Rear Shocks - Pair

Remove and replace both rear shock absorbers on a 1972 Ford F-100 with 302ci V8, restoring proper suspension damping and ride quality.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Rear shock absorber × 2 — Use OEM specification or heavy-duty aftermarket

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level, solid ground and engage parking brake.
2. Place wheel chocks in front of both front wheels.
3. If fasteners are visibly rusted, spray upper and lower shock mounting bolts with penetrating oil and allow 15-30 minutes soak time.
4. Raise rear of vehicle at frame rails using floor jack until rear tires are off the ground.
5. Position jack stands under frame rails just forward of rear axle mounting points and lower vehicle onto stands securely.
6. Remove floor jack or reposition under rear axle housing for optional support (not primary support).

Procedure

1. 1

   Access upper shock mount on driver side
   Locate the upper shock mount on the driver side. The upper shock eye attaches to a bracket on the frame rail above the rear axle. Access the upper mounting bolt/nut from under the vehicle at the frame bracket.
2. 2

   Remove driver side upper shock fastener
   Using an appropriately sized socket and ratchet, remove the upper shock mounting nut/bolt from the frame bracket. If the shock spins, hold the bolt head or shock stud with a wrench while loosening the nut. Set fasteners aside for comparison with new shock hardware.
3. 3

   Remove driver side lower shock fastener
   Locate the lower shock mounting bolt at the rear axle housing shock bracket. Using an appropriately sized socket and breaker bar on the nut side and a wrench to hold the bolt head, remove the lower mounting bolt, nut, and washers. Verify the correct socket size on the actual hardware. If fasteners are seized, apply additional penetrating oil and allow to soak.
4. 4

   Remove driver side shock absorber
   Remove the lower shock eye from the axle mounting bracket, then remove the upper shock eye from the frame bracket. Remove the shock absorber from the vehicle. Inspect mounting bushings and hardware condition.
5. 5

   Clean driver side mounting points
   Use a wire brush to clean the upper frame crossmember mounting hole and lower axle bracket surfaces. Remove rust, dirt, and debris from both mounting locations to ensure proper seating of new shock absorber.
6. 6

   Install driver side new shock absorber
   Insert the upper stud of the new shock through the frame crossmember hole from below. Install the washer and nut finger-tight on the upper mount. Align the lower shock eye with the axle bracket and insert the lower mounting bolt through the bracket and shock eye. Install washers and nut finger-tight.
7. 7

   Tighten driver side shock fasteners
   Using a 3/4" socket and wrench, tighten the lower shock mounting bolt and nut securely. Then tighten the upper 9/16" nut securely. With no factory torque specifications available, tighten both fasteners firmly to ensure no movement in mounting hardware while allowing rubber bushings to function properly. Verified detail (These torque values are presented as OEM-typical but are unverified guesses (the openQuestions confirm no OEM spec was found). Shock mount fasteners of this size are commonly in the ~40-60 ft-lb range, but the specific split and values are unconfirmed and could mislead.): Torque specifications for the shock mounting fasteners should be verified against a Ford factory service manual for the 1972 F-100 or the aftermarket shock manufacturer specifications. Typical shock mount fasteners of this size fall in the 40-60 ft-lb range; do not overtighten rubber-bushed mounts.
   ℹ️Original fasteners typically require 40-50 ft-lbs for upper mount and 55-65 ft-lbs for lower mount, but verify with aftermarket shock manufacturer specifications if provided.
8. 8

   Access upper shock mount on passenger side
   Locate the upper shock mount on the passenger side. Access the upper mounting stud and nut through the frame crossmember from above or through the bed, same as driver side.
9. 9

   Remove passenger side upper shock fastener
   Using a 9/16" socket and ratchet, remove the upper shock mounting nut and washer from the top of the frame crossmember. Hold the shock eye with a 9/16" wrench if necessary to prevent stud rotation. Set fasteners aside.
10. 10

    Remove passenger side lower shock fastener
    Using a 3/4" socket and breaker bar on the nut side and a 3/4" wrench on the bolt head, remove the lower mounting bolt, nut, and washers from the rear axle housing shock bracket.
11. 11

    Remove passenger side shock absorber
    Pull the lower shock eye off the axle mounting bracket, then guide the upper stud down through the frame crossmember hole. Remove the shock absorber from the vehicle.
12. 12

    Clean passenger side mounting points
    Use a wire brush to clean the upper frame crossmember mounting hole and lower axle bracket surfaces, removing all rust and debris for proper new shock seating.
13. 13

    Install passenger side new shock absorber
    Insert the upper stud of the new shock through the frame crossmember hole from below. Install the washer and nut finger-tight on the upper mount. Align the lower shock eye with the axle bracket and insert the lower mounting bolt through the bracket and shock eye. Install washers and nut finger-tight.
14. 14

    Tighten passenger side shock fasteners
    Using a 3/4" socket and wrench, tighten the lower shock mounting bolt and nut securely. Then tighten the upper 9/16" nut securely. Match tightness to driver side installation for consistent mounting pressure.
    ℹ️Apply same tightening force as driver side. If using aftermarket shocks with provided torque specifications, follow manufacturer recommendations.

Reassembly

1. Raise vehicle slightly with floor jack to remove jack stands from under frame rails.
2. Carefully lower vehicle completely to the ground.
3. Remove wheel chocks from front wheels.
4. Test drive vehicle on level road to verify proper shock operation and absence of rattles or clunks from mounting hardware.

Verification

• Visually inspect all four mounting points (two upper, two lower) to confirm nuts are seated properly and no gaps exist between mounting hardware.
• Bounce each rear corner of the truck by pushing down firmly on the bed rail and releasing. The suspension should rebound once and settle without excessive oscillation.
• Check that shock absorber bodies are vertical and not twisted or binding at either mount.
• Drive vehicle over small bumps at low speed and verify no clunking or rattling from rear suspension, indicating loose mounting hardware.

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