Rear shock removal tip.

[runrunner]

I will be receiving my OME lift in a few days and figured I would get started by tackling the pesky rear shocks that I have read not so great things about.

After doing some online research it looked like it was going to be a complete PITA. I have read that some cut off the dust boot to gain access to the piston to enable a nice bite from vicegrips. Others will use a pipe wrench on the dust cover, drill a hole in it, and even cut off the piston all together.

When I got under my truck and looked at the top of the dust cover looked to have a hexed shape area perfect for a wrench. Sure enough, grabbed a 12" adjustable wrench and wedged it against something stable and I was able to loosen the shock nut without much trouble. The drivers side was a little more of a challenge due to the fuel tank, but the entire process look maybe 10 minutes. That included loosing the panhard bar and lower shock bolts.

This may be common knowledge, but I didnt see much about it and it may help someone else.

 

[Elton H]

Sawzall !!!!!!! with a nice long metal blade

 

[JohnsD90]

Sawzall !!!!!!! with a nice long metal blade

I liked the short blade better, the long one hits other stuff and bends, but to the OP yes your method in a perfect world is great, but once rust is added to the equation it isn't a 10 minutes job with a pipe wrench. It is a quick job with the saw zall. But nice writeup.

 

[runrunner]

but to the OP yes your method in a perfect world is great, but once rust is added to the equation it isn't a 10 minutes job with a pipe wrench.

True. Its funny though as I searched the internet for a writeup no one said anything about the nut (or whatever it is) on the top of the shock.

+1 for Oregon cars. My old 85' yota was a local truck too with zero rust issues.

 

[topdown4runner]

When I did my Wife's 97 a few months back, it was easy. Florida truck with no rust. No nut at the top of the piston, though.

I did my 99 over the holiday weekend. This truck is from Mass. so it has lots of rust. Drivers side was already rusted off. Pass. side only took 5 turns or so before the bolt snapped off. I used large vice grips to hold the boot & turn.

 

[Victor]

You can unbolt the lower shock bolt, then with some muscle bend the shock body side to side and it will break off along with the top nut and washer. This method, you'll only need to contort your arms up in that area when you're installing the new shocks.:frisky:

 

[techno]

runrunner, what kind of shocks were they? I don't remember seeing the hex shape you talk about on my stock ones.

 

[runrunner]

runrunner, what kind of shocks were they? I don't remember seeing the hex shape you talk about on my stock ones.

They appear to be the factory Tokico ones. I am not sure if its an actual hex shape or not, but does have some flat sided areas where a crescent wrench sat nicely.

I didnt pull them all the way out as my lift didnt come when it was supposed to and I had to tighten everything back down again:moping:

 

[topdown4runner]

They appear to be the factory Tokico ones. I am not sure if its an actual hex shape or not, but does have some flat sided areas where a crescent wrench sat nicely.

I didnt pull them all the way out as my lift didnt come when it was supposed to and I had to tighten everything back down again:moping:

On the replacement Tokico ones I put on, it is a flat spot on the bolt shaft, just above the shock boot, but below the first rubber isolator before the body of the truck.

Clear as mud, no?

 

[TheDurk]

I just did my right rear shock this afternoon. Taking off original stock shocks at 11 years and 130K for Tokico Trekmasters. The stock shock does indeed have a hex on top, but I didn't believe it until after I had it out--and I was looking for it. It's very shallow and hard to get to. I tried a 24" pipe wrench first, but it just slid on the smooth steel boot. Plan B was a really big pair of ChannelLocks I use for work on my swimming pool plumbing. That snapped the bolt rod right in the middle of the mount, which was great. Much faster than a Sawzall, which was waiting as Plan C. On the stock shock, you would have to get the blade in above the steel cup on the lower half of the top bushing, as it is solid to the rod (not so on the replacements). Otherwise, the top of the rod would not come off the mount. I think that would be very hard to do, at least on a stock suspension.

I'm doing the left one tomorrow, and the ChannelLock is now Plan A. However, I am thinking the Sawzall would be easiest on the Trekmasters, when I take them out eventually, because the upper boot is rubber and the ChannelLocks probably can't grab the polished piston rod.

 

[TheDurk]

On the replacement Tokico ones I put on, it is a flat spot on the bolt shaft, just above the shock boot, but below the first rubber isolator before the body of the truck.

Clear as mud, no?

On my Tokico GE3536's, there is no flat spot whatsoever. And, yeah, it's plenty clear when you have one in your hands.

 

[auxiliary]

Ok here is the best way to do it!

Drill a hole into the shock. Stick a screw driver into it. All the way in one side and out the other.

Put a wrench on the PITA bolt and get it pressed against the body/frame.

Grab the handle of the screwdriver and turn it. Take screw driver out...put it in going the other way from exit hole to the other hole. Turn it again. Wash, rinse, repeat and you will unscrew the shock from the bolt.

 

[Savage]

Nice write up Aux, love it hehehehe

 

[jhfleet]

You can unbolt the lower shock bolt, then with some muscle bend the shock body side to side and it will break off along with the top nut and washer. This method, you'll only need to contort your arms up in that area when you're installing the new shocks.:frisky:

Great info! I just changed the original rear shocks on a 1996 Limited. I removed the rear wheels because I needed to rotate them with the fronts and thought it would be easier to get to the shock mounts if they were out of the way. I then put jack stands under the frame and let the rear axle droop. Took about a minute per side to break the top of the shock shaft by bending it side to side after disconnecting the bottom mount. Then it was just a matter of reaching into the top shock mount recess and fishing out the mount bushings and broken off shaft and nut. Putting the new shocks in was no problem either. Having the wheels out of the way definitely helps in accessing the top mount and even with my big hands it wasn't a problem.