I am installing Fox 2.0s on my 03 V8 and I found that the rear shocks won't slide onto the bottom pin. I doublechecked the model number on the shock to make sure they are a match for the truck. Is this normal for Fox?

-mx

What do you mean won't slide onto bottom pin?

This is as far as I could slide the bottom of the shock onto the mount

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I'm gonna ask the obvious question, did you try hitting it with a mallet??

Ha ha. Yep. That resulted in the photos above. Stuck part of the way on.

"If at first you don't succeed... smack it with a hammer!"
- 4runner proverb

Worked for me on my `05

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Did you have to hit it with a hammer to get the rears on the bottom?

Put grease on the pin and inside the bushing. The foxes are tight


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Put the bottom on first, compress the shock and let it extend into the top mount.

plus 1 on the above suggestion...


an obvious thing to do before you go dry-hammering the shock onto the mount would be to remove the top and do a dry-fit with only the bottom to confirm everything is happy.

More than likely the issue you're having is the fact that the lower shock mount sit angled downward and when installing the top first it could be hard to get the angle to line up properly.

My IMS and Icon shocks both came "locked out" with a metal strap in the compressed position.. assuming the fox shocks did not? That helped to get everything seated down at the bottom first before pulling the strap off and letting it extend into the upper mount.

Another thing you can do is get a socket extension or small diameter pipe that will fit the lower mount so you can put some pressure on it downward to get the angle to align. It's obviously meant to be a pretty tight fit.

You're fighting a bad angle. The bigger hammer bit is usually the solution, but if you go crazy with it at that angle, you will likely chew up the bushing.

White Lithium grease in a spray can is your friend once you disconnect the top and set the bottom first. Spray the stud and inside the bushing liberally. It will slide right on.
White Lithium grease is great because it does not attract dirt like conventional grease does.

Thanks for the ideas. I think I was dealing with the combination of Fox shocks being tight and 0 degrees temps in our area. I think the rubber shrank a bit. I got some silicone grease, a small sledge, and I kept the shocks inside for a day. They are now installed. In the process of installing the lift, I managed to break one of the rear sway bar links (rusted solid) and one of the shocks won't tighten completely (keeps spinning when I tighten the top nut and I don't have clamp big enough to hold the shock body). Other than that, it's done. Phew.

don't those have a hex indent on the top of the stud to insert a hex tool to prevent the turning?