Rear shock removal

4

4RunnerChaos

New member
Okay I've tried twice now to remove these things.
That top bolt is just way too damn rusted on... -.- I can't get at it with any power tools and the manual tools I can't get enough leverage.
Went at it with a grinder the only way I could figure out how to.. And lacked using common sense... Forgot that cutting metal sends hot sparks everywhere an gravity pulls them down onto your face.

Here's my ideas on how to do it.
1. Drill a hole through the top from inside the truck
2. Cut the inside lining of the fender well so I can reach it.

3. Keep at it with the angle grinder...? How?????
 
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Put in 14mm deep socket and long ratchet on the top bolt and use a chain or belt wrench around the metal dust cover on the shock to turn the shock, the ratchet will find a stopping point and hold the top nut and you use the belt wrench to turn the shock. If that does not work just cut the top of the shock off. Dont cut into anything you dont need to please.
 
JRZEE2000TR4LTD said:
Sawzall with a long blade as high up as possible
Click to expand...

Don't have a sawzall

Ill try what AZ said with the belt wrench. Didn't think about that.

And there isn't really enough space for a sawzall. I half tempted to buy one of those cheap $10 grinders (similar to the dremell) and burn through a bunch of those cutting disks.
 
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This method works if you don't mind destroying the shock...

I removed mine with a big ass set of pliers. First I put a wrench on the top nut. Then I grabbed the shock with the big ass pliers, and rotated the shock until the wrench up top caught on something. Then I clamped down on the shock as hard as I could with the pliers and kept rotating until the nut came off (if I remember, it actually broke off). The big ass pliers chewed up the shock pretty good, but I didn't care because I was replacing it.
 
Pipe wrench on the shock body is a helluva lot easier than holding slip joint pliers or a strap wrench slipping.
 
csp said:
Pipe wrench on the shock body is a helluva lot easier than holding slip joint pliers or a strap wrench slipping.
Click to expand...

Disagree. I found a pipe wrench could not bite into the hard steel of the top boot. It just slid around (good Ridgid wrench.) Pipe steel is much softer stuff so the wrench grips better. I did just what Robb235 did. Big ass ChannelLocks held just fine--they actually flattened the boot a little bit to give better engagement--and snapped it right at the nut in seconds. You need the closing force on the jaws if it is as locked up as mine was.
 
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4RunnerChaos said:
Don't have a sawzall

And there isn't really enough space for a sawzall. I half tempted to buy one of those cheap $10 grinders (similar to the dremell) and burn through a bunch of those cutting disks.
Click to expand...

There's just enough room. Have to lift up the body to get the axle to droop. I got each shock off in about 2 minutes. But you don't have a sawzall so.....
 
4RunnerChaos said:
Don't have a sawzall

Ill try what AZ said with the belt wrench. Didn't think about that.

And there isn't really enough space for a sawzall. I half tempted to buy one of those cheap $10 grinders (similar to the dremell) and burn through a bunch of those cutting disks.
Click to expand...

Being from the rust belt I feel your pain. I have had to crush the metal shock cover with a chanel locks and then He-man that shit until it snaps. It is pretty much the only way lol... I have done about 3 of these trucks and it never gets any easier haha.

If ya can't get it maybe you could take a jaunt my way and see if I can getter done haha I am in SW wisconsin.
 
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Thanks guys kinda glad I'm not the only one having this problem.
Ill try the strap wrench, and the channel locks see if I'm lucky or not. If those don't work. Ill buy a pair of those big grips from harbor freight (that store is amazing...)
When you're sayin the shock body I'm assuming that top shell portion? Mines kinda flimsy and rusted out so it has a lot of give in it.
 
If you can get to a harbor freight , they have a decent "saws all" for about twenty bucks .... I did mine like others have said and it took about 3 minutes to get them both off.
 
yup if you going to buy new tools anyway, get yourself a sawzall
Cut as close as you can to the top shock bolt mount, but dont cut the mount obviously.
shock will fall off and the top nut you can remove by hand.
 
The sawzaw with a long wood with nails blade is literally seconds. Really. And with the body jacked up high enough to extend the shocks fully I can sit on the creeper. I've done it twice now.
 
No idea if this works but for the new ones I coated the threads with antisieze and put a piece of plastic tubing on the stud above the nut. Hopefully it will make it easier to remove the nut the next time. And I have yelled about the idiot engineer that designed this before. Toyota really has some dumb ideas at times. They could have chosen an eye bolt at the top and this would have been a ten minute job. In the 90's I did the rears on a Jeep with one arm in a sling.
 
I thought about putting a piece of fuel line over the threads. But next time mine come off it will be for new anyway. I did oil the threads though.
 
It seems like most people are telling to put a wrench on the top nut. Even though you stated in your initial post that the nut was too rusted to do that. :shrug:

You have 2 options since the above isn't one. Use a recip saw, and make sure you cut far enough up the shock. If you cut to low you'll receive a face full fluid from the shock. Another option is bending it back and forth until it breaks (which won't be long).
 
MStudt said:
It seems like most people are telling to put a wrench on the top nut. Even though you stated in your initial post that the nut was too rusted to do that. :shrug:

You have 2 options since the above isn't one. Use a recip saw, and make sure you cut far enough up the shock. If you cut to low you'll receive a face full fluid from the shock. Another option is bending it back and forth until it breaks (which won't be long).
Click to expand...

A few of them are saying to do that and just be like the hulk and snap it like that lol. I just don't find being under it very fun. I'd like to cut it but the angle is horrible. I've gotta pack for a trip up to fort McCoy tomorrow hopefully I can knock these out today.
 
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