Trouble removing front shock strut (help)

Hello all,

I am new here but have been following for some time.

I recently acquired a 2002 Tacoma TRD SR5 Auto V6 with 4x4 yadda yadda yadda.

All my shocks are shot so I decided to purchase some new blue and yellow billsteins.

I did my research on here and watch numerous videos of the non spring compressor method (lowering the LCA with a jack.)

I have jacked up my LCA, loosened the LCA where it attached to the body, removed the top nut from the shock. Removed the castle nut from the Ball joint, removed the two bolts from the dust cover on the ball joint (dumb mistake). I have then have tried to slowly let me jack out and lower my LCA. I was under the impression that my ball joint would completly come off my steering knuckle and allow my LCA drop all the way out of the way.


Here is where I have things. When I let my LCA down the ball joint does not come off and let everything drop. I just want to be absolutly sure there is no pressure on the spring before I attempt the lower shock mount!!!

Any ideas here? I really hope I can get this done today and drive it to a shop on monday for an aligment.

I was thinking it probably is just stuck in place from age. I was gonna run the castly nut back on but leave it a few threads loose. I was gonna then put my jack underneath and give it a tiny bit of room and give the stud from the ball joint a couple taps to try and convince it to let loose.

Any reason I wouldn't want to do it that way or how I should remedy this situation.

Thanks in advance for all the advice.

 

Kinda hard to follow for your description and I have never swapped COs using this method but if you are trying to separate the ball joint from the spindle, the ball joint is attached to the spindle by 4 bolts not 2.

 

Do not remove the castle nut, just the two bolts that attach the knuckle to the lower ball joint

As per:http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=vkVLBOnAifc

 

This method is foe 2005+ so it may be slightly different on your 2002. Kinda jumped on the reply quickly

 

Ok, I've watched that video a couple times. Should have listened. Figured the castle but would be a one stop shop! I on a 1st gen so I should have to remove all 4 correct? They are freakin tight and access is kinda crappy gonna go get a breaker bar and hope that works!

 

Make sure the jack is secured up under the lower control arm and applying pressure to the spring. The trucks front-end will want to lift up when adequate pressure is applied. Remove the nut holding top shock rod.

2 ways you can do it.

1. You can do it by removing the castle nut and hammering sharply (A few good hard solid hits) on the SIDE (textured iron part) of the ball joint assembly closest to the ball joint pin to break it loose. (Pin is what the castle nut goes on ). The vibrations from hammering will break the tension between the pin and the iron housing. The pin will loosen itself when the tension is broke. You will be able to lift the spindle up and down also fairly easy. DO NOT HAMMER ON THE PIN ITSELF.

OR

Loosening the 4 bolts holding the lower ball joint assembly to lower control arm.
Those 4 upside down bolts have BLUE loctite on them to keep them from working loose. So they are going to be tight. You should put blue loctite BACK ON THEM after cleaning the bolts with a wire brush to remove all the old locktite. They must be clean before they go back in with fresh loctite.

If you have ABS brakes, You will want to unbolt the wire from the spindle.

Once you have separated the ball joint assembly ( by either method above ) from the lower control arm SLOWLY lower the jack. The spring and shock should fall down enough to pull the spring and shock out. May have to remove sway bar linkage.

Be very very careful.

 

Welcome to TW, Ok you've probably already figured out you didn't need to take the castle nut off, just the 4 bolts that hold the LBJ to the spindle, when thats done then you can start lowering your jack, be sure to watch the spindle, when it seperates from the LBJ it's probably going to swing out on you.. With the LCA drooping down theres enough free movement in the UCA to pry up & slide strut/coil assembly out of the coil bucket & make sure you've taken the strut nut all the way off (ya kinda have to, to disassemble) I've done many struts/coils this way...

 

Awesome Guys! This all helped alot. I now have the strut and coil out and the new one ready to go. My newest problem is I can not get my LCA low enough to get the lower mount of the new shock attached.

I have removed my sway bar linkage, but do I also need to remove the remove the bar connected to the steering rack? It seems like that is the only thing I'm still fighting when trying to get my LCA lowenough (sorry about the poor terminology, I'm an aircraft mechanic by day and just don't have to deal with drive trains too often!)

Here are pictures of what I am trying to communicate

( I dunno why the forum keeps uploading my photos sideways)

 

& Thanks for the welcome. Always nice to join the community!

 

HwKellogg,
The truck is in the garage, with the same problem you state. The LCA will not fall low enough to put the low strut pin in. On all the videos they are showing the 2005+ taco and I can see the LCA fall away.
I have loosened the LCA alignment bolts, but not removed. I also disconnected the sway bar. Still pushing down on the LCA and get resistance before it goes low enough.
Did you figure it out???
Andy

 

By the way, The profile pic is the wife's Tacoma. Mine is a 2004 TRD.

 

that is your tie rod, if its holding you up you can disconnect it from the ball joint. Remove the castle nut holding the pin into the ball joint then take a hammer and wack the side of the part of the ball joint that the pin goes through a few times and it should pop out. Does that make sense? Don't wack the pin itself but the cast part of the bj the pin goes through. Also it might be a good idea to leave the castle nut on the last few thread while doing this in case you miss and hit the pin by mistake so you don't bugger up the threads. It might be a good idea to temperarely bolt the balljoint back to the knucle while doing this so its more solid when you wack it.

 

It might sound a bit brutish but I got my 3.0in of lift struts in by just using a huge pry bar and lowering the LCA by force, and i never disconnected the spindle from the LCA in any way.

 

Standing on the hub works too.

 

OP, for the tie rod end invest in one of these:



The cheapest ones are $10-15 at the local auto parts store and will work perfectly on the tie rod end - popping it out in seconds.

Alternatively, you can hammer the living fuck out of the metal side of the hub assembly that the stud of the tie rod end goes through, eventually that will pop the tie rod out. Just dont use a pickle fork on it unless you are going to be replacing the tie rod end.

 

^^ Moco - I think that tool needs to be modded slightly to fit. I bought that and it won't fit around the assembly. I think you need to trim a little off the arms, right? Mine is a 97 4WD 2.7L.

 

I use the smaller version but it is my understanding the larger one works fine as is.

 

I'll have to triple check mine - seems like I tried twice now and it would not fit. If not, I will post pics/vid of that. I may pick up a set at Harbor Freight - they have a pack of three differing sized 3 arm pullers. They only need to work a few times, so if cheap, well not a problem if they do the job!

 

I put some torque on it then give the knuckle a gentle rap with a hammer if it didn't come apart with the torque alone. Usually pops in one pop. So far, no signs of stress on the pullers.

I do know that the OTRE requires some attention to the angle of the tool to get it on there right.

 

You shouldnt. I picked up the cheapest one (the tool) at AdvanceAuto (Autocraft brand) and that son of a bitch popped out my tied rod end and my ball joint with 0 issues. It fit perfect with no modification necessary. These tools generally come in a large and small. The small one worked for me with no issues on my 96 2.7L 4x4.