Rear shocks too short?

[Preacherman]

I put a 3 inch toytec lift on my 2013 sr5 4runner and I think the rear shocks are too short. I used the lift coils and the lift said "may need longer rear shocks". My question is how do I know if the shocks are too short?

What leads me to believe the shocks are too short is when I am off road (or even on road and hit a bump) my rear bottoms out very quickly and makes a loud kunk. It seems to me, that's is the shocks limiting out as the axle tries to droop.

I am just looking for some feedback on if this sounds like where I need to start.

Thoughts?

 

[eddiebx]

I put a 3 inch toytec lift on my 2013 sr5 4runner and I think the rear shocks are too short. I used the lift coils and the lift said "may need longer rear shocks". My question is how do I know if the shocks are too short?

What leads me to believe the shocks are too short is when I am off road (or even on road and hit a bump) my rear bottoms out very quickly and makes a loud kunk. It seems to me, that's is the shocks limiting out as the axle tries to droop.

I am just looking for some feedback on if this sounds like where I need to start.

Thoughts?

You are describing exactly what it feels like to have a shock that is too short. Think about this...you just effectively eliminated 3" of travel by raising the static height and not lengthening the shocks, somethings gotta give, lol.

What shocks are you running now? Buy something longer than those

FYI, Bilstein 5100s are only good for up to 2" lift or so, so you might need to look into something with a bit more travel, ICON maybe? :noidea:

Why not give Toytec a call and see what they recommend.

 

[thebwlife]

You are describing exactly what it feels like to have a shock that is too short. Think about this...you just effectively eliminated 3" of travel by raising the static height and not lengthening the shocks, somethings gotta give, lol.

What shocks are you running now? Buy something longer than those

FYI, Bilstein 5100s are only good for up to 2" lift or so, so you might need to look into something with a bit more travel, ICON maybe? :noidea:

Why not give Toytec a call and see what they recommend.

Get 5100's thats what toytec recommends or OME 60020 is what I have with the same springs.

 

[adam2562]

yea i'm gonna be adding shocks soon too.. i have the same thump in the rear. anyone know which shocks are longer? Icon is one..

 

[whodat]

I put a 3 inch toytec lift on my 2013 sr5 4runner and I think the rear shocks are too short. I used the lift coils and the lift said "may need longer rear shocks". My question is how do I know if the shocks are too short?

What leads me to believe the shocks are too short is when I am off road (or even on road and hit a bump) my rear bottoms out very quickly and makes a loud kunk. It seems to me, that's is the shocks limiting out as the axle tries to droop.

I am just looking for some feedback on if this sounds like where I need to start.

Thoughts?

yea i'm gonna be adding shocks soon too.. i have the same thump in the rear. anyone know which shocks are longer? Icon is one..

Do you guys have the complete Toytec kit?

You are describing exactly what it feels like to have a shock that is too short. Think about this...you just effectively eliminated 3" of travel by raising the static height and not lengthening the shocks, somethings gotta give, lol.

What shocks are you running now? Buy something longer than those

FYI, Bilstein 5100s are only good for up to 2" lift or so, so you might need to look into something with a bit more travel, ICON maybe? :noidea:

Why not give Toytec a call and see what they recommend.

Get 5100's thats what toytec recommends or OME 60020 is what I have with the same springs.

And the reason why I ask is because the kit comes with the Bilstein 5100s.

I have the Toytec Boss kit with the 5100s and as the OP describes it, I was bottoming out and getting the "kunk" sound when going over speed bumps. It was more frequent immediately after the lift, but less frequent now. It probably settled over time for me.

Edit: I should add I heard the "klunk " as the wheel was going down from the speed bump. The more I read up about "bottoming out" the more I'm confused because I have the 5100s so I shouldn't be bottoming out?

 

[adam2562]

Do you guys have the complete Toytec kit?





And the reason why I ask is because the kit comes with the Bilstein 5100s.

I have the Toytec Boss kit with the 5100s and as the OP describes it, I was bottoming out and getting the "kunk" sound when going over speed bumps. It was more frequent immediately after the lift, but less frequent now. It probably settled over time for me.

Edit: I should add I heard the "klunk " as the wheel was going down from the speed bump. The more I read up about "bottoming out" the more I'm confused because I have the 5100s so I shouldn't be bottoming out?

i can't speak for the OP but this is the kit i have BEST SELLER! 3" FJ Lift Kit w/spacers and rear ToyTec coils

so it doesn't come with shocks.. i knew it was only a matter of time before i'd want to put shocks in there.. just at the time i was keeping cost low before going out to Big Dogs Offroad. So you say you still have a "klunk, thud" in the rear even with your 5100's? i wonder if we can just get a 5100 shock that is a 1/2" longer ?

 

[thebwlife]

i can't speak for the OP but this is the kit i have BEST SELLER! 3" FJ Lift Kit w/spacers and rear ToyTec coils

so it doesn't come with shocks.. i knew it was only a matter of time before i'd want to put shocks in there.. just at the time i was keeping cost low before going out to Big Dogs Offroad. So you say you still have a "klunk, thud" in the rear even with your 5100's? i wonder if we can just get a 5100 shock that is a 1/2" longer ?

