Help!!! Strut install
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Eric J. Robertson
New member
Trick I did was use a crowbar to compress the strut down. Jack the vehicle up on the frame not by the front member. It should drop it enough.
s20004runner
New member
You have to press down on the upper control arm. Google speedys garage lift install video on youtube.
0xfded
New member
To depress the LCA, you can either get some serious weight on it (have a friend stand on it or pry it down with a bar), use a bottle jack on the UCA (as in Speedy's video), or disconnect the LCA from the lower ball joint (this is easy if you have the tools, and makes doing this solo pretty easy.)
As for the angle, just run a rod (ex: a socket extension) through the shock hole and twist it to face the right direction. Doesn't take much force at all, had to do it with mine to align them correctly.
As for the angle, just run a rod (ex: a socket extension) through the shock hole and twist it to face the right direction. Doesn't take much force at all, had to do it with mine to align them correctly.
KidVermicious
New member
I've done a couple of these in the past month. I get a long pry bar on the upper control arm, it slips in pretty easy then.
FYI, don't torque the lower bolt until the truck is back on it's own weight.
FYI, don't torque the lower bolt until the truck is back on it's own weight.
Konkordmusk
New member
Grab a screwdriver and muscle the eyelet straight. the mechanic had one job...get the eyelet and studs lined up. But he didn't.
shadow247
New member
I had trouble with this on my install. I had to break the spring down again and reindex the spring on the shock. You might have to take them back. Mark the centerline for the shock eyelet on the upper spring mount with a grease or paint pen so they can line them up properly.
sterbenlicht
New member
Are you talking about the hole in the lower eye of the strut not being perfectly lined up with the bracket of the control arm where the bolt goes through? If so, do like the other people have said here and shove something through it like a long 3/8" extension and just twist it until it's about right. It'll take something long so you get enough leverage.
If you're talking about the eye not being in the same place as in not far enough back near the brackets, then loosen the top three nuts until the strut can wiggle a bit. Then using a pry bar on the upper control arm and pull it down while you push the lower end of the strut into the opening.
Edit: Also, what kind of struts are you putting on your 3rd gen? From your pictures, it looks like they're the later model Tacoma/FJ shocks. Those are too long to be forcing into these trucks anyway, which might contribute to your difficulties.
If you're talking about the eye not being in the same place as in not far enough back near the brackets, then loosen the top three nuts until the strut can wiggle a bit. Then using a pry bar on the upper control arm and pull it down while you push the lower end of the strut into the opening.
Edit: Also, what kind of struts are you putting on your 3rd gen? From your pictures, it looks like they're the later model Tacoma/FJ shocks. Those are too long to be forcing into these trucks anyway, which might contribute to your difficulties.
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Bilstein Monotube Shock Absorbers and Struts | 24-187244 | Bilstein | AJUSA.com Just checked to make sure they shipped the correct parts too, and they did. Bilstein 4600s The rears went on fine with the sawzall.
I have tried to get it in with both the top 3 nuts tight and also loose. It's not a little out of alignment. Its enough that I can really even get the lower eye into place where I can put a socket extension in to force it in place.
This isn't my first rodeo with working on cars. Pretty sure its not aligned correctly. Trying to figure that out now.
I have tried to get it in with both the top 3 nuts tight and also loose. It's not a little out of alignment. Its enough that I can really even get the lower eye into place where I can put a socket extension in to force it in place.
This isn't my first rodeo with working on cars. Pretty sure its not aligned correctly. Trying to figure that out now.
Konkordmusk
New member
Use the extension/screwdriver OUTSIDE of the lower control arm mount. Twist it clockwise, then check agai n for the alignment. Go more if needed.
JRZEE2000TR4LTD
Senior Member
Lower the LCA out of the way and then put your extension, crowbar (I used a lady finger crowbar) and turn it the appropriate direction. Then put the LCA back in place and try again. You still may need to use the extension as a guide.
Twist what clockwise? I dont understand what you mean
Konkordmusk
New member
The lower shock eyelet. stick something through the eyelet and only the eyelet, and muscle it clockwise (using the pictures you posted as reference) in order to get it to line up with the holes on the lower control arm mount.
again, do this outside of the lower control arm mount. the lower spring seat WILL spin if you muscle it.
I get what you mean. I will try again with it outside the lower CA mount tomorrow. I couldn't really even get it into a position where I could get something in there to muscle it with trying to get it in there. Based on the screen shot from the service manual and what i saw from the speedy's garage video, they didn't pay attention at all to how it was before. Look at the photo below. The lower spring seat isn't in the right place and the bolt position for the strut mount is no where close to the 25 degrees.
Look at the top nut. I am nut sure if they tightened it enough. Can I tighten it without a spring compressor?
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NorthernRunner
New member
The bottle jack on the control arm worked for me, but just be absolutely sure you put blocks of wood in the gaps you create as they get wider so that they'll catch if the bottle jack pops out. I had mine pop out on the passenger side but nothing happened since the wood stopped any movement.
The first picture in your first post is almost the exact orientation I had my struts when I got them back from Toyota after they'd indexed them poorly. In your first picture you have more than enough room to do what I did: I used the crank from the bottle jack, inserted it into the eyelet on the strut, and gave a little tug to get the angle right so I could then line up the strut with the bolt holes. It was actually really easy - I didn't have to pull very hard at all to get it to spin.
The first picture in your first post is almost the exact orientation I had my struts when I got them back from Toyota after they'd indexed them poorly. In your first picture you have more than enough room to do what I did: I used the crank from the bottle jack, inserted it into the eyelet on the strut, and gave a little tug to get the angle right so I could then line up the strut with the bolt holes. It was actually really easy - I didn't have to pull very hard at all to get it to spin.
