How difficult is it to install shocks?

[AZ-Agent]

You can get spring compression loners from most Auto Zones for a small refundable deposit. If you have everything else needed it only makes sense to do the work yourself as its not that hard or time consuming. Good luck...

 

[JSparky]

4x4Labs removed my XREAS when I had sliders and a bumper installed, pretty sure you can just cut the lines and drain the hydraulic fluid into a bucket and dispose of it responsibly. Then go along the frame and remove the lines. There are write-ups on here that have the proper way to do it. Either way it's not that technical and it's entirely independent of any electrical system so it won't throw any codes.

Rear shocks come off easy just like any normal shock. If you want to maintain your front coils and just replace the struts you can use a spring compressor as suggested, or find a local shop with a compressor and have them swap the coil over to new struts.. that's what we did when we lifted my brothers new model grand cherokee. Call around to local tire/suspension shops to see who has one or is willing to do the service. I think the shop we used here in northern California charged something like $120 to mount springs onto struts.

I'd look into the cost differential between swapping over your existing front coils versus upgrading to something like a built fox 2.0 series front coilover and fox performance series rear shock. If you do the work yourself it may only be a few hundred more but you will gain a nice sporty performance increase versus standard shocks, especially with the loss of XREAS. Not sure what kind of budget you're working with though.

 

[plasticsnaks]

Ive done the replace front shock/strut (5100's) "no spring compressor" method on two Tacomas and my T4r....super easy and there is virtually no way the coil can escape while compressing or decompressing. These links are on the Tacoma but the T4r is identical.



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6u7dC7EHg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jo0FJSi-KYs

 

[Grug556]

Spring compressor, ftw.

Better safe than sorry, not worth losing limbs over working on inanimate metal.

YEah just make sure it isn't a pos spring compressor from Harbor Freight. I had one let go doing 1200 lb race springs. SPring shot out and just missed my buddies head and went right through garage wall into the studs. 15 years later buddy still has a grudge over it:bounce:

So have fun...but be careful.

 

[Ghostrider]

YEah just make sure it isn't a pos spring compressor from Harbor Freight. I had one let go doing 1200 lb race springs. SPring shot out and just missed my buddies head and went right through garage wall into the studs. 15 years later buddy still has a grudge over it:bounce:

So have fun...but be careful.

At least he is alive to carry the grudge

 

[OatBunch]

Ive done the replace front shock/strut (5100's) "no spring compressor" method on two Tacomas and my T4r....super easy and there is virtually no way the coil can escape while compressing or decompressing. These links are on the Tacoma but the T4r is identical.



https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5E6u7dC7EHg

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=jo0FJSi-KYs

Thanks for linking these. I have been meaning to look up that method for a while. That would be considerably less nerve-racking to me than a loner or bench top spring compressor.

 

[Grug556]

At least he is alive to carry the grudge

You would've thought I decapitated him the way he brings it up all the time...lol

When it slipped out of the compressor it moved extremely fast, theres no way you could've ducked, he just got lucky it missed his head by a few inches. :rip:

 

[amalik]

YEah just make sure it isn't a pos spring compressor from Harbor Freight. I had one let go doing 1200 lb race springs. SPring shot out and just missed my buddies head and went right through garage wall into the studs. 15 years later buddy still has a grudge over it:bounce:

So have fun...but be careful.

Legit grudge. You could have killed him.