, but the parts TM lists "rear" for the 70's and "front" for the 71's. No specs in there besides that. I know I've seen posts for weights, but don't know where they got them. 70's sound like lighter duty from a numbering scheme, but I couldn't verify.

Since my seller swapped my 72's, and the 71's were clearly marked front, I went that route. Also figured that I don't have armor, so 70's in the back. But you're right, I ran it around and didn't notice a difference. I also didn't go over major terrain to really check them out, just a couple of curbs!

Heat might have helped, but the one bolt had snapped, so I was in for the long haul. Never had a single issue with the bigger top and bottom shock bolts, that would have sucked. Most had blue thread locker on them. I figure these were the originals and had some good rust. Kroil didn't help at all. Only about 3 bottom bracket bolts were really in there. I do recommend thread chasing everything and new bolts though. Much easier on the reinstall.

Did new shocks seem to make a difference? Not that I saw from a 2-week new to me truck, but now I am sure of the part and condition, I probably could have gotten away with the old ones, but no way to tell until you get them out. I did torque to 300 / 178, absolute piece of mind, but a bit of a pain, as I don't have a bigger torque, but my friend did.

Onto the next project...