Can I Use an Air Gun to Install Shocks?

No, using an impact wrench or air gun to tighten shock bolts puts entirely too much stress on shock components, particularly on stud mounts, which are designed to withstand intense amounts of pressure and extreme movements up and down, but not twisting stress. Installing a shock nut with an air gun can cause premature wear of the mount, stress fractures, or even cause the mount or the shock rod to break off completely. Using an air gun on a shock also makes it more likely to cross thread the nut onto the mount, which will ruin the mount and can cause the same damage to the shock rod.

Shocks and struts are designed to be installed with less than 35 lbs of torque, which means the installation hardware can be easily tightened or loosened by hand with a wrench. Do not use an air gun to install your shocks.