I did have a slight klunk after immediately replacing the springs, but now its gone away. I think it was just the spring seating a bit better and settling, now I have no klunk. I have the OME 60020 which are fine. But if I buy again it will be the 5100's just because they are much easier to find and can be bought anywhere.

You should be able to replace them in about 30 min. Top nut is kinda a pain. Here is the secret to making this easy. Jack up the truck and pull the old one off, put the bottom on first on the new one. Get the top in place and slowly let the jack down and it will push the stud up further so you can get a good amount of threads to work with.

Here is an Amazon link to the rear shocks priced pretty good with free shipping too.

Amazon.com: Bilstein (33-187174) 5100 Series Shock Absorber: Automotive

 

[adam2562]

thanks for the heads up! yea i'll probably do the rear myself and have a friend with a good spring compressor do the front at his shop. i'm scared of my advanced auto spring compressors LOL

 

[thebwlife]

thanks for the heads up! yea i'll probably do the rear myself and have a friend with a good spring compressor do the front at his shop. i'm scared of my advanced auto spring compressors LOL

If you go to 5100's in the front you need to dump the spacers and either get a new spring (884's or Eibachs @ .85" lift). Or you can just do the 5100's @ 2.5", but that might leave the rear a little high.

 

[adam2562]

If you go to 5100's in the front you need to dump the spacers and either get a new spring (884's or Eibachs @ .85" lift). Or you can just do the 5100's @ 2.5", but that might leave the rear a little high.

yea i'm gonna either use a coilover setup up front or springs with the 5100's i don't wanna max out the 5100's i feel they ride rougher

 

[Jono.ful]

Oh gez, I bet he just did the springs and kept the stock shocks. The shocks would be topping out, piston is striking the top of the shock tube at full extension on axle down travel, not bottoming out on compression at axle up travel.
Longer shocks = problem solved

 

[Preacherman]

i can't speak for the OP but this is the kit i have BEST SELLER! 3" FJ Lift Kit w/spacers and rear ToyTec coils

so it doesn't come with shocks.. i knew it was only a matter of time before i'd want to put shocks in there.. just at the time i was keeping cost low before going out to Big Dogs Offroad. So you say you still have a "klunk, thud" in the rear even with your 5100's? i wonder if we can just get a 5100 shock that is a 1/2" longer ?

Yes I have the same kit. It sounds like shocks are my issue. Does anyone know what length will be needed for that size lift? I really want to get the rancho 9000's I had them on my lifted trooper and loved them.

 

[adam2562]

Yes I have the same kit. It sounds like shocks are my issue. Does anyone know what length will be needed for that size lift? I really want to get the rancho 9000's I had them on my lifted trooper and loved them.

the Toytec site recommends the 5100's and that's what most are running and is ok for up to a 2" lift which is what the Toytec Superflex spring is good for.

 

[thebwlife]

Yes I have the same kit. It sounds like shocks are my issue. Does anyone know what length will be needed for that size lift? I really want to get the rancho 9000's I had them on my lifted trooper and loved them.

Ranchos are re-branded Monroe shocks. The bilsteins are much nicer.

 

[whodat]

i can't speak for the OP but this is the kit i have BEST SELLER! 3" FJ Lift Kit w/spacers and rear ToyTec coils

so it doesn't come with shocks.. i knew it was only a matter of time before i'd want to put shocks in there.. just at the time i was keeping cost low before going out to Big Dogs Offroad. So you say you still have a "klunk, thud" in the rear even with your 5100's? i wonder if we can just get a 5100 shock that is a 1/2" longer ?

I had the "klunk, thud" immediately after replacing the lift. At first I thought the springs just needed to settle a bit and the klunk-thud would go away, and it did progressively decreased over time. Then I read this thread and thought I had a bottoming out issue, despite the noise going away. I don't normally drive the 4R, it's my wife's daily driver, so today I did a few tests over the same speed bump, at 5, 10 and 20 mph and I had no "klunk, thud", just a regular "thud" which sounds normal IMO. So more than likely, it's like what [MENTION=45399]thebwlife[/MENTION] said below:

I think it was just the spring seating a bit better and settling

 

[fastcat27]

I did have a slight klunk after immediately replacing the springs, but now its gone away. I think it was just the spring seating a bit better and settling, now I have no klunk. I have the OME 60020 which are fine. But if I buy again it will be the 5100's just because they are much easier to find and can be bought anywhere.

You should be able to replace them in about 30 min. Top nut is kinda a pain. Here is the secret to making this easy. Jack up the truck and pull the old one off, put the bottom on first on the new one. Get the top in place and slowly let the jack down and it will push the stud up further so you can get a good amount of threads to work with.

Here is an Amazon link to the rear shocks priced pretty good with free shipping too.

Amazon.com: Bilstein (33-187174) 5100 Series Shock Absorber: Automotive

Is got the same lift and same problem. I have 3/4 inch of travel before the shock tops out. It's been almost 3 years since this post. Are these still the shocks to get with these springs or is there different guidance now? Thank you!

 

[WODWorldWide]

My rear 5100 shock actually stripped from the bottom grommet or whatever you call that. Fortunately Bilstein replaced it free of charge after 2 years with the lift. I do sometimes I need a longer shock though if I am stripped the rod.