I bravely set out one sunny spring afternoon to put new shocks on my '98 LS 4dr 4wd. I got the back ones on fairly easily, lowered the spare, but didn't have to raise the truck at all or remove either wheel. Only issue was years of dried mud and God knows what else falling on my face while I worked. With a printout of portcqb's much appreciated and well illustrated diy article re front shock replacement on this forum (link below), I moved to the front passenger side, jacked up the truck and removed the wheel. Hmmm - the head of the long, thin bolt that attaches the anti-sway bar to the A-arm was blocking the lower bolt on that shock. So, I was going to have to remove that anti-sway bar bolt with all it's washers and rubber-plastic thingies. As soon as I put a wrench on it and gave a tug, it broke. It was rusted away to about half it's original diameter. I tried everything I could think of and I could not get that broken bolt to budge up or down. (Granted, I'm not nearly as good a mechanic as some of you are.) So, it was off to my local mechanic (who is truly excellent) for help. Don't ask what I had to pay him 'cause I ain't saying, but by day's end all four new KYB Gas-A-Just shocks were in place and WOW what a difference in ride v. the original Delphis. Now my Blazer feels like a real truck instead of a soccer mom's limo. And it only took me 13 years and 107,000 miles before I made this big improvement. By the way, the best price I found for the shocks was from Amazon = $40 each and free shipping.
diy article =
blazerforum.com/forum/tech-articles-diy-29/how-front-4x4-shock-replacement-47458/

 

Rusty bolts i like to head the surrounding material up nice and hot, and spray some wd or brake fluid on. The heat seemss to make it suck right in the threads. Kyb shocks are awesome.