yeah,
one weird thing on the front lower shock bolts.
you really need TWO 22mm sockets.
and at least one extension, half inch drive.

both the bolt head, and the nut are recessed in the lower arm ...........
but WAIT ........!!.
you didn't say what year of vanagon ......or even what version.
you could have an early one with stamped lower arms,
and they need two 22 mm sockets.

you could be talking about a cast iron contorl amr one, from about mid 85
onward....
I think you just need a socket and a 22 wrench on those.

or it could be a syncro ....
and those are a completely strange case in the front .

I suggest mandatory posting of the van's ID  in question.....
year, model, version, which trans, 2WD or syncro etc.

'somehow' people seem to think people automatically know what their van is.
there are posts with questions where they could be talking any of the 4
different engines that come in vanagons.....
but n where is there a clue as to what they have really.

but .....that keeps it more interactive I suppose !

----- Original Message -----
From: "B Feddish" <bfeddish@NETREACH.NET>
To: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Friday, July 17, 2009 6:00 AM
Subject: Installing new shocks

> My new shocks from the Bus Depot arrived yesterday and I am going to
> tackle
> that this weekend. I have been spraying the bolts on the old ones with PB
> blaster for a week now. Any words of advice on replacing the rear and
> front
> shocks?  The Haynes has the front shocks as a "three wrencher" in terms of
> difficulty, anything to look out for?
>
> Thanks,
> Bryan