Mod Rear FJ Shock for Tacoma Mount

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If you buy these shocks do yourself a big favor and buy them from someone that understands how they should be valved for these trucks.

I had them for about a year with them bucking like a wild horse.

Sonny from Down South Motor Sports truly hooked me up. I told him about my truck and he sent me valving that I installed when I rebuilt them. WOW!!! The truck feels like it has 5 inches of addition shock!!! It doesn't but man it takes the whoops sooooo much better now.

It would also be fair to note that I replaced my springs with OME Dakar springs. Gave my AP springs to Randy as a Deployment Gift to him. To be fair to him I also warned him that their 'spring' had sprung and they were sitting on the Timbrens.

Hopefully this will help one person to not have to make one of the many costly mistakes I have made while 'tuning' my truck!

Good luck and feel free to PM me if you have questions.
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I recently purchased some 2.0 Fox Remote Resi shocks (installed with All Pro Off Road 3.0 leaf pack, U-bolt flip kit, and Tembrens) Apparently these shocks were intended for FJ so now it's time to mount 'em to a Tacoma.

Photo by Mr. SirMarlon


The bottom mount as delivered (ready to be mounted to an FJ):


My only challege was trying to put the All Pro supplied 3/4" bushing in the bottom mount bushing. I didn't want to just press it in for two reasons: 1) I didn't wan't set up the lower aluminum boss with excessive stress and future crack and 2) I just didn't want to work that hard at trying to squeeze that thing in there.

So here's what I used to complete this task:

a 3/4" flat wood drill bit and 1 1/8" flat wood drill bit

First have the drill (3/4" bit) on highest speed available before you start to plunge into the rubber bushing (don't stick the drill bit in and then start the drill). Ideally this would be setup on a drill press in a vice (with leather or rubber protecting the anodized aluminum boss) to ensure perpendicular travel through the bushing. If you are careful you will have a nice clean I.D.. If you are not you will rip the bushing and might find an early failure.


After you have a clean hole, wet the bushing (I used HBMurphy's spit) and press in. Make sure that the steel bushing is centered in the rubber bushing. Take the 1 1/8" bit at full speed and carefully trim the excess rubber off the rubber bushing (repeat on both sides).


Now with both looking like this, you're ready to mount them.


Good luck and if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

 

I have always wanted the Icon FJ rear shocks because they do not have a resi. I can't stand the rear resi icon shocks. It is kinda gay having resis for the rear, but not the front. Not to mention, I know I am going to get flamed for this, but the quality of the icon resis is not up to par with the coilovers.

 

Great write up! Thanks. You are super knowledgeable Paul!

 

Does your 90 fit into the mount or does the resi hit before it? I was wondering if I should trim the mount a bit?

 

If you are talking about the 90˚ fitting. It doesn't hit - but the whole assembly turns and rubs against my tire occasionally. - I've got to address it some day.

 

nice set up.i have the front but not the rear.

 

Thanks but don't worry, once you finish engineering school you will numchuck me! I only know the engineering stuff from the dark ages!

 

Hahaha. But you have the years and years and years and years and year and years and years of experience.

 

I'm living the nightmare right now... Wrong size bushings... Calling All Pro on Monday morning. Thanks for the help HBMurphy!

 

More than welcome!

 

Again HBMurph helping out , helped me when I got mine.

Just go pick up some polypro hourglass ones and the metal sleeve that's what I did. However I didn't order them from All-Pro, I just bought the Fox FJ Shocks.

What valving are you guys using? I had mine re-valved since I had a free revalve with my purchase for ORW. They came to me with Fox's valving for the FJ. I had them valved to 30/70. Feels awesome and works really well for me. I contacted Down South Motorsports and they told me what they suggested for specs.

I'm going to have my Fox Coilovers revalved as well when I get my winch up front. Feel that with the swaybar off the suspension compress to easy and I find the bottom of my travel with small whoops.

 

That free re valving is a nice one! The whole setup that I bought - I am sure that mine are valved for an FJ. I do get some nasty oscillation at times - I am currently experimenting with what works best in different conditions. Does anyone know offhand how much people charge for a re-valving? Do you know what the valving was for the FJ setup? Thanks for the info!

 

Believe around $60-70 to re-valve (not sure if thats per or for a set), Fox valves FJ at 40/80. I ran them for a day or two at 40/80 and the rear end felt really stiff and over a bump rebound way to fast, felt like it would kick out over a bump.

 

That's good... sounds like mine!

 

Talk about forum help/support! HBMurphy not only called me to help me with the Fox shock install troubles I was having, he went out of his way, went to Lowe's and tried to find bushings that would get me out of a bind. What an awesome display of support! Positive Rep for you my friend!!!

 

He is the most generous man alive!!!

 

You shouldn't be embarrased! Be proud!

 

Update: Spoke with just about everyone at All Pro and found out the following...

The correct bushing specs for the bottom of the shock are as follows from the All Pro machine shop.

ID = .500"
OD = .750"
Length = 1.25"
Material = mild steel

Since the stock bolt has a weird major diameter measuring at .4675" (~11.8mm), I'm having the bushing ID made to fit a .469", having the length made at 1.32" and the OD at .748" (stock) out of 302 Stainless Steel with two .050" chamfers, one on each end, to aid in installation.

I spec'd out my bushings BEFORE speaking with All Pro. The advantages are that the 302 stainless steel is a better material, the OD of the bushing will be tighter (less slop) and as long as the bushings aren't too long, I should be in business... FINGERS CROSSED...

 

Are you going to open up the mount? I 'machined' down the rubber bushing in order for it to fit; I made the rubber the same width of the bushing that was supplied by All Pro Off Road

Are you going to open up the rubber bushing to be .75 all the way through like I did or you going to try to have an interference fit?