Rear OME shock install

[eanema]

So I've installed the old man emu rear 890 coils and 60073 soft shocks. The problem is that I am having a hell of a time tightening the shock top nut, when ever I spin the nut, I spin the top half of the shock along with it. Same type of problem most people have including my self when removing the old shocks, but in reverse. The major issue is there is a plastic shroud over the top half of the shock so I can't hold it while I spin the nut, nor can I get a pipe wrench over it.

Has anyone else had this issue? I am driving the vehicle now, but I really don't like that the nut is so loose. How the hell can I tighten this nut!?

 

[AZ4Running]

Hold the top of the shock from spinning with your hand, pliers or a strap wrench. I had no issues getti g my OME shocks i stalled wnen i did my lift.

 

[eanema]

see thats exactly what I was trying to do... but the top half of the shock is entirely covered with a black plastic shroud that spins over the shock. So holding this plastic does not help keep the shock still.

This thread suggested holding the top of the stud with vice grips then use an box wrench to tighten it down. I'm going to give that a try but I'm not hopeful lol

http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/122583-help-loose-rear-shocks-after-lift-install.html



See the black plastic shroud? It prevents me from holding the top of the shock...

 

[denvermaxd]

I installed those shocks last year, and had the same problem.

Unfortunately, I never discovered a "magic bullet" solution to the problem you're confronting. There's simply too little space between the diabolical metal "cup" the top of the shock seat in and the bottom of the rear deck for anything other than half measures, torn knuckles, cursing, etc.

I believe I ended up attaching the bottom of the shock to the lower mounting bolt on the rear axle, which kept it from spinning. Then, I used a pneumatic ratchet on the top nut.

Even this wasn't a perfect solution. There was too little space above the top nut to fit the ratchet on until the top nut was already well down on the shock absorber upper mount bolt. Had to use a box end wrench to get it started (one painful inch at a time), then switched to the pneumatic ratchet until I ran out of depth (standard socket depth runs out of space up there because the shock absorber upper mount bolt is long and deep body sockets won't fit), then switched back to the box end wrench to torque it down a couple more turns.

If I had to do it over again, I'd go get a ratcheting offset box wrench for the top nut.

Sorry this isn't much help, but I don't think there's any "easy" way. Why didn't Toyota put an access port in the floor of the rear end, covered with a rubber grommet under the carpet? Madness.

 

[eanema]

hrm, it sounds like you did not have the same issue I did. I have the rear end fully put together and I'm driving it. Just with loose up shock mount nuts.. when I put the lower shock mount bolt in it did not stop the top bolt from spinning. Which is the biggest problem, because I need two hands up top to even move the nut and a second set of hands below to try and keep the shock from spinning.

I would love to find a way to stop the top half from spinning.

Thanks for the idea about the ratcheting offset box wrench. I might pick up one and see how it goes... may also call a buddy and see if he can help me out with a second set of hands.

 

[mtbtim]

Does it possibly have a allen head on the top of the spindle? Bilstein shocks are set up like this. If so, you first need to get on the top nut with a flexible head ratcheting wrench which is a must have for this job. Then you get an allen wrench on there and turn the spindle until the allen is resting against the frame. Now the spindle won't turn on you and you can tighten the nut. It's still a pain in the ass but you will get it tight.

These are the wrenches I'm talking about:
https://www.amazon.com/GearWrench-F...=8-4&keywords=flexible+head+ratcheting+wrench

 

[TheDurk]

I'm about to replace mine the easy way. Install shock into upper mount with frame one foot down from the body, then raise frame into place. Advantage of doing a frame swap.

 

[JohnMc]

Why didn't Toyota put an access port in the floor of the rear end, covered with a rubber grommet under the carpet? Madness.

Or mount the shock like the LC does - to a removable bracket that bolts to the frame. Take off a few bolts, then remove the shock from that bracket out in the open.

I have an inch body lift on my truck, it's still a royal PITA. I don't even want to think about doing it with an inch less room to work with.

 

[eanema]

[MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION], these shocks do actually have something you could possibly get a small wrench or locking vice grips onto. And I actually went out and bought a wrench exactly like you suggested to give this method a try but still no love! Damn this has been a huge pain in the ass!

I figured I should probably share my solution with the rest of the forums though. My solution was to order 2x 17mm jam nuts, M10x1.25 (from fastenal.com), drill out the threads then smash them onto the upper shock mount stud.

First drill out the threads of the jam nut to make it easier to smash the nut down the shaft:

Next step is to thread the jam nut all the way to the bottom of the upper shock mount stud. When its at the end of the threads it should be spinning because the threads on the nut are basically gone. Then use a 1/2" drive socket to smash the nut all the way to the bottom of the stud.

As you smash the nut on to the stud it'll compress the shock and eventually you'll get a few solid whacks. I don't think this is a problem compressing the shock like this but I'd love your feed back.

Once you have that jam nut smashed all the way to the bottom of the shock you can go a head and reinstall it onto the rear end of the vehicle. The trick now is that you can take a pair of locking pliers (or if you have a thin enough 17mm wrench) and put them on the jam nut. There is so much friction from the smashing that the nut is not going to spin with the 20 ft-lbs required to torque down the bolts. If your a super pro and you've got a welder Id suggest tack welding the nut to the stud. But I'm not a super pro and don't have a welder sooo...

This has been a huge pain in the ass and honestly, I'd consider buying different shocks next time. Lucky I did get them installed eventually...

Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[mtbtim]

I don't get it. All you would have had to do is get the ratcheting wrench onto the top nut first and then either use a small open end wrench or small crescent wrench on the top of that shock spindle and spin the wrench until it's resting the frame. With the spindle being held by the open end or crescent wrench, you then can ratchet away without the spindle spinning.

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but it sure seems like you made the job harder than it had to be.

 

[eanema]

lol I appreciate your opinion - not a jerk. I definitely tried it your way and I just couldn't make it working for me. I couldn't manage to get the small wrench on the top of the stud after the ratcheting wrench was in place. The top nut wouldn't give enough clearance and the wrench kept falling off the top of the stud.

For any one else stuck with this issue: try it the way [MENTION=120071]mtbtim[/MENTION] is suggesting, if it works then awesome! This space is really such a pain in the ass to work in that as long as the nut gets tight you've won!